Yesterday’s Gems, Today’s Insights
A Roundup of the Web’s Finest Blog Posts!
5-3-25

### Key Points

- The article claims that Trump's second term is marked by unprecedented corruption, with a $2 billion investment in the Trump family cryptocurrency from Abu Dhabi as an example. 

- Trump is accused of breaking norms for personal gain, such as pardoning donors and promoting personal business interests from the White House. 

- The administration is said to have eliminated rules that restrict presidential powers and rewarded donors with pardons and favors. 

- Trump's actions have allegedly undermined trust in American leadership and dismantled regulations that prevent corruption. 

- The administration reportedly fired officials who could resist corruption and rewarded wealthy donors with influential positions. 

- Elon Musk is highlighted as a significant figure benefiting from Trump's administration, with alleged conflicts of interest in his government role. 

- The article describes Trump's involvement in cryptocurrency, suggesting it enables secret financial benefits for his family. 

- The Trump family is reported to have significant financial interests in cryptocurrency, with regulatory oversight reduced. 

- Trump's efforts to raise funds and expand business ventures in Saudi Arabia are noted as part of his broader agenda. 

Republicans Were Eager to Investigate Biden, But Not Trump https://dianeravitch.net/2025/05/02/republicans-were-eager-to-investigate-biden-but-not-trump/ via @dianeravitch 

### Key Points

- Republicans, led by James Comer, have persistently sought evidence of corruption against President Biden without success, while ignoring significant allegations against Donald Trump. 

- The House Oversight Committee, under Republican control, has focused on political opponents rather than bipartisan efforts to improve government accountability. 

- Allegations of corruption against Trump include foreign investments in his cryptocurrency business and selling access to the White House. 

- Despite evidence of potential misconduct by Trump, Republicans have shown little interest in investigating these claims, focusing instead on Democratic fundraising systems like ActBlue. 

Daniel Dale of CNN: Trump's 100 Lies in 100 Days https://dianeravitch.net/2025/05/02/daniel-dale-of-cnn-trumps-100-lies-in-100-days/ via @dianeravitch

### Key Points

- Daniel Dale of CNN documented 100 lies told by Trump in his first 100 days, including false claims about U.S. education rankings. 

- Trump falsely claimed that some Republican governors kept schools open 100% during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

- The article criticizes Trump’s historical ignorance, particularly his idealization of the era known as the Age of the Robber Barons. 

- It argues that the Democratic Party lacks a strong, organized opposition to effectively counter Trump’s actions. 

- The article calls for a bipartisan coalition or electoral victories to stop Trump's perceived threat to democracy. 

Trump Signs Executive Order Urging CPB to Stop Funding NPR and PBS https://dianeravitch.net/2025/05/02/trump-signs-executive-order-urging-cpb-to-stop-funding-npr-and-pbs/ via @dianeravitch 

### Key Points

- President Trump signed an executive order to prohibit federal funding for NPR and PBS, claiming their news coverage is biased. 

- The order instructs the CPB to stop providing direct and indirect funding to NPR and PBS, potentially affecting small rural stations. 

- Critics argue that the executive order violates the Constitution, as it usurps Congress's power to control funding. 

- The blog highlights the educational importance of NPR and PBS, especially in news deserts dominated by right-wing media. 

### Key Points

- Adults often ask children questions they already know the answers to, which can distract children from their learning. 

- These questions can transform children from self-motivated learners into test takers. 

- Teacher Tom offers a course to teach adults how to use language that encourages children's independent thinking. 

- The course aims to create an environment of cooperation, respect, and peacefulness through thoughtful communication. 

### Key Points

- Teachers often post classroom rules to maintain order, crucial for learning. 

- Teacher expectations can influence student achievement, especially for low-income and minority students. 

- Students have implicit models of "good" teachers based on past experiences. 

- Student expectations include teachers knowing more, answering questions clearly, and maintaining classroom order. 

- Meeting student expectations is essential, but teachers should also aim to broaden students' views on teaching. 

