#69 | Are You In or Are You Out? — w/ Jay Wamsted

unMASKing with Male Educators: Creating Emotionally Safe Classrooms & Schools for Male Students · May 12, 2026 · 50m

In this episode of unMASKing with Male Educators, Ashanti Branch sits down with Jay Wamsted, a 20-year educator, father, writer, and author of The Lockdown Artist.

Jay reflects on the masks he wears as a teacher, being in control, joyful, hopeful, and steady, while carrying the hidden weight of uncertainty, frustration, and concern about the future of public education.

He shares his journey as a white educator in predominantly Black classrooms, how writing helped him process race and identity in schools, and why emotional safety matters deeply in math class. Jay also talks about replacing…