Yesterday’s Gems, Today’s Insights
A Roundup of the Web’s Finest Blog Posts!
5-20-25
Wall Street Journal: Trump Tax Plan Will Not Cut the Deficit https://dianeravitch.net/2025/05/20/wall-street-journal-trump-tax-plan-will-not-cut-the-deficit/ via @dianeravitch
### Key Points
- Trump’s proposed tax-and-spending plan, supported by House Republicans, is criticized for increasing the federal deficit rather than reducing it.
- The bill faces internal Republican division, with some members advocating for larger spending cuts and others demanding more tax breaks.
- Moody’s Ratings highlights concerns about the U.S.’s rising debt, exacerbated by the tax cuts, which could lead to further fiscal instability.
- Critics argue that the tax cuts disproportionately benefit the wealthy while harming vulnerable populations through reduced services.
- Experts suggest that addressing the deficit would require significant reforms, such as cutting military spending, Medicare, Social Security, or raising taxes on the middle class.
Why Trump Hates PBS: The Definitive Explanation https://dianeravitch.net/2025/05/20/why-trump-hates-pbs-the-definitive-explanation/ via @dianeravitch
### Key Points
- Trump signed an executive order to defund PBS and NPR, which provide valuable news and educational content.
- Trump's disdain for PBS stems from a 1988 Sesame Street episode where he was satirized as "Ronald Grump," a greedy developer.
- Commenters suggest Trump's actions often stem from personal slights, highlighting his thin-skinned and vindictive nature.
Leonie Haimson: How States Can Inspire One Another to Fight for Successful Policies https://dianeravitch.net/2025/05/20/leonie-haimson-how-states-can-inspire-one-another-to-fight-for-successful-policies/ via @dianeravitch
### Key Points
- Leonie Haimson’s advocacy for smaller class sizes has influenced education reform policies, including Michigan's recent resolution for class size limits.
- Michigan’s State Board of Education approved a resolution to cap class sizes at 20 students in early grades to address literacy struggles and improve outcomes.
- The resolution was inspired by New York City’s law and research, emphasizing the positive impact of reduced class sizes on student performance and teacher effectiveness.
- Implementation challenges, including funding, staffing, and space, remain, but the resolution marks a significant step towards education reform.
Big Education Ape: BLUESKY: THE RISING STAR THAT IS POOPING ON X'S PARADE https://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2025/05/bluesky-rising-star-that-is-pooping-on.html
The Gift That Never Stops Giving--Being a Teacher* https://larrycuban.wordpress.com/2025/05/20/the-gift-that-never-stops-giving-being-a-teacher-2/ via @CubanLarry
### Key Points
- Teaching provides unspoken, long-term rewards as former students often stay in touch, sharing memories and expressing gratitude.
- Former students attribute significant influence to their teachers, even if teachers don't recall specific moments, showcasing the immeasurable impact of teaching.
- Cuban critiques "turnstile teaching," where short-term teachers fail to form lasting bonds, advocating for retaining veteran teachers who build strong relationships over time.
- Policies supporting teacher retention, professional growth, and adequate pay are essential to fostering these impactful teacher-student connections.
CURMUDGUCATION: 20 Rules for Life (2025 edition) https://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2025/05/20-rules-for-life-2025-edition.html
### Summary
### Key Points
- "Don't be a dick" emphasizes kindness and avoiding deliberate harm.
- Strive to "Do better" every day, regardless of past mistakes.
- "Tell the truth" and avoid using words as tools for manipulation or lies.
- Seek to understand rather than seeking comfort or confirmation of beliefs.
- "Listen and pay attention" to truly hear and see others, valuing all moments.
- Be grateful for life's blessings, acknowledging privilege and grace.
- Focus on the 5% of life that truly matters, avoiding trivial distractions.
- "Mind your own business" and avoid unnecessary opinions on matters you don't understand.
- Take care of people around you, making a positive difference daily.
- Commit fully to actions and renew commitment regularly.
- "Shut up and do the work" instead of seeking validation for efforts.
- Assume good intent in others rather than labeling them as evil or stupid.
- Avoid wasting time on people who are not serious or principled.
- Always remember the point or goal, and avoid being misled by expectations.
- Acknowledge that people are complex and cannot be categorized easily.
- Create something meaningful, such as art or music.
- Show up fully in relationships and answer life's calls when required.