- Experienced teachers often succeed in balancing meeting and reshaping student expectations. 

### Key Points

- Academics and educators must break their silence and actively defend academic freedom and democracy in the face of political and social threats. 

- Historical figures like Muhammad Ali, James Baldwin, and Howard Zinn exemplify the courage to act against injustice, serving as inspiration for resisting neutrality. 

- Silence in academia contributes to the dismantling of education and democracy, as well as the erosion of individual liberties. 

- The "Ivory Tower" does not protect educators or students; action is needed to address fears and challenges faced by vulnerable populations. 

- The urgency to act is highlighted by the growing hostility in politics and culture, which threatens diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. 

- A call to reject passivity and embrace advocacy for creating a better, more equitable society. 

Nancy Bailey's Education Website: NCLB’s Curse: 12 Reasons Reading Scores Are STILL Poor | National Education Policy Center https://nepc.colorado.edu/blog/nclbs-curse 

- Recent NAEP reading scores show minimal improvement, highlighting issues with the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) policy, which has shaped public education for 25 years. 

- Poverty, underfunded schools, and lack of resources significantly hinder reading development in low-income areas. 

- Pushing kindergartners to read before they are developmentally ready has negatively impacted early education, reducing play and creative activities. 

- Third-grade retention policies are harmful; alternative methods for reading intervention should be prioritized. 

- The National Reading Panel excluded critical voices and needs to be restructured to include early educators and updated research. 

- The Science of Reading approach has focused too narrowly on phonics and direct instruction, lacking comprehensive strategies for reading comprehension. 

- Inclusion of students with disabilities in general education classrooms often lacks adequate support, compromising learning outcomes. 

- High-stakes standardized testing has narrowed curricula, created anxiety, and reduced education quality. 

- Teacher quality and preparation need improvements, with a focus on specialized training for reading and disabilities. 

- Online reading programs and teacher training tools require better independent evaluation and oversight. 

- The arts and recess, which are crucial for holistic child development, have been neglected under NCLB policies. 

### Key Points

- Pam Bondi rescinded protections for journalists, enabling government intimidation and targeting of whistleblowers, threatening press freedom. 

- Historical parallels are drawn with Daniel Ellsberg’s Pentagon Papers and other whistleblowers who exposed government misconduct, emphasizing the importance of a free press in democracy. 

- Bondi’s actions align with strategies from authoritarian regimes, aiming to silence dissent and consolidate power. 

- The article calls for immediate action, including passing a federal shield law, supporting independent journalism, and public mobilization to protect democracy. 

Preserving an Educated Future for America (Short Term Plan)

- The article addresses the challenges posed by certain U.S. states' tax policies, such as the elimination of income or property taxes, which threaten public education funding, while federal aid is also at risk. 

- States committed to educational equity and excellence, termed "Education States," are encouraged to resist federal policies undermining public education and focus on progressive funding and enforcing education rights. 

- The author proposes creating federally tax-exempt education endowments in high-GDP states to stabilize funding and protect public schools from economic uncertainties. Examples like Texas' Permanent School Fund are cited. 

- The article highlights the erosion of church/state separation in public schooling, emphasizing the need for stricter charter school regulations or their elimination to prevent discriminatory or religiously aligned schools from gaining public funding. 

- States are urged to enhance their education data systems and collaborate on interstate consortia to gather consistent, detailed data on school funding and student outcomes. 

### Key Points

- New research by the University of Surrey identifies factors affecting teachers’ willingness to discuss sexism in classrooms, including knowledge, comfort levels, belief in its importance, and age. 

- Barriers preventing teachers from addressing sexism include beliefs that sexism is not an issue among young children, lack of confidence, insufficient support from leadership, fear of backlash, and prioritization of other subjects. 

- Teachers motivated to teach about sexism often aim to counter harmful messages from media and parents, feel supported by authority figures, or find the topic arises naturally in lessons. 

- A survey of 233 teachers confirmed that greater knowledge, comfort, and belief in the importance of sexism education, as well as younger age, positively predict intentions to address the topic. 

