TODAY'S TOP NEWS
Here's a curated overview of the leading stories across key categories, based on current reports from major outlets. These reflect the most prominent developments as of today.U.S. News
- Ongoing Government Shutdown Enters Second Week: The partial federal shutdown, triggered by disputes over funding and Obamacare subsidies, has furloughed 750,000 workers and suspended pay for 2 million, including military personnel. Flights face delays due to FAA staffing shortages, with sick calls rising amid the chaos. Democrats accuse the Trump administration of using the crisis to advance Project 2025 cuts to "Democrat agencies."
- National Guard Deployment Sparks Tensions in Chicago: Hundreds of Texas National Guard troops have arrived outside Chicago to support anti-drug operations, escalating clashes with Democratic leaders like Gov. JB Pritzker and Mayor Brandon Johnson, who are suing to block the move. Trump threatens to invoke the Insurrection Act against "sanctuary cities."
- Former FBI Director James Comey Indicted: Comey faces federal charges related to his 2020 Senate testimony, intensifying debates over politicized DOJ probes under AG Pam Bondi.
- Senate Rejects Funding Bills, Shutdown Persists: Competing proposals failed again yesterday, with Republicans blaming Democrats for blocking cuts to Medicaid and DEI programs. VP JD Vance warns of prolonged stalemate, while Sen. John Thune calls it a "nonstarter." Military families brace for delayed paychecks on October 15.
- Poll Shows Rising Support for Political Violence: A new NPR/PBS News/Marist survey finds more Americans (up from 2024) believe violence may be needed to "save the country," amid 79% viewing free speech restrictions as excessive. Democrats' optimism has plummeted to 10% seeing the nation on the right track.
- Trump's Post-White House Call to Putin Revealed in Book: A forthcoming book details a conversation between the two leaders after Trump's 2020 exit, fueling scrutiny over foreign influence.
- Israel Marks Somber Oct. 7 Anniversary Amid Escalating Conflict: Two years after the Hamas attacks, Israel observes quietly while indirect Gaza peace talks stall. Forty-eight hostages remain in Gaza, and Netanyahu authorized strikes on Hamas leaders in Qatar, killing six and drawing global condemnation from the EU, France, and Germany.
- Anti-Government Protests Rage in Nepal and France: At least 22 dead in Nepal's unrest over economic woes; over 250 arrested in French demonstrations against policy reforms. Poland reports downing Russian drones near its border.
- India Joins Opposition to U.S. Bid for Afghan Air Base: India aligns with Taliban, Pakistan, China, and Russia against Trump's push to reclaim Bagram, citing sovereignty concerns.
Gaza Ceasefire Deal: U.S. President Donald Trump announced that Israel and Hamas have agreed to the "first phase" of a U.S.-brokered peace plan to pause fighting in Gaza, release hostages, and exchange prisoners.
The first phase of the ceasefire deal is expected to be formally signed in Egypt on Thursday.
U.S. President Trump stated he believes all hostages, including the deceased, will be "coming back" on Monday.
Israel expects hostage releases to begin on Saturday.
UN officials welcomed the agreement but urged all sides to abide fully by its terms, stressing the need for immediate, unimpeded humanitarian aid into Gaza.
Nobel Prize in Chemistry: Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson, and Omar M. Yaghi were awarded the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for developing metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), which have potential uses in harvesting water from desert air and carbon capture.
- Senate Confirms Kirsten Baesler as Assistant Secretary: The North Dakota schools chief was approved for the top K-12 role at the U.S. Department of Education, promising focus on elementary and secondary reforms amid shutdown disruptions.
- Trump Ends Long-Running High School Survey: The administration halted a federal tracking program on students' post-graduation paths, citing costs, drawing criticism from educators on data loss for policy-making.
- AI's Impact on Schools Highlighted in National Survey: A new poll reveals AI's role in reducing bullying but eroding community trust; meanwhile, universities face pressure to align with conservative priorities for federal aid.
STEAM Initiative: The second annual "ARM & HAMMER Baking Soda Rocket Day" is taking place across the U.S. to encourage students to explore STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) using household items.
