Boston Public Radio

The Massachusetts Teachers Association, led by President Max Page, has initiated a ballot proposal to replace the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System, or MCAS, as a high school graduation requirement. He joined Boston Public Radio to discuss along with former BPS student Gigi Greene.

The Museum of Science is creating the Public Science Common, a unique space designed to connect the community with Boston’s top scientific minds and foster a lasting appreciation for science.

Michael Curry, a member of the National NAACP Board of Directors, emphasized the importance of Juneteenth as a pivotal moment in American history that should be widely celebrated.

Massachusetts Senator Ed Markey reflected on being one of the lead sponsors of the bill that established Juneteenth as a federal holiday and his proposed Right to Contraception Act.

The Latino Equity Fund (LEF) is marking its 10th anniversary with a vibrant celebration themed "¡Pa’lante! A Decade of Impact." The festivities will be held at Bow Market in Somerville. LEF Director Javier Juarez highlighted the significance of their work in a recent discussion.

The grocery, cafe and gathering space celebrates first anniversary in one of Boston's most dynamic neighborhoods.

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu is not taking a maternity leave, after giving birth to her third child just two days ago. We open the phone lines to hear what listeners think about taking parental leave in a modern, working world. One caller has a lot to say...GBH executive arts editor Jared Bowen discusses the impact of the California fires on Hollywood and the Oscars. Plus, the MFA exhibit "Deep Waters: Four Artists and the Sea."NBC Boston's Sue O'Connell previews Biden's farewell address and discusses why 2025 could be the year of the "Alpha Male." Tech podcaster Andy Ihnatko discusses the imminent TikTok ban and Meta's end of fact checking.Boston Globe advice columnist Meredith Goldstein talks about recent letters about getting over divorce guilt and dealing with a partner lost to conspiracy theories. Plus, the start of a new season of the Loves Letters podcast. Then we open the phone lines to ask listeners how they maintain relationships (or not) with people across the political divide.

BPR Full Show 1/14: Ask The Attorney General

Today:Amherst College's Ilan Stavans discusses the power of names, and Donald Trump's obsession with them.Khalil Gibran Muhammad of Princeton University discusses Mark Zuckerberg's shift away from fact-checking and content moderation on his Meta social media platforms.

Los Angeles still on fire, as the death toll tops 24, thousands of acres and homes destroyed. The governor has suspended environmental permitting and review requirements to rebuild – Is this the right move, as flames fueled by climate change encircle the city? We ask you: after a natural disaster, what’s the balance between rebuilding and climate resilience? Food policy analyst Corby Kummer discusses how congestion pricing might impact NYC restaurants and the dozens of Tatte employees forced to resign amid growing immigration crackdown fears.Ilan Stavans of Amherst College discusses Trump calling for a renaming of the Gulf of Mexico and Mexican President Sheinbaum's reply. Dr. Katherine Gergen Barnett discusses the health hazards of smoke inhalation/poor air quality in relation to the LA fires and climate change more broadly. She also reflects on her father, David Gergen, who has dementia.Princeton's Khalil Gibran Muhammad discusses the tech world ending their DEI initiatives and why right-wing influencers are spreading lies about the LA fires in relation to diversity efforts.Then it's the buffet and you: We open the phone and text lines for you to wax poetic about buffets, the good the bad and the ugly.

Today:The 22nd annual Boston Celtic Music Festival kicks off Jan. 16. We talk with musician and festival organizers Lindsay O’Donovan – widow of the late, great Brian O’Donovan – and Matt Smith from Club Passim with live performances from the band Fox River and duo Hanneke Cassel & Adam Hendey.And, Imari Paris Jeffries of Embrace Boston discusses this year's gala honoring MLK's legacy; former Governor Deval Patrick zooms in too.