- Professor Harriet Tenenbaum emphasizes the need for resources, such as discussion tools and vocabulary, to help teachers confidently lead these discussions and foster gender equality in classrooms. 

- The Teach Gender Equality website offers resources for educators to address sexism and promote fairer classrooms. 

Education Research Report: ChatGPT vs students: study reveals who writes better (and it’s not the AI) https://educationresearchreport.blogspot.com/2025/05/chatgpt-vs-students-study-reveals-who.html 

### Key Points

- A study by the University of East Anglia compared 145 student essays with 145 ChatGPT-generated essays, finding that while AI essays were coherent and grammatically sound, they lacked a personal touch. 

- The research highlights the importance of fostering critical literacy and ethical awareness in the digital age, with potential applications in detecting AI-generated cheating in education. 

- Real student essays were found to be more engaging and persuasive, using rhetorical questions, personal asides, and direct appeals to readers, which AI essays lacked. 

- ChatGPT essays followed academic writing conventions but were impersonal, avoided questions, and lacked strong perspectives due to the nature of its training data. 

- Researchers suggest using AI tools like ChatGPT as teaching aids rather than shortcuts, emphasizing the irreplaceable role of teaching students how to think critically. 

- The study was a collaboration between UEA and Jilin University and was published in the journal Written Communication. 

Education Research Report: Children’s reading and writing develop better when they are trained in handwriting https://educationresearchreport.blogspot.com/2025/05/childrens-reading-and-writing-develop.html 

### Key Points

- Handwriting outperforms keyboard-based learning in developing children's reading and writing skills. 

- A study with 5 to 6-year-olds tested learning new letters and pseudowords through manual and keyboard methods. 

- Graphomotor function, or hand movement, plays a significant role in learning letter and word structures. 

- Children practicing handwriting freely performed better than those using guided or technological methods. 

- Manual practice is essential for early education, with technology recommended only as a supplementary tool. 

- The article discusses the Supreme Court case St. Isadore of Seville Catholic Virtual School vs Drummond, which seeks to establish a religious charter school. 

- The case raises questions about the status of charter schools and the potential implications of the Court's decision. 

- The Network for Public Education is actively involved in explaining the ramifications of this case and promoting public education. 

- The Tarbiyah School's website has been suspended, raising suspicions about the school's operations. 

- The IRS revoked Tarbiyah School's tax-exempt status two years ago after they failed to file tax returns for 2020 and 2021, despite allegedly misusing $12 million during a pandemic food drive. 

- Dr. Naveed Baqir, a member of the Christina Board of Education, has been hiding in Pakistan since January 2024 while remaining on the board. 

- Allegations of sexual and physical abuse against Baqir have not been addressed publicly, raising questions about the lack of justice for the victims. 

- Delaware authorities and legislators have largely remained silent on the controversies surrounding Baqir, despite his alleged misuse of funds and abuse allegations. 

- A lawsuit involving Baqir, other individuals, and the Christina Board of Education is ongoing, with the defendants requesting dismissal of the case. 

### Key Points

- Religious liberty is compared to "State's Rights," historically employed to justify discrimination. 

- Bob Jones University resisted desegregation and became central to debates on tax-exempt status and religious freedom. 

- Religious liberty arguments often mask discriminatory practices, as seen in SCOTUS cases and voucher programs targeting LGBTQ students. 

- Critics argue that recent policies protect the right to discriminate while claiming religious conscience protections. 

- The misuse of religious liberty is criticized for damaging the Christian faith's image and promoting toxic politics. 

K12 Education and Trump 2.0: Chaos and Policy Shifts in 2025

- The Trump administration's second term introduces significant disruptions in K-12 education, including rescinding policies protecting sensitive locations from immigration enforcement and pausing federal funding, causing confusion. 

- Executive orders focus on expanding school choice and eliminating funding for schools promoting certain ideologies, reinstating the 1776 Commission for "patriotic education." 

- Major cuts to Department of Education contracts and programs, including teacher preparation and equity assistance, lead to lawsuits and legal challenges. 

