The new CNN podcast, The Assignment with Audie Cornish, released its first episode on Thursday. The weekly podcast pulls listeners out of their digital echo chambers to hear from the people who live the headlines. From the economics of underground sex work to the battle over what’s taught in classrooms, no topic is off the table.
“I’ve long wanted a show that spotlights the voices of real people living through stories at the intersection of hard news and pop culture,” said Cornish, the show's host. “Nothing is off-limits, as we jump into thought-provoking conversations grappling with issues most of us only argue about.”
In the premiere, she talks with school board officials and students about the impacts of general political topics on their everyday lives. Here's a snippet of their conversation:
Audie Cornish:
I asked students what they thought of the political battles in the classroom. I gave them no direction on what political struggle that might be. And here is one of them.
Student:
How is it that my existence is a threat to other people? My existence, my identity, my sexuality, my gender ... That's me. The same goes for everybody else in this world. No one should have the right to silence me or anyone else, no matter how young or old. It’s such an important part of myself, and I know for other trans kids it is an important thing for them too. I think the fact that we can't even express that in schools, where we are supposed to be safe and are encouraged to grow and be ourselves, I just think that is completely unacceptable.
Audie Cornish:
What do you hear in the voice of a student like that?
April Carney, Duval County, Florida School Board:
I think that we're putting these kids under a microscope. And I actually think that by drawing more attention to the struggles they're going through, it's actually putting more pressure on them. I have a friend of mine whose son is gay and has come home and said, "Mom, it's all day, every day. It's nonstop. I feel like I'm being singled out. And I really just want to be with my peers and go about my school day." And so, I think there's a way to be inclusive without making it a spectacle. And I think that's what it's become. And in turn, it's actually having a negative effect on these kids who are struggling with their gender identity. I think if there was less focus on it during the school day and more focus on academics and just being a kid, I think it might lessen the pressure for her. I feel for her. I do empathize with her.
