Education
"Title VI Must Be Applied Consistent with First Amendment Principles"
A federal district court discusses how the First Amendment limits liability for "hostile environment harassment" based on "speech on matters of public concern" in universities (public or private). And the reasoning may extend to Title VII liability on workplaces as well.
Years After the Pandemic, the Lowest-Performing Students Are Still Significantly Behind
New scores from the Nation's Report Card test reveal continued declines for already struggling students.
Trump Expands School Choice, Narrows What Schools Can Teach
Trump signed two executive orders expanding federal funding of school choice while banning "radical indoctrination" in federally funded schools.
Schools Are Spending Billions To Fight Campus Culture Wars
As tensions rise on campus and in board chambers, districts dish out more for security, lawyers, and staff turnover.
The University of Tennessee Nearly Expelled a Student for Racy Tweets, Now Agrees To Pay Her $250,000
The settlement vindicates Kimberly Diei's First Amendment right to comment on sexually explicit rap songs without suffering government retaliation.
This National School Choice Week, It's a Boom Time for Education Freedom
People want choice in how they teach their kids and are happy when they get it.
Oklahoma May Soon Ask K-12 Families for Proof of Citizenship
The state superintendent says the measure isn't intended to discourage undocumented parents from sending their kids to school. That's hard to believe.
Test-Optional Admissions Hurt Poor Kids
A new working paper from Dartmouth College researchers provides more evidence that ditching the SAT hurts disadvantaged college applicants.
Biden Makes Last-Ditch Pass at Interfering in College Sports
Even if the Trump administration quickly undoes it, it’s a precedent for future administrations.
Can a School Require Students to Learn about Sexuality and "Cisnormativity" Over Parents' Religious Objection?
In granting Mahmoud v. Taylor, the Supreme Court has agreed to consider this question.
Regulation, Prohibition, and Litigation: Joe Biden's Busy Lame-Duck Period
Why should an unpopular president shape so much policy on his way out?
Lawless IV: Leadership Failures Old and New
The pandemic showed the weakness of the leadership class. [UPDATE: Inadvertently posted it under my byline, but it's of course Ilya Shapiro's post, as the byline now reflects. -EV]
Legal Education Has Lost Its Way
Millions of Americans are denied legal representation, and law schools are churning out lawyers who can’t meet society’s needs. It’s time for a two-track system.
41 Percent of Chicago Teachers Were Chronically Absent Last Year, Report Finds
The problem is likely widespread across the country.
Lawless I: The Illiberal Takeover of Legal Education
My "lived experience" at Georgetown gave me a unique perspective on the higher-ed crisis.
Girls May Have Been Hit Hardest by Pandemic Learning Loss
New research indicates that, particularly in math, girls' test scores plummeted when compared to boys.
Are Young People Depressed Because of What They Were Taught in College?
The Coddling of the American Mind, a new documentary based on the book of the same name, makes the case that destructive ideas in higher education are making people anxious.
California Schools Stay Open Despite Plummeting Enrollment
Ballooning costs and shrinking student populations have left districts facing financial crises, but political pressures have kept closures off the table.
Court Rejects Title VI Lawsuit Over Alleged Anti-Semitism at Haverford College
"As a result of Plaintiffs' scattered pleading, any serious allegations of actionable discrimination are buried as needles within a haystack of distraction."
A University President Accused of Squandering Public Money Resigns in Exchange for a $2 Million Payout
Western New Mexico University's Board of Regents approved the severance package for Joseph Shepard after a state audit highlighted $364,000 in "wasteful" and "improper" spending.
Bible Back in Texas Schools After Being Pulled for Sexual Content
Canyon Independent School District pulled sections of the Bible from its library shelves over concerns that its "sexually explicit" material violated Texas law.
2024's Most Undercovered Stories
Surely 2025 will be a freewheeling romp, right?…Right? Happy New Year!
The Socio-Economic Backgrounds of American Academics
An interesting empirical study. (Updated)
This Holiday Season, Remember That Charity Is More Effective Than Government
Charities can focus resources on those who genuinely need a hand while saying no to those who just need "a kick in the butt."
Activists Tried To Cancel a Record Number of Campus Events in 2024
164 events or speakers were targeted, mostly over the Israel-Palestine conflict.
Hometown Fans of Some College Football Playoff Teams Can't Bet on College Football
Nearly half of the universities in the College Football Playoff are located in states where sports betting is illegal.
Capitalism Is the Antidote to 'Black-Pilled' Internet Pessimists
Michael Malice's new book The White Pill sees a positive future for the country, in contrast with internet culture.
Social Security Is Deeply Unfair. The Social Security Fairness Act Won't Fix That.
What is paid out to Social Security beneficiaries is not a return on workers' investments. It's just a government expenditure, like any other.
Biden's Attempts To Forgive Student Debt Were a Disaster
While the administration was fighting for debt forgiveness in court, it was also rolling out a broken FAFSA application form.
He Was Convicted of a Felony for Holding a Gun on the Sidewalk in Front of His House
Gabriel Metcalf argues that his prosecution under the Gun-Free School Zones Act violated his constitutional right to keep and bear arms.
Ohio Legislator Proposes Criminalizing Planting a Flag at Midfield
A new type of sore-loser law.
Wait, This Year's FAFSA Actually Works?
After a year of glitchy chaos, the Department of Education may have finally gotten its act together.
The Academic Freedom Podcast is Back!
The podcast relaunches with a conversation with Cary Nelson
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Does Spying on Laptops Really Prevent High School Suicides?
Administrators say AI surveillance tech helps struggling students get care. But false alarms are common.
