Why are teachers leaving the profession? (Photo credit: Mike Stephen/WGN Radio)

Mike Stephen talks to director Haley Breese about her new documentary called Failure to Fail that focuses on teachers leaving their profession, discusses a critique of Chicago’s One Fair Wage law with food writer Michael Nagrant, and discovers the Secret History of the 1960s girl group The Same. To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our Apple Podcasts Page, Spotify, or our RSS feed.

This week we discuss a new report about Latinos in the suburbs of Chicago. (Photo credit: Mike Stephen/WGN Radio)

Mike Stephen discusses a new report that explores the Latino experience in the Chicago suburbs with Sylvia Puente of the Latino Policy Forum, chats with Chalkbeat Chicago reporter Samantha Smylie about the controversy around the Invest In Kids program, and talks to local musician Matt Tiegler about his new music. To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our Apple Podcasts Page, Spotify, or our RSS feed.

We hear from a teacher of the year about his thoughts on education in 2023. (Photo credit: Mike Stephen/WGN Radio)

Mike Stephen sits down with Dr. Tyrone Williams, the Gilder Lehrman Illinois History Teacher of the Year and history teacher at Oak Park and River Forest High School, learns about supplying musicians with cool merch from Deb Sonzo and Jamie Riani, co-owners of Music Graphics Chicago, and gets an update on TIF districts in Chicago from Tom Tresser of the TIF Illumination Project. To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our Apple Podcasts Page, Spotify, or our RSS feed.

This week we explore compliance with a law regulating punishment in local schools. (Photo credit: Mike Stephen/WGN Radio)

Mike Stephen talks to Chalkbeat Chicago reporter Samantha Smylie about Chicago Public Schools’ compliance with a state law dealing with punishment in schools, learns about the next chapter of the historic Pickwick Theater in Park Ridge from Mike Jeffers, founder of Chicago Jazz Magazine and venue & programming consultant, and gets the lowdown on a local organization that empowers youth with media and storytelling skills called True Star Media from production team member Christopher Lockridge. To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our Apple Podcasts Page, Spotify, or our RSS feed.