Yesterday’s Gems, Today’s Insights
A Roundup of the Web’s Finest Blog Posts!
8-13-25
New Hampshire: Governor Selects Nonpartisan Bureaucrat as Superintendent https://dianeravitch.net/2025/08/12/good-news-from-new-hampshire-governor-selects-educator-as-superintendent/ via @dianeravitch
New Hampshire's new Republican Governor, Kelly Ayotte, replaced former Superintendent Frank Edelblut, a homeschool advocate and voucher proponent, with Caitlin Davis, a nonpartisan and experienced administrator. Davis, a 15-year veteran of the state's Department of Education, is known for her data-driven approach and neutrality. Her appointment was widely supported across political lines and by the teachers’ union, marking a shift from Edelblut's controversial tenure. Davis aims to lead collaboratively and without political bias, focusing on implementing policies effectively.### Key Points
- Former Governor Chris Sununu appointed Frank Edelblut as Superintendent, who opposed public schools and promoted school vouchers.
- Edelblut's policies led to state funds subsidizing private school tuition for families already enrolled.
- New Governor Kelly Ayotte replaced Edelblut with Caitlin Davis, a respected, nonpartisan bureaucrat.
- Davis has extensive experience in education analytics and vowed to lead without political influence.
- Her appointment was celebrated by both parties and the teachers’ union for fostering collaboration.
National Science Foundation Absorbed Deep Cuts in Staff and Funding https://dianeravitch.net/2025/08/12/national-science-foundation-absorbed-deep-cuts-in-staff-and-funding/ via @dianeravitch
The National Science Foundation was a target for Elon Musk’s DOGE boys. Trump seemed to dislike science, so he went along with deep cuts. We can hope that historians will one day explain Trump’s disdain for science. At the moment, it’s inexplicable. Only days ago, Trump released an executive order that places political appointees in charge of grantmaking, with the power to ignore peer reviews. Science magazine reported: Research advocates are expressing alarm over a White House directive on federal grantmaking released yesterday that they say threatens to enhance President Donald Trump### Key Points
- The National Science Foundation (NSF) faced significant cuts under the Trump administration, including a 56% budget reduction and a loss of one-third of its staff.
- Trump issued an executive order giving political appointees control over science agency grantmaking, bypassing peer review processes, alarming research advocates.
- NSF canceled 1,600 active research grants, and employees reported retaliation and illegal withholding of research funding.
- The NSF was evicted from its Virginia headquarters without a relocation plan, further disrupting its operations.
- Critics argue Trump’s actions reflect a broader disdain for science, potentially tied to political biases and deregulation goals.
- Historical context links Republican skepticism of science to long-term trends, as noted in Chris Mooney’s "The Republican War on Science."
Did Trump's Hiring Freeze Raise the Death Toll in Texas Floods? https://dianeravitch.net/2025/08/12/did-trumps-hiring-freeze-raise-the-death-toll-in-texas-floods/ via @dianeravitch
The Texas Monthly points out that the state was supposed to get an emergency coordinator for its weather service. But that person was never hired because Trump ordered a freeze on all federal hiring the day he took office. The Texas Monthly reported: The prospective hire was meant to help solve a persistent problem in dealing with Texas’s many natural disasters: translating warnings about extreme weather into appropriate action. By late January, the National Weather Service’s Fort Worth office had selected a meteorologist to serve as an “emergency response specialist” within the Texas Division of Emergency Management, which coordinates the state’s emergency-management program. The new hire, part of a nationwide### Key Points
- A federal hiring freeze initiated by the Trump administration prevented the hiring of an emergency response specialist for the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM), a role critical for addressing extreme weather events.
- The unfilled position could have provided expert analysis and coordination during the Central Texas floods of July 2025, which resulted in at least 135 deaths.
- The National Weather Service (NWS) faced significant staff reductions under the Trump administration, losing around 600 employees, which impacted its ability to forecast and respond effectively to extreme weather.
- The TDEM role was part of a broader modernization effort initiated under the Biden administration to embed meteorologists in state emergency offices, but this effort was undermined by the hiring freeze.
- Critics argue that the lack of aggressive public messaging and coordination due to staffing shortages contributed to the disaster's severity.
- Local leadership also faced criticism for failing to implement early warning systems in flood-prone areas due to fiscal constraints, despite repeated concerns from residents.
- The Trump administration later announced plans to fill up to 450 federal agency positions, but it remains unclear whether the TDEM role will be included.
