A Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on book bans took a racy turn Tuesday, as Republican senators and a witness read scenes of various sexual content into the congressional record to defend the banning of multiple titles from U.S. schools. Max Eden, a research fellow at the conservative-leaning American Enterprise Institute, kicked off the “Book Bans:…
Author: Lexi Lonas
Homeschoolers ‘vigilant’ over latest school choice wins in states
School choice advocates have had a successful year implementing new policies in Republican-led states, but concerns over the changes have come from an unlikely source: homeschoolers. While school choice fans and homeschoolers would seem to be on the same side of the coin — namely, those skeptical of the public school system — the government…
22 years later, teachers reflect on how 9/11 is remembered in the classroom
More than two decades after Sept. 11, 2001, educators who watched the terror attacks unfold live on TV see slow changes in how the tragic day is honored in classrooms. Teachers are forced to walk a fine line, facing the emotions from a day that no one in their generation will forget while educating kids…
Curriculum changes to counter learning loss create necessity of bringing teachers up to speed
In the fight against students’ learning loss, numerous states and school districts have implemented new curriculum in reading and math, bringing fresh urgency to another important issue that needs to be tackled post-pandemic: educating the educators. Since 2021, 23 states have switched their reading instructional style to the science of reading, according to a count…
Ohio school board member does Nazi salute during contentious meeting
A school board member in Ohio did the Nazi salute to the board’s president, who later resigned, during a contentious Tuesday meeting. Tipp City Schools board member Anne Zakkour said, “Oh … Sieg Heil” before doing the Nazi salute to the group’s head, Simon Patry, during a meeting about transparency in school projects. Zakkour had…
Here’s where sweeping heat is closing US schools
Record-breaking late-summer heat is forcing multiple school districts to shut down their buildings early in the academic year. The National Weather Service said Tuesday a heat wave would “persist in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast through Thursday and linger all week in Texas and neighboring states.” More than 61 million people are now living under heat…
Manhunt for murderer closes Pennsylvania schools
A manhunt for a convicted murderer shut down two school districts outside of Philadelphia as police expand their search. Danelo Cavalcante escaped from Chester County Prison in Pennsylvania last week after he was sentenced to life in prison without parole for killing his ex-girlfriend in front of her children. Kennett Consolidated School District and Unionville-Chadds…
Oklahoma follows Florida in allowing PragerU in schools
Oklahoma announced Tuesday it would be allowing materials from the conservative education platform PragerU in its public schools, following the same move from Florida earlier this summer. Ryan Walters, the state superintendent of public instruction, said he is “thrilled” to be partnering with the platform founded by right-wing talk show host Dennis Prager and Allen…
New Biden student loan repayment plan enrolls 4 million borrowers
The Biden administration announced Tuesday that 4 million student loan borrowers have been enrolled in the new Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) income-driven repayment (IDR) plan two weeks after it was officially launched. The administration has touted SAVE as the “most affordable IDR plan” ever offered to borrowers, officially launching it right before interest…
COVID-19 raises anxiety at start of new school year
COVID-19 cases are on the rise and raising anxiety around the possibility that schools could implement mask mandates or close down again. Surges of COVID-19 cases in Texas and Kentucky have caused three school districts to briefly suspend in-person classes. But few schools have taken those steps so far, and superintendents contend that without national…