- Refine your core identity, separating it from external circumstances.
- Treat others well, irrespective of their behavior, as it reflects your character.
"Big Beautiful Bill" in Congress Hurts Poor Children and Establishes New Federal School Vouchers https://janresseger.wordpress.com/2025/05/20/big-beautiful-bill-in-congress-hurts-poor-children-and-establishes-new-federal-school-vouchers/ via @janresseger
### Key Points
- Congress's reconciliation bill extends tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations while cutting programs for vulnerable families.
- Major cuts to Medicaid, SNAP, TANF, and the Social Services Block Grant will harm millions of children and families.
- The Child Tax Credit increase excludes the poorest families, favoring higher-income groups.
- A federal school voucher program in the bill acts as a tax shelter for wealthy donors, undermining public schools and religious freedom.
- Critics argue the bill prioritizes the wealthy over the needs of children and families.
Teacher Tom: What We are Saying is Radical https://teachertomsblog.blogspot.com/2025/05/what-we-are-saying-is-radical.html
### Key Points
- The radical idea that children are fully formed individuals deserving respect and trust.
- Critique of traditional, controlling approaches to parenting and education.
- Importance of fostering children's autonomy through play-based learning.
- The need to un-learn modern parenting and schooling norms to better support children's growth.
- Promotion of a course aimed at improving communication with children to foster independence and cooperation.
Buyer's Remorse https://open.substack.com/pub/educationwars/p/buyers-remorse?r=kja7f&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
### Key Points
- The expansion of school voucher programs in states like Texas, Florida, and New Hampshire has led to significant financial strain on public education systems.
- Voucher programs often benefit wealthy families whose children were already in private schools, creating a dual education system funded by taxpayers.
- States like Louisiana and Missouri are beginning to push back against escalating voucher costs, prioritizing public school funding instead.
- Economic downturns and tax cuts for the wealthy exacerbate budget issues, with states struggling to fund public education while supporting voucher programs.
- Activist groups and local communities, particularly in Florida, are mobilizing to defend public education, signaling a potential backlash against these policies.
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Seattle Schools in the News https://saveseattleschools.blogspot.com/2025/05/seattle-schools-in-news_20.html?spref=tw
Seattle Schools Community Forum discusses recent issues in Seattle Public Schools, including communication failures about free school meals, safety measures at Washington Middle School, and traffic camera expansions near schools. Other topics include nepotism concerns within the district and debates over potential school closures.
### Key Points
- Seattle Public Schools failed to notify families about free meal eligibility at certain schools, causing confusion and unnecessary payments.
- Washington Middle School implemented a temporary street closure for student safety, with discussions ongoing about making it permanent.
- Seattle plans to expand traffic cameras near schools to improve safety, though Washington Middle School is not included in this initiative.
- Allegations of nepotism in Seattle Public Schools highlight concerns about promotions based on personal connections rather than merit.
- Discussions about potential school closures in the district raise questions about financial savings and resource allocation.
Respect Is Earned: A Letter to My Daughter (and every student) on Fear, Failure, and Leadership – Cloaking Inequity https://cloakinginequity.com/2025/05/20/respect-is-earned-a-letter-to-my-daughter-and-every-student-on-fear-failure-and-leadership/
### Key Points
- Success requires courage, persistence, and the ability to embrace failure as a learning opportunity.
- Leadership is built on discipline, purpose, and integrity, rather than external validation.
- Deshauna Barber’s story exemplifies resilience, hard work, and using rejection as motivation to improve.
- Discipline and preparation are key to achieving excellence and long-term success.
- Failure should be seen as a teacher and an opportunity to grow stronger.
- Purpose-driven leadership uplifts others and creates meaningful change.
On the inadequacies of the city’s planning for class size especially as regards space | Class Size Matters | A clearinghouse for information on class size & the proven benefits of smaller classes https://classsizematters.org/on-the-inadequacies-of-the-citys-planning-for-class-size-especially-as-regards-space/
- NYC Council Finance and Education Committees held a hearing on the education budget and five-year capital plan, focusing on class size issues.
- Advocacy for NYC to implement a multi-year strategy to reduce class sizes as mandated by law, with a petition and survey available for public participation.
- The "Talk out of School" radio show and podcast discusses public school issues in NYC and beyond, featuring interviews with key figures.
