Education

The Associated Press reports: President Jair Bolsonaro is taking his anti-leftist ideological war to Brazil’s classrooms and universities, causing angst among teachers and education officials who say the government wants to fight an enemy that doesn’t exist. Bolsonaro and top officials have announced plans to revise textbooks to excise references to feminism, homosexuality and violence against women, say the military …

The Tucson Star reports: The state’s new schools chief is calling on lawmakers to repeal a law that prohibits any courses on AIDS and HIV from portraying homosexuality “as a positive alternative lifestyle.” In her first-ever State of Education speech, Kathy Hoffman told members of the House Education Committee on Monday the system needs to support the emotional well-being of …

Via press release: Today, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed a law requiring Boards of Education to include instruction, and adopt instructional materials, that accurately portray political, economic, and social contributions of persons with disabilities and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals. This law would require that LGBTQ Americans, as well as Americans with disabilities, are included and recognized for …

The Daily Beast reports: More than 4 million children endured school lockdowns last year, according to a Washington Post report based on a review of news stories and data from school districts in 31 of the country’s largest cities. Experiencing a lockdown can be extremely traumatizing for children, with some soiling themselves and writing what they believe to be their …

The Detroit Free Press reports: Readers, we are honored and privileged to bring you the single greatest piece of news you’ve heard in your entire life. A study out of the University of California-Irvine has revealed that consumption of moderate amounts of alcohol and coffee is linked to living a longer life. Re-read that last sentence. There are no typos. …

Politico reports: The Trump administration said Thursday it will cancel thousands of borrowers’ federal student loans, carrying out an Obama-era policy that Education Secretary Betsy DeVos had fought to kill. The move comes as DeVos is being forced to implement a package of regulations that created more protections for student loan borrowers who were affected by a school closure or …

Education Week reports: Newly elected Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has appointed the members of his transition team for education—and on it are two people linked to efforts to weaken the teaching of evolution and climate change, among other topics. One of them, Keith Flaugh, is the managing director of the Florida Citizens Alliance, a local advocacy organization which supports “individual …

NBC News reports: A New Jersey college asked its students what new restaurant they wanted on campus — but then took Chick-fil-A off the menu. Rider University, a private university in central New Jersey, polled students in the spring about what franchise they would like to see on campus. The results showed a preference for Chick-fil-A, which boasts the slogan …

The Wisconsin State Journal reports: In a letter sent out Wednesday afternoon, Baraboo School District Administrator Lori Mueller indicated the district has finished part of the investigation into a pre-prom photo showing students making gestures associated with white supremacy. The letter, sent via student information system Infinite Campus, stated the 10-day investigation involving local authorities, parents and others has left …

Newsy reports: Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is making a massive donation to Johns Hopkins University to help provide financial aid for low- and middle-income students. The university announced in a press release Sunday Bloomberg will contribute a whopping $1.8 billion — the biggest donation ever given to an academic institution in the U.S. Bloomberg was quoted in …

The Dallas Morning News reports: The State Board of Education has voted to keep Hillary Clinton, Helen Keller and several other historical figures in the Texas curriculum. The board first voted to cut Hillary Clinton in September when they took up the curriculum changes. The board voted 12-2 to keep Clinton with Republicans Pat Hardy of Fort Worth and Geraldine …

Courthouse News reports: Despite a court order voiding efforts to delay Obama-era student borrower protections, the U.S. government continues to collect money from borrowers who are entitled to automatic debt relief, a consumer advocacy group claims in a new lawsuit. In September, a federal judge in Washington D.C. found the Education Department’s delays in implementing the rule unlawful. One month …

Wisconsin’s Baraboo News-Republic reports: A photo showing a group of Baraboo High School boys from the class of 2019 giving a stiff-armed Nazi salute prior to this past spring’s prom is generating outrage online and has prompted an investigation by the district and police. The photo taken on the Sauk County Courthouse steps includes about 50 students, though not all …

Law & Crime reports: A Wisconsin school district is considering what consequences students should face after an alarming photograph surfaced, supposedly of the male students of the class of 2019. The image, tweeted from an account that has since been made private, allegedly shows dozens of Baraboo High School students at their junior prom giving the Nazi salute. The Barbaroo …

The Phoenix New Times reports: Arizona Superintendent Diane Douglas tapped a young-earth creationist to serve last month on a committee tasked with revising the state’s science curriculum standards on evolution. Joseph Kezele, the president of the Arizona Origin Science Association, is a staunch believer in the idea that enough scientific evidence exists to back up the biblical story of creation. …

The Chicago Tribune reports: The more than 700 students enrolled at St. Ben’s this year were greeted by 30 new bright blue pull boxes on the walls, fixtures installed because of concern about the possibility of a deadly school shooting. The school also spent $40,000 on new security cameras. More than 20 schools in Illinois, including St. Ben’s, now have …

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports: Buford City Schools Superintendent Geye Hamby has resigned days after The Atlanta Journal-Constitution broke the news he had been named in a racial discrimination lawsuit and accused of using offensive slurs. Hamby tendered his resignation in a short letter to the school board. Hamby had been placed on administrative leave earlier this week, after The Atlanta …

The New York Times reports: The Education Department is considering whether to allow states to use federal funding to purchase guns for educators, according to multiple people with knowledge of the plan. Such a move appears to be unprecedented, reversing a longstanding position taken by the federal government that it should not pay to outfit schools with weapons. And it …

Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo this morning interviewed a representative from Colombia’s MC Armor, the maker of a line of bulletproof backpacks. Media Matters has the transcript: CAROLINA BALLESTEROS CASAS (MC ARMOR): We have different categories of lines of product. We have the gold collection, black collection, is fashion with ballistics, and we have the backpacks for kids. MARIA BARTIROMO: …

The Bismarck Tribune reports: The Bismarck Police Department is requesting additional funding to purchase AR-15 rifles and other equipment for school resource officers. Bismarck Public Schools and the Bismarck Police Department have agreed to provide $25,740 to purchase AR-15s, gun safes, additional bulletproof vests and medical kits to treat shooting victims. The rifles would be kept in a locked safe …