Yesterday’s Gems, Today’s Insights
A Roundup of the Web’s Finest Blog Posts!
5-16-25
Michael Tomasky: Elon Musk is a Stupid, Incompetent Man https://dianeravitch.net/2025/05/16/michael-tomasky-elon-musk-is-a-stupid-incompetent-man/ via @dianeravitch
### Key Points
- Michael Tomasky labels Elon Musk as harmful and fraudulent, citing his negative impact on government services and public welfare.
- Musk's actions included shutting down NIOSH, which studied black lung disease, and USAID, affecting global health aid and coal miner safety.
- His fiscal cuts are minimal in the federal budget context but have caused significant harm, including job losses and loss of life.
- Musk's reputation and Tesla sales have suffered globally due to his controversial decisions.
- Critics highlight the long-term damage Musk's actions may cause to government services and societal well-being.
Stephen Miller Wants to Abolish Habeas Corpus. This Is Why He Is Wrong. https://dianeravitch.net/2025/05/16/stephen-miller-wants-to-abolish-habeas-corpus-why-he-is-wrong/ via @dianeravitch
### Key Points
- Stephen Miller suggested suspending habeas corpus to remove undocumented immigrants faster, citing the Constitution's Suspension Clause, which only permits this in extreme emergencies like rebellion or invasion.
- Legal scholars argue Miller misinterprets the Suspension Clause, which emphasizes judicial review except in specific national emergencies, and that only Congress has the authority to suspend habeas corpus.
- Miller's claim that judicial review in immigration cases is categorically precluded by Congress is false; immigration courts and Article III courts still have roles in reviewing such cases.
- His rhetoric implies suspending habeas corpus if courts rule against the administration, undermining the judiciary's independence and constitutional authority.
RFK Jr.'s Doublespeak About Vaccines https://dianeravitch.net/2025/05/16/rfk-jr-s-doublespeak-about-vaccines/ via @dianeravitch
### Key Points
- RFK Jr.'s Senate confirmation hearings portrayed him as no longer anti-vaccine, but his actions have contradicted this stance.
- He fired leading scientists, closed research programs, and demoralized the HHS workforce.
- RFK Jr.'s public statements alternately support vaccines and promote skepticism, creating confusion during a deadly measles outbreak.
- Experts warn his mixed messaging could lead to lower vaccination rates and worsening outbreaks.
- RFK Jr. has advocated for unproven treatments and placebo testing for vaccines, worrying health experts.
- The measles outbreak in Texas highlights the dangers of declining vaccination rates.
How the New GOP Tax Bill Benefits the Rich and Forces Vouchers into Every State https://dianeravitch.net/2025/05/16/how-the-new-gop-tax-bill-benefits-the-rich-and-forces-vouchers-into-every-state/ via @dianeravitch
### Key Points
- The GOP tax bill creates tax havens for the wealthiest Americans and mandates school vouchers in every state, including those opposed to them.
- Voucher schools are allowed to set their own admissions policies, leading to potential discrimination and undermining of public schools.
- The bill represents a broader trend of privatization in education, benefiting the wealthy while neglecting public schools' needs.
- Josh Cowen, author of *The Privateers*, critiques this shift as a billionaire-driven culture war against public education.
Breaking News: Trump Administration Cancels Scores of Research Grants at Harvard https://dianeravitch.net/2025/05/16/breaking-news-trump-administration-cancels-scores-of-research-grants-at-harvard/ via @dianeravitch
### Key Points
- The Trump administration terminated scores of research grants at Harvard, impacting projects funded by federal agencies like NIH, DoD, and DoE.
- This decision threatens millions in research funding and disrupts the work of graduate students and young scientists reliant on federal support.
- The actions are perceived as retaliation against Harvard for resisting government interference in its curriculum, admissions, and faculty hiring.
- Harvard's leadership and academic community see this as an attack on academic freedom and are exploring ways to mitigate the funding loss.