State-Level News: Michigan's Governor signed an education budget that includes record per-pupil funding, free pre-K, free community college, and free breakfast/lunch for all students.
- Global Trade Growth to Slow in 2026 Due to U.S. Tariffs: The WTO upgraded 2025 goods trade forecast to 2.4% (from 0.9%) for resilience so far, but predicts sharp deceleration next year from Trump's tariffs on dozens of nations.
- IMF Holds Steady on 3.3% Global Growth Projection: The 2025-2026 outlook remains unchanged, with U.S. upward revisions offsetting declines elsewhere; emphasis on healthy aging and infrastructure to counter fiscal strains.
- U.S. Economy Accelerates Despite Shutdown Fears: Q2 GDP hit 3.8%, with Q3 estimates at 3.9%; analysts urge economists to reassess recession predictions, crediting tariff "Liberation Day" effects.
Fed Focus: Policymakers' views on the economy and inflation are under scrutiny.
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell is scheduled to deliver a speech on Thursday, and the U.S. initial Jobless Claims and Wholesale Inventories data are due. Fiscal Policy: Discussions continue regarding the potential impacts of a government shutdown, with analysts suggesting any market volatility would likely be temporary.
- OpenAI's Sora 2 Goes Viral for AI Video Creation: The tool, allowing users to insert themselves into real or imagined scenes, has exploded online but raises deepfake concerns in Hollywood and beyond.
- Sen. Cruz Pushes AI 'Sandbox' for Deregulation: The bill lets AI firms like OpenAI and Google seek federal exemptions to innovate freely, responding to industry calls for fewer barriers under Trump.
- Google's $9B AI Data Center Push in Oklahoma: The investment aims to bolster U.S. AI infrastructure, creating thousands of jobs for model training amid global competition.
- Foxconn CEO Recognized: Rotating CEO Kathy Yang of Hon Hai Technology Group (Foxconn) was recognized on Fortune's "Most Powerful Women Asia 2025" list.
- Prediabetes Reversal Cuts Diabetes Risk by 71%: A Tübingen study shows lifestyle tweaks normalizing blood sugar—without weight loss—slash type 2 diabetes odds; fat metabolism improvements key, per researchers.
- Parkinson's Breakthrough: Regulator Targets Mitochondria: Reducing PP2A-B55alpha in models cleared damaged cells and boosted new ones, alleviating symptoms and hinting at therapies.
- Trump-Pfizer Deal Targets Drug Prices: Amid shutdown, the administration announced tariffs on non-onshoring pharma firms and a "Most Favored Nation" push to lower Medicaid costs.
Primary Care Shortage: A new report highlights policy strategies being used by some states to improve access to primary care for the over 100 million Americans who lack a primary-care doctor.
Regulatory Meetings: The FDA is holding a virtual meeting of the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee.
- MLB Playoffs Heat Up: Mariners Lead Tigers 2-1 in ALDS: Cal Raleigh, Eugenio Suarez, and Carlos Santana homered in an 8-4 win, forcing a Game 4; Phillies' Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber slump as they face Dodgers elimination.
- WNBA Finals: Aces vs. Mercury Underway: Las Vegas seeks repeat; full schedule highlights key matchups in the best-of-five series.
- NHL: Golden Knights Extend Jack Eichel for 8 Years, $108M: The deal anchors Vegas' core; meanwhile, Grizzlies' Ja Morant (ankle) and Thunder's Nikola Topic (procedure) face early NBA setbacks.
Football: NFL headlines include the Chiefs, Chargers, and Raiders reportedly losing, and the Broncos winning in recent action.
Cricket/Other Sports: Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah retained his top spot in the ICC Test bowler rankings.
Boxer Conor McGregor accepted an 18-month sanction for anti-doping policy violations.
YESTERDAY'S BEST BLOG POST
The Ultimate Debunking of the New Orleans Myth: The Human Toll on Black Students https://dianeravitch.net/2025/10/08/the-ultimate-debunking-of-the-new-orleans-myth/ via @dianeravitch
### Key Points
- The post-Katrina transformation of New Orleans' public schools into an all-charter system has been labeled a "miracle" by some, but it has caused significant harm to students, families, and teachers.