Big Education Ape: The President Wears a Sheet: A Tale of Racism’s Relentless Reboot in America https://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2025/08/the-president-wears-sheet-tale-of.html
The article explores the persistent issue of racism in America, tracing its roots from historical events like the Compromise of 1877 to modern manifestations under leaders such as Donald Trump. It examines systemic racism embedded in U.S. presidential policies, the illusion of progress during pivotal civil rights milestones, and the resurgence of racial divides in recent years. Despite setbacks, the article highlights hope through demographic shifts and activism aimed at combating inequality.### Key Points
- Racism in America has continuously evolved, starting from the Compromise of 1877 and Jim Crow laws.
- U.S. presidents, including Woodrow Wilson and Donald Trump, have perpetuated systemic racism through policies and rhetoric.
- The Civil Rights Movement brought progress, but backlash followed, especially after Barack Obama's presidency.
- Recent years have seen renewed racial divides, with policies targeting DEI initiatives and voting rights protections.
- Activism and demographic changes offer hope for addressing systemic racism in the future.
Big Education Ape: To Be or Not to Be: AI in Education—A Trojan Horse or a Teacher’s Ally? https://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2025/08/to-be-or-not-to-be-ai-in-educationa.html
The article explores the debate surrounding the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in education, focusing on the American Federation of Teachers’ (AFT) $23 million initiative to train 400,000 teachers in ethical AI use. It highlights contrasting perspectives: proponents view AI as a tool to empower educators and address systemic challenges, while critics warn of corporate overreach, surveillance, and potential harm to the human essence of teaching. The discussion centers on whether AI will serve as an ally or a Trojan horse in classrooms, emphasizing the need for teachers to shape its role to preserve the integrity of education.
### Key Points
- The AFT has partnered with tech giants like Microsoft and OpenAI to launch the National Academy for AI Instruction, aiming to train teachers in ethical AI use and impact 7.2 million students.
- Supporters argue AI can enhance teaching by personalizing learning, reducing workloads, and addressing inequities in underfunded schools.
- Critics caution against AI’s risks, including bias, surveillance, environmental harm, and the erosion of teaching’s human core, accusing the initiative of serving corporate interests.
- The debate highlights the importance of educators taking an active role in shaping AI’s integration to ensure it amplifies humanity rather than serving Silicon Valley’s profit motives.
Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... | The latest news and resources in education since 2007 https://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/
### Key Points
- The blog provides resources and advice for educators, including articles on self-control, teaching strategies, and educational policy issues.
- Highlights include videos, infographics, and tools for fostering community-building circles and culturally responsive teaching.
- Research-based strategies are offered for teaching various subjects, motivating students, and engaging parents in schools.
- The author has published books and other works focused on instructional strategies and classroom management.
- Additional resources include blog posts, radio shows, and contributions to prominent education platforms like Education Week Teacher and the New York Times.
Business-Driven School Reform: Personal Experiences (Part 1) https://larrycuban.wordpress.com/2025/08/12/business-driven-school-reform-personal-experiences-part-1/ via @CubanLarry
### Key Points- The idea of linking schools to economic productivity dates back to the 1840s, with Horace Mann advocating for education as a way to improve worker efficiency and national economic strength.
- Since the 1970s, there has been increasing emphasis on schools as essential for preparing skilled workers to compete in a global economy, rooted in long-standing beliefs that education benefits business and the economy.
- In recent years, policy elites have pushed for schools to adopt business-like practices, reflecting a market-driven approach to school reform.
- The author draws on personal experiences growing up in Pittsburgh, working as a teacher, administrator, and historian of education to explore the intersection of education and business.
- The author’s perspective on business-driven school reform was shaped by his experiences, including working as a superintendent during economic recessions and interacting with business leaders.
How One Failure Changed My Career Forever – Cloaking Inequity https://cloakinginequity.com/2025/08/12/how-one-failure-changed-my-career-forever/
How One Failure Changed My Career Forever
### Key Points
- The author reflects on a pivotal failure during a university board meeting in 2024, where they chose to remain seated when asked to stand against the killing of innocent children in Gaza, despite their conscience urging them to act.
- The author explains their decision was influenced by years of navigating institutional leadership dynamics, balancing principles with pragmatism, and the fear of unintended consequences.
- Following the meeting, the author initiated efforts to create a program to host visiting students and scholars from war-torn regions, aiming to rebuild academic life and affirm higher education’s role in justice.
- In a subsequent private meeting, the author chose to speak out with conviction about the need for constructive institutional responses, despite facing criticism and strained relationships.
- The experience led the author to co-author an academic analysis on higher education’s failure to address the Gaza conflict, advocating for conflict-intelligent leadership.
- The author reflects on the importance of moral courage, the role of students and faculty in driving justice, and their commitment to using their platform to challenge institutional shortcomings.
- The article emphasizes the lasting impact of taking responsibility for past failures and acting with integrity in leadership roles.
Trump Intensifies Attack on Civil Rights in Education### Key Points
- Senator Paul Wellstone emphasized the moral imperative of ensuring equal educational opportunities for all children.