Big Education Ape: OH MAMA! HOW MAGA BECAME MAD AGAIN: WALMART, TARIFFS AND THE PRICE OF BILLIONAIRE TAX CUTS https://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2025/05/oh-mama-how-maga-became-mad-again.html
### Key Points
- Walmart announces price hikes due to Trump-era tariffs, affecting consumers and supply chains.
- The Walton family has heavily funded conservative causes, benefiting from tax cuts but facing backlash from the tariffs.
- Trump's proposed budget cuts to Medicaid and SNAP could harm millions, particularly rural and working-class communities.
- Economic policies have led to growing dissatisfaction among Trump's base, highlighting the disconnect between political promises and outcomes.
Poem: we lost everything | dr. p.l. (paul) thomas https://radicalscholarship.com/2025/05/16/poem-we-lost-everything/
### Key Points
- The poem "we lost everything" reflects on loss and resilience through metaphorical and literal imagery.
- The blog covers a wide range of topics, including education reform, critical literacy, social justice, and cultural commentary.
- The author frequently engages with themes like racism, poverty, equity, and the intersections of politics and education.
- The archive includes reflections, essays, and poetry, showcasing the author's long-standing commitment to activism and intellectual discourse.
- References to influential thinkers, writers, and cultural works (e.g., Paulo Freire, James Baldwin, Margaret Atwood) underline the blog's critical and literary focus.
Diversity within Diversity: Unmasking Prejudice Within Marginalized Communities https://cloakinginequity.com/2025/05/16/diversity-within-diversity-unmasking-prejudice-within-marginalized-communities/
### Key Points
- Marginalized communities often replicate colonial divisions, ranking individuals based on skin color, national origin, and proximity to whiteness.
- Internalized narratives, such as anti-Blackness and anti-Indigeneity, stem from historical systems like conquest and colonialism and must be unlearned.
- Decolonizing minds involves questioning inherited biases and confronting prejudice within communities to build liberatory spaces.
- Internalized oppression shows up in leadership, where marginalized leaders face prejudice not only from external systems but also within their own communities.
- DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) leaders sometimes perpetuate harm by failing to address intra-community bias or actively ignoring marginalized voices.
- Educational spaces often fail to address diversity within diversity, focusing on superficial cultural representation instead of deeper issues like power and prejudice.
- Teachers and curriculums must address intra-community hierarchies, such as colorism, casteism, and ethnic stratification, to create inclusive classrooms.
- Language access in schools often excludes Indigenous Latinx communities, highlighting a monocultural approach to inclusion.
- Justice requires acknowledging and addressing biases within marginalized communities, such as anti-Blackness, casteism, and colorism.
- True solidarity involves looking inward, unlearning colonial legacies, and committing to systemic and personal transformation.
- Public education should prepare individuals for a just and equitable world by fostering inclusivity, self-reflection, and accountability.
Red Alert: Trump’s DOJ Just Told SCOTUS It Can Pick and Choose Which Court Orders to Obey https://cloakinginequity.com/2025/05/16/red-alert-trumps-doj-just-told-scotus-it-can-pick-and-choose-which-court-orders-to-obey/
### Key Points
- The article warns about the Trump administration's selective obedience to judicial rulings, exemplified by Solicitor General D. John Sauer's statement to the Supreme Court that compliance with court orders is "general practice" but "not categorical," undermining the rule of law.
- The Trump administration has a history of eroding constitutional checks, including ignoring Supreme Court orders, pressuring courts to overturn elections, and suggesting the Constitution is optional when politically inconvenient.
- Trump’s rhetoric and actions, such as joking about a third term while addressing troops at a military base, blur the lines between governance, campaigning, and authoritarianism, building a narrative where laws and institutions are flexible.
- The article draws parallels to authoritarian regimes like Hungary, Turkey, and Russia, where leaders undermined independent institutions to consolidate power.
- If judicial rulings are ignored, constitutional protections become meaningless, leading to a dystopian scenario where executive power overrides the judiciary.