- The state of Louisiana took over 107 out of 128 schools, disempowered the democratically elected school board, and terminated thousands of mostly Black school employees.
- Proponents of the reforms claim academic success, but critics argue that the human and social costs outweigh any reported benefits.
- The reforms led to frequent school closures, causing instability and trauma for students like Rio, who attended 12 schools before graduating.
- Black families and communities have been disproportionately affected, with school closures and administrative decisions severing social and educational bonds.
- The reforms have significantly reduced democratic participation, with charter schools operating autonomously and limiting parent and community involvement.
- Black students face higher rates of suspension and expulsion than white students, with practices like "shadow suspensions" disproportionately impacting them.
- Community-rooted educators were replaced by inexperienced and lower-paid teachers, leading to a loss of mentorship and support for students.
- The current "choice" system has created hardships for families, such as siblings being forced to attend separate schools.
- The reforms have increased administrative costs while failing to address teacher shortages and undermining collective bargaining for educators.
- The article suggests that the reforms were part of a deliberate plan to perpetuate racial and class-based segregation in education.
The Trump Cabal's "Compact" to Stamp Out Academic Freedom https://dianeravitch.net/2025/10/08/the-trump-cabals-compact-to-stamp-out-academic-freedom/ via @dianeravitch
### Key Points
- The Trump administration’s “compact” pressures universities to surrender academic freedom in exchange for federal benefits, likened to a mafia-like threat.
- Universities that refuse the compact risk losing access to student loans, research funding, visa approvals, and tax exemptions, among other benefits.
- The administration initially targeted elite universities but shifted focus to institutions with weaker leadership, such as those with interim presidents.
- Federal courts have challenged the administration’s attempts to withdraw research grants arbitrarily, prompting this new approach.
Big Education Ape: The Great AIdea Bash: A Battle of Wits, Pixels, and Guardrails https://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2025/10/the-great-aidea-bash-battle-of-wits.html
### Key Points
- Google’s Gemini is a multimodal AI model with a wide range of capabilities, including text, image, and audio processing, and features like Imagen and Nano Banana for image editing. It is highly polished and suited for enterprise-level tasks.
- Grok, developed by xAI, emphasizes truth-seeking and real-time data integration, with a playful and witty personality. It offers free access with premium options and excels in coding, math, and creative image generation through its Aurora model.
- OpenAI’s ChatGPT is versatile and user-friendly, offering multimodal capabilities, including text, vision, and audio processing. It uses DALL·E 3 for image generation and editing while maintaining strict safety filters. It is ideal for generalists and developers.
- Microsoft’s Copilot integrates OpenAI’s models into Microsoft’s productivity suite, excelling in enterprise applications like Word, Excel, and Teams. It uses DALL·E 3 for static image generation but lacks advanced editing capabilities.
- All four AIs agree on the top AI models of 2025, which include GPT-5, Gemini, Claude, and Grok. Open-source models such as DeepSeek and Mistral are also recognized for their customizability and cost efficiency.
- Guardrails vary across models, with Copilot having the strictest compliance-focused filters, while Grok adopts a more relaxed approach. None of the models exhibited significant hallucination issues.
- Personality-wise, Grok is witty and engaging, ChatGPT is approachable and conversational, Gemini is polished but distant, and Copilot is professional but rigid.
- The article concludes that selecting the right AI depends on user needs—Grok for creativity and real-time data, ChatGPT for versatility, Gemini for enterprise users, and Copilot for productivity-focused tasks.
Big Education Ape: TODAY'S TOP NEWS - YESTERDAY'S BEST BLOG POST October 8, 2025 https://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2025/10/todays-top-news-yesterdays-best-blog_0543957893.html
### Key Points
- The Trump administration ties federal university funding to conservative priorities, raising concerns over academic freedom and ideological influence.
- ICE raids, militarized tactics, and alleged human rights violations under the Trump administration draw comparisons to authoritarian regimes.
- Community schools are highlighted as a successful model for improving education and countering privatization efforts.
