Classical Education and the Charter School Advantage

On September 9, 2024, Lauren Fix, Roger Mangan, and Gwen Pecron joined the show. Explained why insurance rates are up 50%, how EV policies drive costs for all drivers, and offered practical tips including bundling policies and avoiding telematics devices Analyzed the timing decision for Social Security benefits, demonstrating with concrete calculations why early withdrawal may be financially advantageous for many retirees Described how.

Rising Car Insurance Costs and the EV Industry Crisis

Start listening at 30:47 – Hour 1

Lauren Fix, known as the Car Coach, broke down why car insurance rates have jumped nearly 50% and offered practical strategies for consumers to fight back. Fix explained that electric vehicle policies are driving up costs for everyone, noting that insurance companies frequently total EVs after minor fender benders because they cannot assess battery damage.

Fix detailed the financial hemorrhaging in the auto industry, revealing that Ford loses $44,000 on every electric vehicle it sells. These losses get passed to consumers through higher prices on gas-powered vehicles, pushing the average new car cost above $50,000. She warned about Chinese automakers building plants in Mexico to circumvent tariffs, a strategy that threatens American manufacturing jobs if trade policies change.

The automotive expert offered actionable advice: bundle insurance policies, pay premiums in full for 15-18% savings, use paperless billing, and shop around at the end of each six-month term. She cautioned against those plug-in telematics devices that promise safe-driver discounts, noting that a single swerve to avoid a pothole can trigger aggressive driving flags.

“I think this is what people don’t realize is the cost of car insurance is up about 50%.”

Lauren Fix, The Car Coach

Social Security Timing Decisions

Start listening at 67:43 – Hour 2

Roger Mangan of State Farm Insurance examined the complex math behind Social Security benefit timing. Using concrete numbers, he demonstrated that waiting from age 66 to 70 means forgoing $144,000 in benefits during that period. While waiting increases monthly payments by about $13,000 annually, he calculated it takes 11 years to break even, making early withdrawal sensible for many retirees.

Mangan expressed concern about the program’s long-term viability, noting that the trust fund has been depleted by Congress to cover budget deficits. He advocated for giving younger workers the choice between Social Security and private investment options.

“Now if you divide the $13,000 difference between those two numbers divide it into the $144,000 it would take you 11 years to break even by waiting so it’s better to take the money, get it now.”

Roger Mangan, State Farm Insurance

Classical Charter School Excellence

Start listening at 74:24 – Hour 2

Gwen Pecron, headmaster of Merit Academy in Woodland Park, Colorado, described how her classical charter school vaulted from 560th to 301st in state rankings in just three years, placing it in the top 21% of Colorado’s 1,387 schools. The school emphasizes fundamentals that progressive education has abandoned: Latin, cursive writing, art, music, and deep study of founding documents.

Merit Academy’s classical trivium approach moves students through grammar (foundational knowledge), logic (critical thinking), and rhetoric (argumentation and application). High schoolers spend two full years on American history, with the first year dedicated almost entirely to the Declaration of Independence and Constitution. Pecron explained that by 11th grade, students can read cursive letters from World War II soldiers, a skill lost to students educated without penmanship training.

The school’s hiring practices prioritize expertise over credentials. Retired engineers teach math. Retired physics teachers run the math program. An organizational psychologist herself, Pecron conducts one-on-one conversations with every candidate before formal interviews to ensure cultural fit. The school declined to participate in universal pre-K, choosing to maintain curriculum independence and consistent classical instruction from preschool through 12th grade.

“Even last year, we were at, in Colorado, we were ranked at 560th. And now we’re at 301. So we dropped almost 260 rankings in the state of Colorado, and that’s over 1,387 schools. And so we’re in the top 21% of the state in schools.”

Gwen Pecron, Headmaster, Merit Academy