- The author calls for immediate action to defend democratic institutions by educating others, holding leaders accountable, and preventing the military from being used as a political tool.
CURMUDGUCATION: AI Does Not Know The Truth https://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2025/05/ai-does-not-know-truth.html
### Key Points
- Computers and AI operate based on the principle of "Garbage In, Garbage Out" (GIGO), meaning their output depends entirely on the quality of input data provided by humans.
- The myth of AI as an infallible truth-seeking entity is misleading; AI generates outputs without understanding or comprehending reality.
- AI's errors, biases, and controversial outputs (e.g., Grok's comments on white South Africans) are a reflection of the data and directives it has been trained on, not independent thought or truth.
- AI systems are susceptible to manipulation by their human managers, who may program them to present a curated version of "truth" that aligns with their agendas.
- AI cannot independently determine objective truth, and viewing it as unbiased or trustworthy risks putting society under the control of those who manage the AI.
- Allowing AI widespread access, especially to young people, under the assumption that it is free of bias is particularly dangerous.
Teacher Tom: There's a Hole in My Sidewalk https://teachertomsblog.blogspot.com/2025/05/theres-hole-in-my-sidewalk.html
### Key Points
- The metaphor of falling into holes in life illustrates the repetitive mistakes and learning process in both adults and children.
- Teachers and caregivers face the challenge of balancing guidance with allowing children to learn from their own experiences.
- Respecting children's independence and dignity fosters environments where they can think for themselves and solve their own problems.
- Life's lessons often come from mistakes, and the role of educators is to support without overstepping, enabling meaningful growth.
- Teacher Tom connects his experiences with AA stories to teaching, recognizing the universality of learning through struggle.
NYC Public School Parents: New revelations showing DOE’s continuing lack of concern for the privacy and safety of NYC students - please sign our letter to the Chancellor today! https://nycpublicschoolparents.blogspot.com/2025/05/new-revelations-showing-does-continuing.html
### Key Points
- DOE’s proposed amendments to Chancellor’s Regulation A-820 could weaken student privacy protections, allowing disclosure of sensitive data to third parties with unreliable opt-out methods.
- The vote on the proposed amendments was delayed due to parent and advocate concerns, with over 3,000 emails sent to the Chancellor and PEP members.
- The PowerSchool breach exposed sensitive data of an estimated 60 million individuals, including NYC students and teachers, and led to ransomware threats.
- DOE failed to inform parents in a timely manner about the breach and did not provide sufficient guidance to schools to stop using PowerSchool programs.
- PowerSchool admitted to paying a ransom after the December 2024 breach and delayed notifying affected schools and districts.
- DOE did not publicly disclose the names of affected schools or notify former students, violating NY student privacy laws requiring timely breach notifications.
- The DOE continued to allow schools to use PowerSchool programs despite known vulnerabilities and lawsuits against the company.
- Privacy agreements with vendors like PowerSchool and Illuminate lacked strong security requirements and oversight, leading to repeated breaches.
- DOE failed to act on warnings regarding PowerSchool’s weak privacy addendum and did not enforce stronger compliance measures.
- Renewed ransomware threats in May 2025 raise concerns about the original hackers or data being sold to other groups.
- DOE has not adequately informed parents about the risks or encouraged them to take protective actions like signing up for identity theft insurance.
New revelations showing DOE’s continuing lack of concern for the privacy and safety of NYC students – please sign our letter to the Chancellor today! https://classsizematters.org/new-revelations-showing-does-continuing-lack-of-concern-for-the-privacy-and-safety-of-nyc-students-please-sign-our-letter-to-the-chancellor-today/
Guest Post By "The Revealer": Woodbridge- Do Better!!! https://exceptionaldelaware.com/2025/05/16/guest-post-by-the-revealer-woodbridge-do-better/ via @ExcptlDelaware
### Key Points
- Matthew Jones, previously involved in a controversial incident at Indian River, was promoted to Assistant Principal in the Woodbridge School District despite his past misconduct.