- Federal funding for education remains uncertain, with delays in budget proposals and disbursement plans, leaving states and schools in limbo. 

- Policies targeting transgender athletes and DEI programs in schools create further controversy and legal battles. 

### Key Points  

- The Nashville Mayor proposed a 13% budget increase for MNPS, focusing on college readiness, mental health, special education, and safety measures. However, some schools face layoffs due to funding reallocations.   

- A legal trial involving former Tennessee Speaker Glen Casada and his aide Cade Cothren is ongoing, with allegations of corruption and political intrigue.   

- MNPS Director of Schools Dr. Adrienne Battle faces scrutiny over past controversies involving her brother, alleged retaliation against staff, and administrative decisions. A related lawsuit is heading to trial.   

- Lawmakers are challenging the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association's (TSSAA) transfer rule, with discussions about state oversight of high school sports governance gaining traction.   

- Katie Cour, President of the Nashville Public Education Foundation, is stepping down after six years. Her tenure included initiatives for teacher pay, student outcomes, and collaboration with local nonprofits.   

- Approximately 140 MNPS seniors received full-tuition scholarships through the University MNPS program, which expanded to include Trevecca Nazarene University as a partner. 

Choosing Democracy: California Teachers Coordinate Bargaining Power

- California teachers face challenges with low wages, high living costs, and inadequate staffing, leading to a statewide effort to coordinate bargaining strategies across 32 districts serving over 1 million students. 

- The California Teachers Association (CTA) aims to address shared issues like improved wages, smaller class sizes, fully-staffed schools, and better resources for students by synchronizing contract expirations in major districts. 

- California ranks poorly in class size ratios and access to school counselors, with many teachers considering leaving the profession due to unaffordability near their workplaces. 

- Teachers often use personal funds for supplies, and despite an average salary of $95,160, starting pay remains low, especially in high-cost areas like Los Angeles and San Jose. 

- Teacher pay has stagnated over decades, with inflation-adjusted wages growing only 26.3% compared to a 70% increase for non-teaching college graduates, driving many to seek other careers. 

- Declining enrollment and budget deficits in districts like Oakland exacerbate funding issues, but the CTA's coordinated effort aims to build statewide pressure for better contracts and funding. 

Big Education Ape: REDUX: SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE - SCOPES MONKEY TRIAL AT THE SUPREME COURT https://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2025/05/redux-separation-of-church-and-state.html 

The article discusses various issues related to the separation of church and state, particularly focusing on the Supreme Court's stance on funding religious schools with taxpayer money. It critiques the conservative majority's actions, likening them to historical events where religion and government clashed, such as the Scopes Monkey Trial. The article also mentions ongoing efforts to introduce religious views in public education under the guise of academic freedom and highlights recent legislative moves that restrict discussions of certain topics in schools. The broader implications for religious freedom and government neutrality are emphasized.

### Key Points

- The Trump administration halted $1 billion for children's mental health services. 

- The Supreme Court is reconsidering the separation of church and state, potentially allowing state funding for religious schools. 

- Conservative justices argue that excluding religious schools from funding is discriminatory. 

- Historical comparison to the Scopes Monkey Trial, highlighting tensions between science and religion. 

- Efforts to introduce religious views into public school curricula continue despite legal setbacks. 

- The Tennessee Senate passed a bill restricting discussions of homosexuality in schools. 

- Chief Justice John Roberts plays a crucial role in decisions favoring religious entities receiving state benefits. 

- Concerns about the implications of funding religious schools as charter schools. 

The Great American Church and State Tug-of-War https://open.substack.com/pub/ru4people/p/the-great-american-church-and-state?r=kja7f&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false 

The article humorously explores the ongoing debate between the separation of church and state in America, depicted as a playful tug-of-war in the fictional town of Constitutionville. The narrative features characters like Reverend Believer and Judge Secular, representing religious influence and governmental independence, respectively. Despite their efforts, neither side wins, highlighting the enduring and unresolved nature of this debate. The piece suggests a whimsical approach to education, proposing that both religious narratives and fairy tales deserve a place in learning.