- The Trump administration has issued executive orders targeting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in educational institutions, interpreting the 2023 Supreme Court decision banning affirmative action broadly.
- Schools and universities face threats of losing federal funding unless they eliminate DEI-related policies, with some institutions like Columbia and Brown Universities capitulating to federal oversight.
- The administration demands detailed admissions data, including race, test scores, and grades, aiming to enforce "merit-based" admissions and discourage practices that promote diversity.
- Critics argue that these actions disproportionately benefit wealthy families and undermine efforts to address systemic inequalities in education.
- Legal experts and researchers highlight that achievement gaps are more influenced by family income than race, and the administration's policies could exacerbate inequities.
- The Trump administration’s broader interpretation of civil rights laws creates challenges for colleges using alternative methods to ensure diverse student bodies.
Teacher Tom: Making Decisions https://teachertomsblog.blogspot.com/2025/08/making-decisions.html
Teacher Tom reflects on the concept of decision-making, emphasizing the paradox of choice and the importance of learning through decisions. Drawing from personal experiences, research studies, and philosophical insights, he discusses how too many choices can overwhelm individuals, particularly children, and how limiting options can foster better decision-making skills. He highlights the value of gut instincts and the role of practice in making decisions, both trivial and significant, as a foundation for navigating life's uncertainties.### Key Points
- Excessive consumer choices can be overwhelming, as illustrated by Teacher Tom's experience in German supermarkets and the "jam study."
- Too many options can paralyze decision-making, especially in children, as seen in the toothbrush example.
- Limited options encourage mastery and better outcomes, aligning with Goethe's philosophy.
- Decision-making is a lifelong skill, shaped by practice and experience, and influenced by following one's instincts.
- Parents must gradually allow children to make their own decisions, learning from consequences rather than punishment or reward.
School Finance 101: Preserving an Educated Future for America (Short Term Plan) | National Education Policy Center https://nepc.colorado.edu/blog/preserving-educated-future
### Key Points- The article discusses the short-term and long-term challenges to public education funding in the United States, particularly under a federal administration perceived as hostile to public education.
- Some states, such as Mississippi and Florida, are proposing tax cuts that could erode public school funding, while diverting funds to voucher programs, further undermining educational equity.
- The article emphasizes the importance of focusing efforts on "Education States" that prioritize funding equity, enforce educational rights through state courts, and resist federal anti-equity measures.
- A proposal is made for "Education States" to create federally tax-exempt endowments to stabilize education funding and buffer against future economic uncertainties.
- Historical parallels are drawn to resistance strategies during the civil rights era, suggesting similar tactics could now be used to protect equitable public education.
- The article calls for improved state-level data collection and research capacity to compensate for declining federal data support and to enhance educational outcomes.
- Concerns are raised about the Supreme Court's potential decisions on charter schools and religious education, urging states to tighten regulations or eliminate charter schools to maintain public education's secular and inclusive nature.
glen brown: "The real numbers prove Trump is making us poorer and less productive—all the while feathering his own (garishly gold) nest" https://teacherpoetmusicianglenbrown.blogspot.com/2025/08/the-real-numbers-prove-trump-is-making.html
### Key Points- The article critiques Donald Trump's economic policies, highlighting issues like increased tariffs, rising household costs, and job losses in manufacturing.
- Trump's administration is accused of undermining global trust in the U.S., destabilizing international economic systems, and weakening democracy through erratic and authoritarian policies.
- Specific examples of harm include higher healthcare premiums, escalating energy costs, reduced scientific and technological advancements, and economic damage from immigration enforcement.
- The article calls for resistance against tyranny and encourages readers to join the community to oppose Trump's policies.
Why I Reject Crisis Rhetoric about Reading and Education: My Agenda https://radicalscholarship.com/2025/08/12/why-i-reject-crisis-rhetoric-about-reading-and-education-my-agenda/ via @plthomasEdD
Dr. P.L. Thomas critiques the rhetoric of a "reading crisis" in the U.S., arguing it is manufactured to sustain the education reform industry rather than address systemic issues affecting education. He highlights misinformation around NAEP data, reading proficiency, and grade retention policies, which disproportionately harm marginalized students. Thomas advocates for a shift to age-level reading proficiency standards, better data, and honest discourse free from market and political agendas. He emphasizes that out-of-school factors are the primary drivers of test-score gaps and rejects one-size-fits-all reading programs, calling for nuanced reforms that address systemic inequities and improve teaching conditions.### Key Points
- Dr. Thomas rejects the notion of a reading crisis and critiques misinformation around NAEP data and reading proficiency.
- Grade retention policies based on state testing harm marginalized students and distort achievement data.