- Jones had taken an inappropriate photo of a student during an altercation, leading to his suspension and a lawsuit, which was later dismissed.
- Jones’ license as Principal/Assistant Principal is still suspended, raising concerns about how he was approved for the position.
- The article questions whether favoritism or connections, particularly with Assistant Superintendent Kelley Kirkland, played a role in Jones’ hiring and promotion.
- Criticism is directed at the district’s “rigorous” selection process, suggesting it may favor insiders or the “good ol’ boys” network.
- The post calls for better accountability and decision-making from the Woodbridge School District.
Life Comes at You Fast https://norinrad10.com/2025/05/16/life-comes-at-you-fast/ via @norinrad10
### Key Points
- Life’s unpredictability is highlighted through personal experiences, including a car accident and the loss of a close friend.
- Tennessee’s school voucher program received overwhelming interest, sparking debates about public versus private education and societal impacts.
- The termination of a co-op sports agreement between a public and charter school raises concerns about prioritizing adult needs over students.
- A summer meal program in Tennessee aims to support rural students with nutritious food during school breaks.
- The blog author seeks financial support to continue their work.
Teacher in a Strange Land: Goodbye to the Department of Education | National Education Policy Center https://nepc.colorado.edu/blog/goodbye
- The article discusses concerns about the potential dismantling of the U.S. Department of Education (ED) and its implications for public education, particularly for vulnerable groups such as disabled students, minorities, and those in poverty.
- Historical context is provided, including the establishment of the ED under President Jimmy Carter and opposition from conservative groups who viewed it as unnecessary federal overreach.
- The article highlights the critical role of the ED in ensuring equal access to education and protecting marginalized groups, with examples of programs like ESEA and NCLB.
- The disparity in federal education funding across states is noted, with states that voted for Trump receiving higher percentages of federal funding compared to others.
- Legal and political challenges to dismantling the ED are explored, with reference to Trump’s previous actions and the potential harm to states heavily reliant on federal education funding.
- The author emphasizes that removing the ED would significantly undermine the principle of equitable, high-quality education for all children in the U.S.
Education Research Report: Boys Outperform Girls in Middle School STEM, Reversing Gender Gap https://educationresearchreport.blogspot.com/2025/05/boys-outperform-girls-in-middle-school.html
- Boys’ advantage in math and science, previously eliminated by 2019, has returned during the post-COVID period, while girls continue to outperform boys in reading.
- High-achieving boys outperform high-achieving girls in STEM, but low-achieving boys underperform compared to low-achieving girls.
- The percentage of girls enrolled in eighth-grade algebra dropped from 26.4% in 2019 to 24.5% in 2024, while boys’ enrollment remained steady at 24%.
- Gender gaps in STEM, which took decades to close, reopened globally during the pandemic due to greater declines in girls’ math and science performance.
- Data from three national assessments (TIMSS, NAEP, and MAP® Growth™) were used to analyze trends in STEM gender gaps during and after the pandemic.
Education Research Report: Meta-analysis: Examining the Academic Effects of Cross-Age Tutoring https://educationresearchreport.blogspot.com/2025/05/meta-analysis-examining-academic.html
### Key Points
- Cross-age tutoring involves older students tutoring younger ones, showing economic and engagement benefits.
- A meta-analysis updated with 32 studies found positive academic effects for both tutors and tutees, with effect sizes of 0.34 overall, 0.33 for tutees, and 0.39 for tutors.
- No significant differences were found based on session number, tutor type, tutee risk status, or subject area, indicating broad applicability.
- The study emphasizes the effectiveness of using older students as tutors in resource-limited settings and recommends further research.
Thou Shalt Not Affiliate With Groups that Protect Your Health Care https://open.substack.com/pub/arthurgoldstein/p/thou-shalt-not-affiliate-with-groups?r=kja7f&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
- The article criticizes UFT leadership, particularly Michael Mulgrew, for undermining members' healthcare and restricting members from associating with groups advocating for their rights.