- The annual Skinny Award dinner honored Rep. Jamaal Bowman for his contributions to public education.
- A new law passed in June 2022 requires NYC schools to phase in smaller classes across all grades.
- Advocacy for sufficient space in schools to accommodate smaller classes, urging public action and Council Member involvement.
Reddit Unknowingly Becomes Guinea Pig for AI Research | deutsch29: Mercedes Schneider's Blog https://deutsch29.wordpress.com/2025/05/20/reddit-unknowingly-becomes-guinea-pig-for-ai-research/
### Key Points
- Researchers from the University of Zurich conducted an AI-driven persuasion experiment on Reddit’s "ChangeMyView" subreddit without user consent, using AI-powered accounts to interact with users.
- The study aimed to test the persuasiveness of AI compared to human arguments, with bots posting over 1,000 comments during a four-month period.
- Reddit users were outraged upon discovering the experiment, citing ethical violations and deception, as the bots often impersonated specific personas.
- The researchers initially defended their methods but later apologized, halted the study, and promised not to publish final results.
- The experiment highlighted the potential misuse of AI for manipulation, such as swaying public opinion or influencing elections. It also demonstrated the difficulty of distinguishing AI-generated content from human responses.
Yesterday’s Gems, Today’s Insights
A Roundup of the Web’s Finest Blog Posts!
5-18-25
The article is a compilation of educational, political, and societal issues, presenting various controversies, legal battles, reforms, and systemic challenges. It discusses topics such as public education policies, civil rights, healthcare, religious charter schools, and the impact of political decisions on marginalized communities. Key themes include the erosion of democratic protections, privatization of education, and the consequences of authoritarian tendencies.
### Key Points
- The U.S. Supreme Court ruled against Trump’s immigration policies, affirming due process for all individuals in the U.S., regardless of citizenship.
- Georgia's abortion law mandates keeping a brain-dead pregnant woman alive, raising ethical and financial concerns.
- Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu faces criticism for war crimes in Gaza, while Trump avoids addressing the humanitarian crisis.
- Florida courts ruled against DeSantis’ attempt to ban drag shows, emphasizing free speech rights and opposing political censorship.
- The Network for Public Education reports $1 billion wasted on failed charter schools, raising concerns about privatization and public funding misuse.
- Religious charter schools, like St. Isidore Catholic School, challenge the separation of church and state by seeking public funding.
- Cyberbullying is a significant trauma source for adolescents, emphasizing the need for trauma-informed approaches in schools.
- Donald Trump secured personal business deals in the Middle East but ignored humanitarian crises, such as the Gaza blockade.
- Trump’s DOJ stated it could selectively obey court orders, undermining the rule of law and constitutional checks.
- Boys outperform girls in STEM post-COVID, reversing prior gender equity gains.
- Walmart raises prices due to Trump-era tariffs, highlighting economic struggles tied to billionaire tax cuts.
- The Seattle School Board’s superintendent search emphasizes inclusivity, transparency, and community engagement.
- The Supreme Court is deliberating on a case involving religious charter schools, which could significantly alter the future of public education.
- A transportation safety event for children with disabilities will be held, offering sensory-friendly activities and resources for families.
- The Heritage Foundation's Project Esther is criticized for targeting progressive activists and left-wing critics of Israel while ignoring far-right antisemitism.
- Malcolm X's 100th birthday is celebrated, emphasizing his legacy and relevance in contemporary discussions.
- College course shutouts negatively impact students, particularly women, reducing their likelihood of pursuing STEM and affecting long-term outcomes.
- The wage premium for attending college has halved for lower-income Americans since 1960, highlighting growing inequality in higher education.
- Media often oversimplifies or distorts educational narratives, particularly around charter school successes, which are often tied to socioeconomic factors.
- The Trump administration’s media tactics, described as "narrative warfare," aim to distract from critical policy issues and consolidate power.
- The Trump administration’s economic policies, including tax cuts for the wealthy and high tariffs, have led to economic uncertainty and rising prices.
- Dr. Julian Vasquez Heilig critiques the Turning Point USA Professor Watchlist as an attempt to suppress academic freedom, urging resistance.
- The wrongful conviction of Leo Schofield highlights judicial and journalistic misconduct, with calls for a new trial and accountability.
- Teacher Tom advocates for fostering children's creativity and independence by reducing adult-imposed restrictions and focusing on open-ended communication.