- The rise of algorithms and tech monopolies threatens democracy by suppressing dissent and amplifying division.
- The U.S. government shutdown disrupts essential services, intensifies political standoffs, and raises concerns over federal overreach.
- Gaza ceasefire talks progress amid reports of humanitarian crises and renewed military aid to Israel from the U.S.
- The International Criminal Court convicts a Janjaweed leader for Darfur war crimes, marking a milestone for global accountability.
- AI adoption in workplaces doubles, but its role in education remains controversial, with concerns about practicality and ethical use.
- Education reforms like phonics-based reading policies are criticized for failing to improve comprehension and literacy outcomes.
- The "No Kings 2.0" movement mobilizes peaceful resistance against Trump’s authoritarian policies.
- Advances in health research include breakthroughs in Parkinson’s treatment and obesity therapies.
- NYC parents are provided with tools to protect student data privacy amid concerns over ed tech and AI use in classrooms.
- Public education faces challenges from privatization, excessive testing, and systemic inequities, with calls for reforms focusing on equity and community engagement.
- The Trump administration’s controversial use of the Insurrection Act and National Guard deployments raises alarms over democratic erosion.
- The role of storytelling is emphasized in shaping children’s narratives and fostering autonomy.
PAM BONDI TO SENATE OVERSIGHT: "F YOU" A MASTERCLASS IN DODGEBALL AND DRAG https://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2025/10/pam-bondi-to-senate-oversight-f-you.html
Pam Bondi's testimony before the Senate Oversight Committee on October 7, 2025, showcased her combative approach, deflecting questions about allegations of politicizing the Department of Justice (DOJ) under Trump's administration. Democrats accused her of prioritizing loyalty to Trump over impartial justice, citing actions like dropping investigations into Trump allies and targeting political opponents. Bondi's responses were evasive, often counterattacking critics and avoiding direct answers. Her aggressive style drew both praise from Trump supporters and criticism from bipartisan observers for undermining institutional norms.
### Key Points
- Pam Bondi's Senate testimony highlighted accusations of turning the DOJ into a partisan tool for Trump.
- Bondi deflected questions on key issues, including the Jeffrey Epstein case and the indictment of James Comey, while attacking Democratic critics.
- Republicans supported Bondi, praising her reforms despite concerns over ethical lapses and staff exodus in the DOJ.
- Critics condemned Bondi's actions as undermining justice, accusing her of purging impartial attorneys and shielding Trump allies.
- The hearing was seen as a partisan showdown, with Bondi embodying the Trump administration's combative and divisive style.
Big Education Ape: THE FUTURE IS NOW (ISH): A LOOK AT BLOGGER'S MONUMENTAL NEW FEATURES (JUST LOOK FOR THE PENCIL) https://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2025/10/the-future-is-now-ish-look-at-bloggers.html
Big Education Ape's latest blog post explores Blogger's new features, emphasizing its continued relevance as a simple and reliable platform amidst modern, complex alternatives. The article highlights two key updates: the "Pencil" icon for automatic search link insertion and the "Google G" icon symbolizing streamlined editing tools. It also praises Blogger's backend improvements, like enhanced security and stability, ensuring a dependable user experience for bloggers.
### Key Points
- Blogger introduces the "Pencil" icon, enabling automatic search link insertion based on blog content, reducing manual effort for creators.
- The "Google G" icon in the editor signifies a faster, more efficient editing experience with added features like undo/redo buttons and a broader color palette.
- Blogger's backend updates, such as HTTPS for custom domains, Spanner Storage Migration, and a "Trash Can" for deleted posts, enhance stability and security.
- The article compares Blogger's simplicity to modern platforms, emphasizing its focus on user-friendly blogging rather than advanced, flashy features.
🎙️ Perkins Podcast: The Not-So-Subtle Costs of Change Leadership – Cloaking Inequity https://cloakinginequity.com/2025/10/08/%f0%9f%8e%99%ef%b8%8f-perkins-podcast-the-not-so-subtle-costs-of-change-leadership/
### Key Points
- Change in leadership often involves personal stories of risk, resistance, and resilience, highlighting the emotional and professional challenges of equity work.
