Parental Opt-Outs for Controversial Books
Plus: Cornell's cancel culture case, Trump's immigration policy approval ratings, and more...
Public schools
Missouri 13-Year-Old Suspended for Making a Rifle Out of Dr. Pepper Cans
The boy and his mother are now suing the school district and its officials to protect students' right to free expression.
Brief from Prof. Justin Driver (Yale) and Me in School Curriculum / Religious Opt-Out Case
"This Court should not announce an opt-out right for religious objectors under the Free Exercise Clause that its precedents would foreclose for students objecting to public-school curricula under the Free Speech Clause."
The Supreme Court Is About To Hear 2 Education Cases. Neither Goes Far Enough.
The Court will weigh religious opt-outs and charter school discrimination. But true educational freedom means funding students, not systems.
Promising Federal School Choice Bill Faces Uncertain Prospects
National education freedom may depend on the budget reconciliation process.
Seattle Schools Surveyed Students on Mental Health. Then Parents Discovered the Data Weren't Secure.
Schools across the country are gathering personal information and putting students' privacy at risk.
Everyone Is Wrong About RFK Jr. and Cellphones
There's no strong evidence that cellphones cause cancer. There also isn't strong evidence that cellphones cause teen depression.
Did Trump Just Abolish the Department of Education?
While he can't get rid of the department outright, a new executive order attempts the next best thing.
Kansas Schools Fought Open Enrollment but Now Need It To Stay Afloat
Superintendents warned open enrollment would overwhelm them. Instead, they have nearly 3,000 vacancies as parents and students have more choices.
Invest in Education—Not the Department of Education
More education dollars are funding more bureaucrats, who, by and large, are not improving student outcomes.
DOE Set To Die
Plus: How NYC botched weed legalization, tuberculosis programs paused, "everything's computer!" and more...
A Nevada Math Professor Who Was Disciplined for Criticizing Curriculum Changes Will Get His Day in Court
The 9th Circuit revived a First Amendment lawsuit by Lars Jensen, who says his community college punished him for complaining about dumbed-down courses.
Trump's Trans Kid Story Doesn't Add Up
The president said a Florida school "secretly socially transitioned" a 13-year-old. Emails suggest otherwise.
Gay Penguins Face Florida's Classroom Speech Regulations
The authors of a picture book about two male penguins raising a chick together argue excluding their book from school libraries violates their free speech rights.
Education Department Orders Schools To Stop All Racial Discrimination
The letter mostly builds on existing civil rights law.
Could School Choice Work at the Federal Level?
A nationwide tax credit could expand education freedom overnight—but could also open the door to new forms of federal overreach.
Will Trump Try To Shut Down the Department of Education?
While Trump can't dissolve the department by executive action, getting rid of it through legislation is still a good idea.
California Teachers Make 6 Figures on Average. Now They Demand More.
Plus: Steel and aluminum tariffs, Venezuelan sanctions and deportations, and more...
A Massachusetts School District Rolled Back Advanced Classes. Teachers Are Starting To Revolt.
A group of parents tried to resist the changes years ago but say they were smeared as racists.
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.
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.
41 Percent of Chicago Teachers Were Chronically Absent Last Year, Report Finds
The problem is likely widespread across the country.
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.
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.
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."
Does Spying on Laptops Really Prevent High School Suicides?
Administrators say AI surveillance tech helps struggling students get care. But false alarms are common.
Texas State Ed Board Approves Curriculum That Emphasizes Biblical Teachings
Critics say the curriculum borders on outright proselytization.
Review: Like Friday Night Lights, But For High School Mariachi
A documentary on Netflix follows a team of young musicians vying for competition wins in Texas.
Abolish the Department of Education
The federal government furnishes a relatively tiny amount of K-12 funding—but the feds need relatively little money to exert power.
Federal Judge Blocks Law Mandating Ten Commandments Displays in Louisiana Classrooms
The law "is not neutral toward religion," wrote Judge John W. deGravelles, who ruled that the law was "facially unconstitutional."
Most People Support School Choice. Why Won't They Vote For It?
School choice advocates work hard, but public school interest groups work harder.
Can Charter School Closures Be a Good Thing?
Bad charter schools can close. Bad public schools can stay open forever.
Oklahoma Loosens Rules for Mandatory Classroom Bibles
The good news is that schools won't be forced to stock Trump-endorsed Bibles. The bad news is that they're still being forced to supply Bibles.
