BY: FREEDOM IN EDUCATION

Every week our newsroom monitors the news for the top stories in education from a variety of sources ranging from the mainstream media to blogs and other analysis, and compile them for you. Here’s the latest in education:

California to require schools to ban or limit student cellphone use by 2026

USA Today

Amid a new wave of school districts that are assessing smart-phone usage in classrooms, a new California state law AB 272 aimed to regulate cell phones gives Los Angeles districts and charter schools– which have more than 429,000 students– until July 1, 2026, to implement policies limiting or prohibiting the use of smartphones. Supporters argue that smartphones pose major distractions for students and contribute to poor mental health. As more states assess this issue, the debate on cell phones in classrooms is expected to heat up.

AI in Classrooms: Tools for Learning or Cheating?

Education Week

As AI technologies like ChatGPT continue to penetrate educational spaces, schools are exploring how these tools can enhance learning, from automating grading to providing personalized feedback. However, concerns are rising about their potential for misuse, particularly in cheating. Some educators emphasize the need for teaching AL literacy to students, encouraging critical thinking about technology’s societal impact. Meanwhile, debates around data privacy and the ethical use of AI in classrooms persist.

Report: Nearly 500 Schools Underenrolled and Chronically Underperforming

The 74

Analysis released by the Fordham Institute put forth a list of close to 500 strained schools as a “wake up call” for districts to plan interventions such as family engagement, high dosage tutoring and address specific community concerns before they “find themselves pushed against a wall” and forced to close schools. California and New York, hosting the nation’s largest school systems by population, both have about 40 schools on the list of 500. Overall, roughly 5,100 of the nation’s 98,000 schools, or one in 12, lost substantial numbers of students.

Thousands Sign Christian Petition Against Teaching Bible in Public Schools

Newsweek

This article discusses a proposed petition that has gotten a great deal of attention in the state of Texas. The petition, formed by a group known as “Faithful America,” goes against a proposal brought up by the Texas Education Agency that would require elementary school teachers to include the bible in their teachings. Faithful America is a Christian group that seeks social justice while opposing the idea of “Christian Nationalism.” The main message of the petition is that the Board of Education respects the first amendment which includes the separation of church and state, and not having children in a classroom be subjected to biblical ideas. The Texas Board of Education will make their decision regarding the curriculum in November.

All Learning, No Questioning: How Schools Smother Curiosity

Education Week

Susan Engel, a developmental psychologist, observed elementary school classrooms and discovered that children’s levels of curiosity were unbelievably low. She assessed that many teachers would dismiss students’ questions and wouldn’t help them understand the bigger picture. Instead, she suggests teachers should foster curiosity by offering academic support and welcoming student questions. If this was still a concern, rigger instruction could be used to help the teacher control the classroom.