### Key Points

- The article uses a fictional town to illustrate the historical and ongoing debate over church-state separation in America. 

- Characters like Reverend Believer and Judge Secular symbolize the opposing sides of this debate. 

- The tug-of-war ends in a draw, reflecting the persistent, unresolved nature of church and state separation issues. 

- The narrative humorously suggests incorporating both religious and mythical stories in education. 

 Big Education Ape: MAY DAY - The People's Movement: Rising Against Authoritarianism - The Call to Action https://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2025/05/may-day-peoples-movement-rising-against.html 

The article discusses various topics, including the Trump administration's decision to halt funding for children's mental health services, the resurgence of misinformation in school policies, and the death of a Ukrainian journalist. It primarily focuses on the May Day protests organized by the 50501 Movement, which aims to resist authoritarianism and promote democracy through grassroots actions across the United States. The movement emphasizes nonviolence, community care, and the importance of building power from the ground up to challenge oppressive systems.

### Key Points

- The Trump administration has halted $1 billion for children's mental health services, affecting access to care. 

- The 50501 Movement is organizing May Day protests in all 50 states to resist authoritarianism and promote democratic values. 

- The movement emphasizes nonviolence, community empowerment, and building a future where democracy thrives. 

- The article mentions a series of blog posts and discussions on political and educational issues, including critiques of billionaire-led education reforms. 

Yesterday’s Gems, Today’s Insights
A Roundup of the Web’s Finest Blog Posts!
5-2-25

### Summary  

The article provides a comprehensive overview of various political, educational, and societal issues in the United States. Topics include Trump’s controversial actions, the erosion of democratic norms, conflicts of interest, debates over the separation of church and state, challenges in public education, and grassroots movements resisting authoritarianism. It also highlights key developments in journalism, advocacy for smaller class sizes, and the impact of policies on mental health services and housing.  

### Key Points  

- Thom Hartmann argues that Trump and Musk are undermining democratic institutions, aiming for authoritarian control.   

- Trump celebrated his first 100 days in office by attacking Biden, despite low approval ratings, and faced waning support at his rallies.   

- A $2 billion business deal involving the Trump family's cryptocurrency firm raises ethical concerns about conflicts of interest.   

- The U.S. Supreme Court is considering a case on the constitutionality of religious charter schools, which could impact the separation of church and state.   

- Treating children as independent thinkers with informative communication fosters better decision-making and cooperation.   

- NYC Public School Parents secured funding for 746 schools to reduce class sizes but face challenges like space constraints.   

- Advocacy continues for rent freezes in NYC to combat the housing crisis, with political figures supporting the movement.   

- The Invisible Institute has achieved milestones in investigative journalism, including exposing police misconduct and winning prestigious awards.   

- Kakistocracy in education is criticized for appointing unqualified leaders, eroding educational equity and academic freedom.   

- Scripted curricula in education reform are critiqued for de-professionalizing teachers and perpetuating crises for market gains.   

- Concerns about misallocated federal funds and investigations into Tarbiyah School's leadership were raised.   

- Boys' reluctance to read is examined, with societal and teaching influences impacting literacy habits.   

- The Supreme Court case on religious virtual charter schools highlights the potential weakening of the separation of church and state.   

- Ukrainian journalist Viktoria Roshchyna's death in Russian captivity prompts calls for international action.   

- Teachers should focus on building respect and competence rather than seeking approval from students.   

- The "furry panic" rumor in schools resurfaces, leading to unnecessary legislation despite being debunked.   

- The Trump administration halted $1 billion in mental health funding for schools, citing civil rights concerns, sparking criticism.   

- Grassroots May Day protests aim to resist authoritarianism and promote democracy through nonviolence and community care.   

- Elon Musk's failed budget-cutting initiative under Trump led to chaos, legal challenges, and inflated costs.   

- The Supreme Court's decision on funding religious schools could reshape public education and church-state dynamics.