Episode 23: Teachers in Texas: Why Are Teachers Writing Their Wills? A Conversation on the Return to Classrooms

On today's episode I talk to four theatre teachers from various parts of Texas: Joshua Hill, Chris Turner, Kyle Nichols and Paul Fillingim.  This is a very frank conversation on the fear of going back, how some Texas teachers have to go back to minimal safety precautions, and the threat of job security if they protest or refuse to go back without safe conditions. " We are rewriting our wills- Our lives, our children's lives and our family's lives are all at risk right now".

 

Kyle Nichols has been teaching for 9 years in the Texas public school system.Kyle has worked at several school systems, but has served as the theatre director at Marshall High School for the past seven years.

 

Paul Fillingim is entering his 8th year of teaching and is currently the Artistic Director of Reagan Stage at Ronald Reagan High School in San Antonio, Texas.  He holds a BFA in Acting from Texas Tech University and a BA in Directing from Texas State University.   Outside of school Paul is raising his children, Quentin and Lyric, with his husband Shawn.

 

Chris Turner is teaching Theater at Wichita Falls High School in Wichita Falls. He was a professional actor/director/ writer in Hollywood and New York. In 2012 he made the transition to teaching and received his masters in theatre education from the City College of New York. He started teaching in New York and has been trying to switch to the more rigorous competitive nature of teaching theatre in Texas since 2018. 

 

Joshua Hill is a teacher with Houston Independent School district, where he has finished his first year of teaching. Mr. Hill holds and MFA in Playwriting from Columbia University, an MS in Theatre Education from City College, City University of New York, and a BA in Directing from the University of Texas at Austin.