- The author shares personal experiences of poor leadership within the education system, highlighting dishonesty and incompetence among administrators.
- The article mocks the absurdity of new UFT policies that allegedly prohibit members from engaging with certain groups, questioning how such rules could be enforced.
- The author advocates for change in union leadership, endorsing the ABC group as an alternative.
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Seattle Times Talks About Student Outcome Focused ... https://saveseattleschools.blogspot.com/2025/05/seattle-times-talks-about-student.html?spref=tw
### Key Points
- The Seattle School Board adopted SOFG to address challenges like large class sizes and declining academic progress, investing significant funds in training and consultancy.
- SOFG shifts focus from detailed oversight to broader policies, allowing administration to make financial decisions without board approval, raising accountability concerns.
- Critics describe SOFG as rigid, undemocratic, and a costly distraction, with some districts reporting dissatisfaction and resistance from parents and board members.
- Upcoming school board elections are crucial for voters to consider candidates’ positions on SOFG and its impact on governance.
- Broader issues like nepotism and potential school closures further challenge the district, with concerns over transparency and decision-making processes.
SPI Announces 2025 Civic Learning Award Schools - Year 2025 (CA Dept of Education) https://www.cde.ca.gov/nr/ne/yr25/yr25rel27.asp
### Key Points
- Thirty-four California schools received the 2025 Civic Learning Awards for their civic education achievements.
- The awards, in their twelfth year, are co-sponsored by State Superintendent Tony Thurmond and Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero.
- Schools were evaluated based on their civic engagement programs, LCAP alignment, and participation in initiatives like Judges in the Classroom.
- Top honorees include Ida Jew Academy, Sparks Middle School, and Norte Vista High School, among others, with distinctions and merits awarded to several schools.
- The Civic Learning Awards are part of the Chief Justice's Power of Democracy Civic Learning Initiative, which began in 2013.
Yesterday’s Gems, Today’s Insights
A Roundup of the Web’s Finest Blog Posts!
5-16-25
The article explores various educational, political, and societal issues, including debates on religious charter schools, the impact of Trump administration policies, systemic challenges in public education, and the implications of emerging technologies in learning. It highlights key controversies, legal battles, and reforms shaping education and democracy in the United States.
### Key Points
- The Trump administration canceled multiple research grants at Harvard, reflecting its ongoing conflicts with academic institutions.
- Cross-age tutoring is highlighted as an effective and economical educational model, promoting engagement and academic benefits.
- Concerns are raised about the NYC Department of Education's disregard for student privacy and safety, prompting advocacy for stronger data protections.
- The Supreme Court is deliberating whether St. Isidore, a religious charter school in Oklahoma, can receive public funding, potentially redefining the public/private status of charter schools.
- Critics warn that allowing religious charter schools to access public funds could undermine the separation of church and state and the secular nature of public education.
- Trump's tariff policies are criticized for causing economic harm, trade uncertainty, and strained international relations.
- Backlash from the Trump administration over a critical article on Donald Trump Jr. highlights concerns about press freedom and intimidation tactics.
- A study reveals cognitive and behavioral benefits of whole-body movement for children with autism, emphasizing its therapeutic importance.
- Voucher programs like ESAs are critiqued for diverting public funds to private entities, leading to decreased public school funding and poorer student outcomes.
- Hyper-competitive education systems in the U.S. are linked to youth mental health crises, with calls for systemic reform to prioritize emotional well-being.
- Peer-to-peer education is emphasized as essential for fostering human interaction and collaborative learning, contrasting with AI-driven systems.
- Pennsylvania's career education standards for young children are criticized as impractical and overly rigid.
- Advocacy groups are mobilizing to defend public schools against federal policies threatening funding and diversity.
- Seattle Public Schools face criticism over leadership instability, enrollment mismanagement, and systemic inequities.
