Listen to a story from two teenagers who offer an inside look at the current culture of marijuana, and hear their takeaway on what parents should think about if they find a joint in their kid’s bedroom.

An old florescent light fixture broke, and the smoke not only forced the evacuation of the building but also re-ignited the fight over how to replace toxic fixtures in the schools as quickly as possible.

The City Council speaker and Democratic candidate for mayor said she wants to add more gifted and talented seats and find ways to enroll more Black and Latino students in the city’s elite programs.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg presented a $69.8 billion budget for the fiscal year starting July 1 that contains about $800 million in one-time revenue and calls for reduced spending on education. Proposed cuts include $135 million for after-school and early childhood education programs and a reduction of 1,800 teaching positions through attrition over the next two years as a result of the city’s failure to reach a deal with the unions on a teacher evaluation plan.

WNYC’s Brian Lehrer spoke to the author of an article about tensions in the East Ramapo school district. Then he interviewed Rockland County legislator Aron Wieder, the former school board president, who responded to claims that members of the local Orthodox Jewish community are abusing their power on the school board to gut the public schools. Listen to both interviews and join the conversation.

Teachers and parents swapped stories about the English Language Arts exams that wrapped up Thursday. Hear Beth Fertig on the Brian Lehrer Show take callers’ questions and try to clarify some confusion around the state tests.

After 14 years on the job, Matthew Goldstein, chancellor of the City University of New York, is stepping down this summer. He tells WNYC that while the system has changed and grown, the persistently high number of city students who are not ready for college is “too high.” Take a listen.

The drama program at Scholar’s Academy is climbing back from Sandy’s storm damage to put on a spring show in its renovated theater. Equipment and costumes still needed.

Hear esteemed teacher John Hunter talk about his experience teaching world peace to his elementary school children. Over the decades, he said, the children have gotten less prone to war even with violent video games at their disposal.

Join the fun that can only happen every 17 years. The cicadas are coming, and WNYC is inviting armchair scientists, DIY makers and science teachers to help predict the emergence of cicadas by building homemade sensors and sharing your observations.