Ep. 1388: Ross Greene Interview with Michael Covel on Trend Following Radio

The conversation between Michael Covel and Ross Greene cuts to the heart of America’s fractured education system, challenging the myth of a one-size-fits-all meritocracy. Greene, a 40-year veteran of child behavioral intervention, argues that the real crisis isn’t failing students—it’s failing to meet them where they are. He dismantles the idea that equity means sameness, asserting instead that true equity is recognizing that every child is developmentally different. When schools ignore this variability, they create a feedback loop of failure: kids act out not because they’re ‘bad,’ but because their unmet needs are causing frustration. Covel, a skeptic shaped by his own underachieving past and a deep distrust of political interference in education, pushes back hard—questioning how normal students can be forced to endure disruptive peers, and whether a system that rewards non-merit-based admissions is eroding societal trust. Yet Greene counters with a radical but practical solution: shift from crisis management (restraint, seclusion, expulsion) to crisis prevention through early intervention, collaboration, and expertise. The most powerful moment comes when Greene reveals that schools that adopt his model don’t just help struggling kids—they free up 70-80% of teacher energy, improve outcomes for *all* students, and dramatically reduce long-term societal costs. This isn’t utopian idealism; it’s a proven, scalable framework that turns behavioral chaos into classroom harmony.