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:
Support for Christian prayer in U.S. public schools varies widely by state
Pew Research Center
The debates over the role of Christianity and religion at large in public schools has been picking up intensity with the Supreme Court’s recent ruling upholding a ban on the first religious charter school in Oklahoma. Other states, including Texas, are having vigorous debates over displaying the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms and legal challenges are being raised about prayer at school sporting events. Americans from all walks of life, faiths, backgrounds, and political views are split on the role of religion in public schools. 52% are in favor of public schools being allowed to lead classrooms in prayer led in the name of Jesus Christ, while 46% of respondents are against this particular practice. This support is notably higher in southern states than in the northeast and west coast of the United States. Christian prayer has received most of the focus, but debates around other faiths and spiritual beliefs are ongoing as well.
Justices Let Parents Opt Children Out of Classes With L.G.B.T.Q. Storybooks
New York Times
After a 6 to 3 supreme court decision, public schools in Maryland are now required to allow parents with religious objections to take their children out of classes where L.G.B.T.Q. themes are discussed. The case included lawsuits from parents of faith that claimed schools were not allowing them to exercise their First Amendment rights because the books promoted a one-sided ideology. They did not seek to ban the books outright in the curriculum, rather have the option to withdraw their students from having to discuss the ideas presented in the texts.
Ten Commandments in Louisiana classrooms blocked by court: NPR
NPR
A federal appeals court ruled that Louisiana’s law requiring Ten Commandments posters in public school classrooms is unconstitutional, siding with civil liberties groups who argue it violates the First Amendment’s separation of church and state. The court supported a lower judge’s order barring enforcement of the law, which was backed by Republicans including Governor Jeff Landry and President Donald Trump. Louisiana’s attorney general plans to appeal, possibly to the U.S. Supreme Court. The ruling, stemming from a lawsuit by diverse families, could influence similar laws in other states. Legal experts expect the issue to eventually reach the Supreme Court again.
Palestinian Student sues Michigan school over teacher’s reaction to her refusal to stand for Pledge
AP
The American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit Wednesday on behalf of a 14-year-old student who said her teacher humiliated her for refusing to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance in protest of U.S. support of Israel’s war in Gaza. Danielle Khalaf’s teacher told her “Since you live in this country and enjoy its freedom, if you don’t like it, you should go back to your country”, according to the lawsuit. Khalaf’s family is of Palestinian descent, and declined to recite the Pledge over three days in January. “We can only marvel at the conviction and incredible courage it took for her to follow her conscience and her heart,” an ACLU attorney said. The lawsuit states that Khalaf’s teacher admonished her and told her she was being disrespectful. As a result of this Danielle “suffered extensive emotional and social injuries,” including nightmares, stress and strained friendships, the lawsuit says. The ACLU and the Arab American Civil Right League said Danielle’s First Amendment rights were violated and the lawsuit seeks a financial award. At that time the school district said it had taken “appropriate action,” though it didn’t elaborate. “Discrimination in any form is not tolerated by Plymouth-Canton Community Schools and is taken very seriously,” the district said.
California Department of Education found in violation of Title IX following federal investigations
MSN
California’s Department of Education has been found to be in violation of Title IX after investigations from federal officials in the Trump Administration due to allowing biological males to compete in women’s sports and sporting events. Title IX prohibits discrimination based on sex in federally funded education programs and schools must provide equal access to opportunities, including in athletic programs. The violations will be referred to the Department of Justice if California does not respond to the non-compliance findings. The actions required would involve changing state-level policies that are contrary to the protections of Title IX and federal officials have urged California to follow a monitoring plan that ensures full compliance in the operation of interscholastic athletic programs to protect female sports for safety, security, and fairness.
How should D.C. schools fix its chronic absenteeism problem?
The Washington Post
Chronic absenteeism continues to plague D.C. schools, especially in disadvantaged populations. To reverse this, teachers and policymakers are turning to new frameworks that emphasize early intervention, integrate data, and community-based partnerships. Mentoring initiatives are showing tangible effects on attendance, mental health, and students’ achievement – especially for middle-school students. Advocates argue schools cannot solve the issue alone and are calling for broader system-level support.
Exclusive: Red state updating education standards to address rise in antisemitism in schools
Fox News
The Oklahoma Department of Education sent a memo to all public schools issuing guidance on historical instruction. Mainly, the memo strives to ensure that lessons mentioning Israel or Jewish people are “fair and balanced” to prevent antisemitism. The Superintendent of Public Instruction, Paul Walters, claimed that Oklahoma’s standards are the best in the country because “they are based on facts and safeguard students from woke, radicalized, terrorist-sympathizing rhetoric pushed by Leftist educators.”
State to pay for thousands to get a private K-12 education this year
The Current GA
Georgia just launched a new state funded program to support home and private education. To qualify to receive the $6,500 grant students must live in a zoning area that is ranked in the bottom 25% statewide and either have attended the school for a year or be entering kindergarten. The grant can be used for approved private schools, homeschool curriculum, and medical services. As of June 21st over 13,000 students have applied and over 8,500 are preliminarily eligible.
Tri-Cities school is one of ‘lowest achievers’ in WA. What’s being done about it?
Tri-City Herald
Kennewick K-12 School District in Washington State has been designated as one of the lowest performing school districts in the state based on poor student academic achievement and lack of proficiency on standardized test scores. This poor rating as a ‘low achiever’ comes amid scrutiny over how tax dollars are being spent in public schools and the need for better accountability in order to help students succeed and make the most of their learning. The designation means that the school district is set to receive more resources in order to better support students but there are questions over whether or not the additional funding is going to make a positive difference unless it is targeted for specific student needs such as lack of attention in class or poor attendance records. The problem of students needing to boost academic achievement is not going to be solved in a short time but there are real efforts that can be taken in order to lessen the negative impacts.
State of California Department of Justice
This is a press release from California’s attorney general, who is part of a coalition of 18 attorneys general from various states. They have submitted comments to the Department of Education (DOE), urging it to preserve grantmaking initiatives that promote equity in educational access. The coalition opposes the administration’s characterization of these programs as “discriminatory” and “divisive.”
