KQED's Forum

Grass-roots groups like Moms for Liberty have turned school boards into battlegrounds in California and nationwide, fighting for control over kids’ classroom discussions and reading materials – often at the expense of marginalized communities. But is this a new battle, or the latest in a line of conservative parenting movements? We talk with journalists and historians about previous education showdowns – from the “red scare” of the 1950s to sex education – and examine the lasting role that Republican women have played in shaping school and state politics.Guests:Kathleen Quillian, producer of "Bedrock, USA" podcast; co-host and producer of podcast mini-series "The School Board Queen"Michelle Nickerson, professor of history at Loyola University Chicago; author of "Mothers of Conservatism: Women and the Postwar Right" and "Spiritual Criminals: How the Camden 28 Put the Vietnam War on Trial"Ishani Desai, breaking news reporter, The Sacramento Bee Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

San Jose, the Bay Area’s largest city, grew at the peak of car-heavy, sprawling urban planning. Most of its nearly one million residents live in single-family homes. These days, many California cities are looking for ways to concentrate more residents near transit to reduce carbon emissions, improve livability and address the Bay Area’s housing crisis. But even with the best intentions and a new mentality, can cities reinvent sprawl into dense, walkable neighborhoods? We’ll talk about San Jose’s attempt to shift toward density and what other cities can learn from it.Guests:Adhiti Bandlamudi, housing reporter, KQEDChris Elmendorf, housing professor, University of California, Davis, School of LawMichael Brilliot, deputy director of planning, city of San Jose Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cold water therapy has been around for a long time, as part of spiritual traditions and physical recovery programs for athletes. But a commercialized version known as “cold plunging” has become the latest wellness craze. Enthusiasts who embrace it as a daily practice say it has benefits ranging from boosting immunity to combating depression and improving sleep. But are these claims backed by science? We talk about what’s driving the urge to plunge and how to do it safely, and we’ll hear from you: Have you tried cold water therapy? Has it worked for you?Guests:Charlie Warzel, staff writer, The Atlantic; author, "Galaxy Brain" a newsletter about the internet and big ideas.Dr. Mark Harper, anesthesiologist; researcher; author, "Chill: The Cold Water Swim Cure"; co-creator, Chill UK - a nonprofit committed to providing courses in cold-water swimming to improve mental health Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

According to a recent report from GoFundMe, the site has raised $30 billion, since 2010, for fundraising campaigns around the world. Crowdfunding, as a concept, is not new. One of the first crowdfunders was an 1885 appeal to pay for the base of the Statue of Liberty, resulting in thousands of donations, some just mere pennies. Today, donors can help pay for disaster relief, medical treatments, classroom supplies, and more with a click of a button. But are these donations going to those who need the most help? And what does it say about our society that people need to create campaigns to pay for basic needs? We’ll talk to experts about crowdfunding, and hear from you: Have you run a crowdfunding campaign or benefitted from one?Guests:Tony Cookson, professor of finance, Leeds School of Business at University of Colorado BoulderJeremy Snyder, professor of health sciences, Simon Fraser University; author, "Appealing to the Crowd: The Ethical, Political, and Practical Dimensions of Donation-Based Crowdfunding"Una Osili, associate dean, Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at Indiana University Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“A little more than 10 years ago, I began looking back at the diaries I had kept over the previous decade. I wondered if I’d changed. So I loaded all 500,000 words of my journals into Excel to order the sentences alphabetically.” That’s how author Sheila Heti describes the origins of the decade-long project that would become her latest book, “Alphabetical Diaries.” When she reviewed those sentences sorted on a spreadsheet, Heti says she found a constant self — one preoccupied across time with the same worries about writing, money and love. We talk to her about what revisiting and reorganizing her diary entries revealed about her own consistencies and contradictions. And we’ll hear from you: What have you learned from re-reading your diaries?Guests:Sheila Heti, author, “Alphabetical Diaries,” “Motherhood,” “Pure Colour” and “How Should A Person Be?” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oakland’s Brontez Purnell is so many things. As he writes in “Ten Bridges I’ve Burnt,” his new memoir in verse, “I am a troubled Negro youth in his 40s neglecting self care.” He’s also the frontman for the punk band the Younger Lovers, a dancer, a performance artist, a queer zine-maker, the author of the critically acclaimed “100 Boyfriends,” as well as a raconteur and truth seeker. He joins us to talk about his life and his art.Guests:Brontez Purnell, author, "Ten Bridges I've Burnt: A Memoir in Verse" and "100 Boyfriends"; musician Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Supreme Court is expected to rule soon on whether Colorado can keep former President Trump off of the state primary ballot for his actions on January 6. Meanwhile, Trump faces 91 felony counts across multiple jurisdictions in cases involving election subversion, hush money payments and the illegal handling of classified documents. We’ll talk about the legal and political implications of it all for Trump, who by a wide margin remains the GOP primary frontrunner.Guests:Shanlon Wu, criminal defense attorney; legal analyst, CNN; former federal prosecutor who also served as counsel to Attorney General Janet RenoDavid Graham, staff writer, The Atlantic Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sonoma County’s airport, jail, and social services office, among other county services, are suffering from severe understaffing. According to a six-month investigative report by Sonoma’s Press-Democrat, vacancy rates for key county positions range from 25% to 41%. Burnout, turnover and early retirements are contributing to the crisis. Meanwhile, frustrated county residents seeking assistance face long lines, interminable hold times, and busy phone signals. We’ll talk about how Sonoma is trying to address these problems, which are common to many Bay Area counties.Guests:Emma Murphy, Sonoma County government and politics reporter, Santa Rosa Press-Democrat - Murphy co-authored the newspaper's investigative series on understaffing across Sonoma County departmentsMartin Espinoza, senior reporter of investigations team, Press Democrat - Espinoza co-authored the paper's investigation of understaffing across Sonoma County departmentsJanell Crane, director of human resources, Sonoma CountyTravis Balzarini, president, SEIU Local 1021 Sonoma County Chapter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last year, more than 20 states considered or approved legislation to limit or ban diversity, equity and inclusion programs in higher education. These efforts, supported by a network of activists, political groups and Republican operatives, are centered at the Claremont Institute, a conservative California-based think tank with ties to the Trump movement. New York Times investigative reporter Nicholas Confessore gained access to thousands of documents and emails shedding light on the national anti-D.E.I. campaign orchestrated by the Claremont Institute’s leaders. We’ll hear what he learned…Guests:Nicholas Confessore, political and investigative reporter, New York Times Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The 49ers faithful are gearing up for another Super Bowl appearance facing the Kansas City Chiefs – a rematch from 2019 when the Chiefs won. The stakes are high for San Francisco which hasn’t claimed a Super Bowl win in 29 years. Meanwhile, Kansas City wants to clinch dynasty status with a third victory in five years. And, somehow amid all the usual talk of strategy and quarterbacks, pop princess Taylor Swift has become a central player in this game off the field. We’ll talk about what this game means for the Bay and how the faithful plan to show up for their team. And, we want to hear from Niner fans: what does this Super Bowl mean to you?Guests:Ann Killion, sports columnist, San Francisco ChronicleJoel Anderson, staff writer, Slate - where he also hosts the Slow Burn and Hang Up and Listen podcasts. Former reporter on sports, culture, and politics for ESPN and BuzzFeed News.Paul Nyakatura, announcer, KCUR - lifelong Kansas City Chiefs fanNisa Khan, Audience Engagement Reporter, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices