We’re trying something new at Words in Edgewise.
SO1E01: Twenty Questions for the New Rochelle Board of Education on Vision 2030 (October 5, 2026)
The Words in Edgewise podcast is a new conversational format featuring journalist and publisher Robert Cox in conversation with ChatGPT, his AI interlocutor, about the stories behind his reporting. The idea is simple: take the reporting, documents, questions and context behind a story and explore them in a concise back-and-forth discussion — with questions and comments from readers joining the conversation along the way.
In the first episode, Cox explains why a planned news story about New Rochelle’s Vision 2030 turned into “20 Questions.” He discusses the missing problem statement, the enrollment and capacity data he wants to see, the risks of debating solutions before defining the problems, and why the district should create a central repository for the information informing the process.
The conversation also brings readers into the discussion. Martha McCann asks how charter schools and other educational options could affect future district enrollment, while Michael Cammer challenges whether Vision 2030 is fundamentally being driven by the district’s budget problems.
Cox closes by explaining why the Vision 2030 process matters not only to parents and students, but also to taxpayers, property owners and the broader New Rochelle community.