About Chalk & Gavel

Chalk and Gavel is a podcast exploring how law, policy, and courtroom decisions shape K–12 education. Each biweekly episode, hosts Chris and Jamie dig into real cases—from free speech to school discipline to copyright law—and translate legal complexity into actionable insight for teachers, administrators, students, and anyone curious about law and policy in schools.

We believe educators, parents, and communities deserve a clear window into how the law shapes and operates in schools. Our mission is to make the connections visible, meaningful, and empowering. Whether you’re a current or future educator, professor, law student, or simply someone who cares about our schools, Chalk and Gavel aims to equip you with knowledge, context, and curiosity.

Two men sit at a table set up for a podcast or recording session. The man on the left holds a cup and a tablet, with a camera and microphone in front of him. The man on the right has a laptop with stickers, a microphone in front of him, and various equipment on the table, including a pair of headphones, camera, and water bottle, in a room with beige walls.

What You’ll Hear on Chalk & Gavel

  • Deep dives into landmark and emerging court cases affecting schools

  • Conversations about legal issues in education—civil rights, student speech, school funding, privacy, and more

  • Context and commentary bridging law and classroom practicality

  • Occasional guest experts and bonus episodes exploring emerging legal themes

Meet the Hosts

  • A man with a beard wearing headphones smiling in front of a microphone, with a bookshelf filled with books and framed photos behind him.

    Chris Thomas, J.D., Ph.D

    Host

    Chris wields the 'gavel' in Chalk & Gavel, drawing on his experience as an education law attorney for local public schools in Ohio. Informing his legal experiences and expertise, Chris started his career as a high school English teacher. He then earned his law degree and Ph.D. In Educational Policy from THE Ohio State University. While in law school, Chris worked in the U.S. Department of Education's Office of the General Counsel and was a judicial extern for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. His breadth of experiences in the law and education helps him uniquely bridge law, policy, and educational practice. 

    Chris is currently an Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership and Policy at the University of Florida. He primarily teaches education law, finance, and policy courses in the M.Ed. and Ph.D. leadership and policy programs. His ongoing research explores the intersection of law, policy, and practice, focusing on issues related to democratic school governance and citizenship education. Chris is the award-winning author of Reclaiming Democratic Education: Student and Teacher Activism and the Future of Education Policy and the co‑editor of The Principal’s Legal Handbook (7th edition). 

    While maybe not as cool as Jamie's musical experiences, Chris plays the French Horn and marched in the Ohio State University Marching Band (TBDBITL), where he did not dot the 'i' (wrong instrument, unfortunately). Chris handles most of the pre-production aspects of Chalk & Gavel, including identifying and researching cases.

  • Smiling man with headphones speaking into a microphone in a recording studio

    Jamie Kudlats, Ph.D.

    Host

    As a former middle school principal, assistant principal, and teacher, Jamie brings a grounded, in-the-schools perspective to the “chalk” side of Chalk & Gavel. He is currently an Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership at UNC Charlotte, where he teaches in the M.Ed. and Ed.D. leadership programs, and leads the Superintendency concentration of the Ed.D. and the Independent School concentration within the M.Ed. Curriculum & Instruction degree. His research centers on issues of school law and policy, caring leadership, school climate, and the relational dynamics of school communities. He has written and spoken extensively on a variety of topics, including the principal-student relationship, principals’ stress and coping, the importance of increasing educators’ legal literacy, student rights, ethical leadership, discrimination, and more. He’s also one of the founding Chief Editors for Law & Policy in Schools, a new quarterly magazine for those interested in legal issues in K-12 schools.

    Jamie also serves as a director at a children’s summer camp in Canada. He had a short run as a musician in his younger days and still enjoys playing whenever he can. Jamie’s musical background, creative interests, and technical abilities (and the DIY nature of the show) help him handle all of the technical production aspects of Chalk & Gavel.

    Jamie lives in Durham, NC, with his family. He holds a Ph.D. in Education from UNC Chapel Hill and an M.A. in Education from The George Washington University.