- Education reform perpetuates cycles of crisis rhetoric for political and market agendas, neglecting systemic inequities.
- Out-of-school factors are the primary cause of test-score gaps, not failures in teaching or reading programs.
- The U.S. lacks valid data to claim a reading crisis, and reforms should focus on systemic issues, not punitive measures.
- Dr. Thomas advocates for teacher autonomy, better assessment systems, and discourse free of misinformation.
Education Research Report: Universities that eliminated admission test requirements saw gains in student body diversity https://educationresearchreport.blogspot.com/2025/08/universities-that-eliminated-admission.html
### Key Points- Universities that eliminated standardized test requirements for admissions generally experienced gains in student body diversity, but these gains diminished if the institutions faced financial or enrollment pressures or prioritized quantitative academic criteria.
- The study, published in the *American Sociological Review*, analyzed data from over 1,500 U.S. colleges and universities between 2003 and 2019, excluding the post-COVID-19 period.
- During the analyzed years, the percentage of white students decreased from 68% to 53%, while underrepresented populations (Black, Hispanic, Native American) rose from 19% to 28%, and Asian/Asian American students increased slightly from 6% to 8%.
- Standardized tests have been criticized for racial and income-based inequities, as access to test preparation favors wealthier students. Colleges that placed less weight on test scores saw a slight 2% increase in underrepresented student enrollment within three years of adopting test-optional policies.
- Colleges facing financial or enrollment pressures were less likely to see significant increases in minority representation after going test-optional, as competing institutional priorities can undermine diversity efforts.
Education Research Report: Test performance improves when children can exercise briefly beforehand https://educationresearchreport.blogspot.com/2025/08/test-performance-improves-when-children.html
### Key Points- A study by UNCG researchers found that nine minutes of high-intensity interval exercise significantly improved children's academic performance, particularly in verbal comprehension.
- The exercise sequence, designed for classroom settings, included simple movements like high knees, jumping jacks, lunges, and air squats.
- The findings suggest short exercise breaks can enhance cognitive performance and provide a practical approach for teachers to integrate movement into classrooms.
- The study is timely as recess time has declined in schools, while 10% of elementary schools already incorporate movement breaks.
- Researchers compared high-intensity interval exercise, seated rest, and moderate-intensity cycling, observing improved brain neuroelectrical activity (ERN) and reduced mental distraction after exercise.
- Decreased error-related negativity (ERN) after exercise indicates better mental focus and healthier responses to mistakes.
- The study highlights the broader benefits of physical activity for mental health, brain health, and academic success in children.
The article compiles a variety of blog posts and discussions on education, politics, and societal issues. It highlights topics such as the Trump administration's authoritarian tendencies, AI integration in education, equity-driven leadership challenges, systemic racism, and public education advocacy. The content spans critiques of governance, educational reforms, and reflections on historical and cultural legacies.
### Key Points
- Trump's presidency is likened to a monarchy, eroding checks and balances and consolidating unprecedented power.
- Heavy fines on universities, suppression of diversity policies, and war on science are highlighted as authoritarian actions.
- Trump fired the Bureau of Labor Statistics head for unfavorable economic news, undermining trust in government data.
- The Trump administration imposed financial penalties on elite universities, alleging antisemitism and discrimination in diversity policies.
- AI in education is debated as either a transformative ally or a tool of corporate overreach, with AFT launching a $23 million initiative to train teachers in ethical AI use.
- Critics caution against AI’s risks, including bias, surveillance, environmental harm, and the erosion of teaching’s human core.
- Teacher Tom emphasizes the importance of play-based learning and global accessibility to high-quality preschool education.
- Cuomo proposed lowering the cap for stabilized housing programs, potentially harming working-class families, while Trump targeted D.C.'s homeless population.
- Sequential college admission mechanisms improve student outcomes by reducing inefficiencies and increasing welfare gains.
- Microsoft’s end of Windows 10 support raises concerns about forced obsolescence, cybersecurity risks, and e-waste.
- The "pet to threat" phenomenon describes the backlash equity-driven leaders face when challenging entrenched systems of privilege.
- Federalizing D.C.’s police department sets a precedent for authoritarian tactics in other cities, circumventing military policing limits.
- Jesse Hagopian’s pilgrimage to explore his family’s history confronts the legacy of slavery and celebrates resilience through music and storytelling.
- The “Word Gap” narrative is critiqued for perpetuating class and racial biases while ignoring systemic educational inequalities.
- Advocacy for public education resists privatization efforts, warning against corporate interests in educational reforms.
- Chronic absenteeism linked to bullying, mental health, and disengagement remains a crisis in schools.
- Libraries and arts programs are essential for academic success and combating misinformation amid AI distortions.
- Wildfire smoke poses significant health risks, particularly for vulnerable populations.
