Comic: Maria Montessori and the Freedom To Learn
Maria Montessori valued independence and experimentation in a time of authoritarianism.
Education
May Universities Revoke Degrees Based on Findings of Ex-Student's "Academic Misconduct in Pursuit of That Degree"?
Yes, says the Texas Supreme Court, applying Texas law.
Poll: Most Americans Don't Think a College Degree Is Worth the Cost
56 percent agreed that "people often graduate without specific job skills and with a large amount of debt to pay off."
Progressive Politicians Are Regulating Their Own Projects Into Oblivion
Excessive government interference in the market hurts consumers and thwarts policy goals. It also gets in the way of the government itself.
Ron DeSantis Signs Bill Expanding School Choice to All Florida Students
The Florida governor has a history of using state power to bully Florida schools over speech he doesn't like. H.B. 1 may accomplish his goal while ceding power to parents.
'All the Parents Want Is a Chance To Make That Choice'
Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears wants state education dollars "to follow the child instead of the brick building."
College Administrators Hate Fun
Unfortunately, it doesn't seem like the recent trend of rising administrative bloat is going to reverse anytime soon.
Florida Decides To Extend LGBT School Censorship to All Grades After All
This was never about shielding just the youngest kids from sexual topics.
Teachers Union Closes L.A. Schools Yet Again
Public sector unions squeeze final gains out of a district that's been bleeding students yet constructing expensive new buildings for two decades.
The Great COVID Rupture
Three years after "15 days to slow the spread," things almost look like they're back to normal. But they're not.
Texas Bill Would Bar Citizens of China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia From Studying at State Universities
H.B. 4736 would punish foreigners who are, in many cases, deliberately building lives far away from their repressive countries.
Christopher Rufo Wants To Shut Down 'Activist' Academic Departments. Here's Why He's Wrong.
"Professors are not mouthpieces for the government," says FIRE's Joe Cohn. "For decades, the Supreme Court of the United States has defended professors' academic freedom from governmental intrusion."
A Florida Bill To Censor Professors Just Got Even Worse
The bill now bans a battery of poorly-defined "Critical Theory" concepts, and prevents schools from funding programs that promote "diversity, equity, and inclusion."
How Rising Tuition Poked a Hole in the College Bubble
While the population has grown, the number of college students has declined in the past decade.
America Needs a Better Kind of Capitalism
Big corporations and entire industries constantly use their connections in Congress to get favors, no matter which party is in power.
Fewer People Are Going To College. That Could Be a Good Thing.
"If I would have gone to college after school, I would be dead broke," one high school graduate told the A.P.
Meet the Students Pushing Back Against Socialism
"It's very easy for politicians to legislate freedom away," says Northwood University's Kristin Tokarev. "But it's incredibly hard to get back."
TikTok and How Congress Treats Americans Like 'Unruly Children'
Plus: The editors puzzle over Donald Trump’s latest list describing his vision for America.
Decades of Subsidies Have Made the Essentials of Middle-Class Life Increasingly Difficult To Afford
The basics of middle-class life are too expensive. But more subsidies won't help.
The Government Is Subsidizing Microchip Firms—While Making It More Expensive To Produce Microchips
Politicians say they want to subsidize various industries, but they sabotage themselves by weighing the policies down with rules that have nothing to do with the plans.
Thoughts on Today's Supreme Court Student Loan Forgiveness Oral Arguments
The justices seem to be clearly leaning against the Biden Administration on the merits. The procedural issue of standing is a closer call, though ultimately more likely than not to come out the same way.
Is Investigating a School Sexting Incident the Same as Possessing Child Porn? A Judge Says No.
Bradley Bass' case in Colorado says a lot about just how powerful prosecutors are.
Today at the Supreme Court: Biden's Student Loan Cancellation Plan on Trial
The Supreme Court considers the scope of presidential power in Biden v. Nebraska and Department of Education v. Brown.
What is at Stake in Florida Higher Ed Reform Bill?
A poorly drafted and conceptually ambitious upending of norms of state university independence
Showdown Over Student Loan Forgiveness Hits Supreme Court Tomorrow
Plus: Texas prosecutors can't criminally charge people who help others access out-of-state abortions, food trucks fight rules banning them in 96 percent of North Carolina city, and more...
Higher Education "Reform" in Florida
Some of the proposals pose real threats to free inquiry
Ron DeSantis Wants To Cultivate 'Viewpoint Diversity' by Censoring Universities
Florida's H.B. 999 claims to support "viewpoint diversity" and "intellectual rigor." It does just the opposite.
My Daughter's School District Warns That Nicotine Vapers Could Be Unknowingly Inhaling Fentanyl
It is hard to find evidence of this "disturbing trend."
Arizona House Passes a Bill That Would Force Children To Say the Pledge of Allegiance
"The current law is that parents have a right to direct the education of their child,'' said the bill's sponsor. "And this is a parents' rights state.''
No, the HEROES Act Doesn't Let Biden Forgive Student Loans
"If it was an emergency, why wait three years to provide the forgiveness? Why present it in a political framework, as fulfilling a campaign promise?" said one higher education expert.
The Answer to Population Decline Is More Immigration
Politicians' go-to fixes like child tax credits and federal paid leave are known for creating disincentives to work without much impact on fertility.
My New SCOTUSblog Article on the Loan Forgiveness Cases Currently Before the Supreme Court
The article explains the broader issues at stake in these cases, and why the Court would do well to rule against the administration.
To Increase 'Equity,' This California High School Is Eliminating Honors Courses
"I was born in Cuba, and it doesn't sound good when people are trying to achieve equal outcomes for everyone," said one parent.
Bad Schools Aren't Always Underfunded
"More money can help schools succeed, but not if they fritter those extra resources in unproductive ways," says one researcher.
Public Schools Are Failing Students with Disabilities
A New York Times investigation accidentally makes the case for school choice by detailing how poorly public schools are serving vulnerable students.
Under No Circumstances Did Joe Biden Save Social Security
Plus: a listener question on prohibition and a lightning round on the editors' favorite Super Bowl moments
Free Speech Group Calls Out 10 Censorship-Prone Colleges To Avoid
A rogues’ gallery of institutions that anybody with an independent mind should skip.
After Muslim Students Complained That an Art Exhibit Was 'Harmful,' Macalester College Shut It Down
"My artwork is unapologetic," said the artist. "Sometimes it can be very political. Sometimes it can be very controversial."
"Third-Party Standing" Doctrine Shouldn't be Used to Block Lawsuits Challenging Biden's Student Loan Forgiveness Plan
Legal scholar Michael Dorf claims Supreme Court should rule on this basis. But the doctrine doesn't apply to this case, and is dubious anyway.
The Fight Over the Debt Ceiling Is Just Beginning
Legislators will increasingly argue over how to spend a diminishing discretionary budget while overall spending simultaneously explodes.
Biden's Claims About Universal Pre-K Are Malarkey
During the State of the Union, Biden claimed that "children who go to preschool are nearly 50 percent more likely to finish high school and go on to earn a two- or four-year degree," but evidence in favor of universal pre-k programs is lacking.