- Leadership is about persistence, reflection, and courage, not comfort or popularity, especially in spaces resistant to change.
- Strategies for staying grounded include building trusted networks, practicing transparency, balancing resilience with rest, and transforming isolation into insight.
- Leaders pushing for equity face significant resistance but must remain steadfast, as progress is challenging yet achievable.
- Dr. Julian Vasquez Heilig shares his experiences as a scholar and advocate, emphasizing the courage and resilience required for transformative leadership.
- Dr. Heilig’s work connects research with civic action, aiming to advance democracy and the common good through public scholarship and communication.
- The Perkins Platform podcast serves as a platform for global leaders to discuss leadership challenges, with this episode focusing on the costs of change leadership.
Teacher Tom: There are Times When It's Okay to Say, "You Can't Play" https://teachertomsblog.blogspot.com/2025/10/there-are-times-when-its-okay-to-say.html
- A group of preschoolers created a rhythmic drumming game using cardboard blocks, but the game became disrupted as more children joined, leading to complaints and a loss of enjoyment.
- The original group of three children eventually excluded others and resumed their game in a smaller group, finding joy again in their play.
- The teacher observed that the exclusion was based on the children’s experience of the game working better with fewer participants, highlighting the nuanced nature of exclusion and fairness in preschool play.
- The teacher supported the excluded child by helping him find others to create a new game, emphasizing the importance of exploring and understanding social dynamics in play.
CURMUDGUCATION: Liberal Redneck - School Voucher Scams https://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2025/10/liberal-redneck-school-voucher-scams.html
### Key Points
- Comedian Trae Crowder critiques taxpayer-funded school vouchers, highlighting issues with privatization in education.
- The blog promotes education commentary from various platforms, including Substack, Forbes, and the Network for Public Education.
- The author, Peter Greene, discusses diverse education topics such as teacher shortages, social-emotional learning, and the flaws of Common Core.
- The blog highlights the collapse of the school choice movement and critiques related policies.
- A wide range of education-related resources and blogs are shared, covering topics like charter schools, standardized testing, and AI in education.
The AI Arms Race A Witty Whirlwind Tour of Your Favorite Chatbots https://ru4people.substack.com/p/the-ai-arms-race
### Key Points
- The article sets up a "cage match" between Gemini, Grok, ChatGPT, and Copilot to compare their capabilities and corporate loyalty.
- Gemini emphasizes multimodal functionality and integration with Google services, presenting a wide range of models and creative tools.
- Grok focuses on real-time data integration, humor, and "truth-seeking" capabilities, likening itself to a witty insider.
- ChatGPT highlights its extensive model lineup and creative tools like DALL·E 3, positioning itself as a leader in AI innovation.
- Copilot focuses on seamless integration with Microsoft tools, presenting itself as a practical, work-oriented assistant.
- The chatbots' image capabilities include Gemini's "Nano Banana," Grok's Aurora, ChatGPT's DALL·E 3, and Copilot's safety-focused tools.
- All four AIs share similar top AI model rankings but spin their strengths to suit their narratives.
- The article concludes that none of the AIs "hallucinate" in the traditional sense but engage in competitive self-promotion. User choice depends on the ecosystem: ChatGPT for power users, Copilot for professionals, Gemini for detailed analysis, and Grok for real-time data and humor.
MORNING NEWS UPDATE: October 8, 2025 - by MIKE SIMPSON https://ru4people.substack.com/p/morning-news-update-october-8-2025
### Key Points
- The U.S. government shutdown enters its eighth day, with stalled negotiations impacting economic data, federal operations, and services like Social Security and national parks.
- The Trump administration freezes $26 billion in transit and green-energy funds for Democratic states, raising partisan tensions.
- Former FBI Director James Comey faces arraignment in Virginia over criminal charges tied to Trump-era conflicts.
- Tropical Storm Jerry nears hurricane status in the Atlantic amidst an active storm season.
- Polls show divided blame for the shutdown, with Republicans and Democrats accusing each other of politicizing the crisis.
- France experiences political turmoil with the resignation of Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu, echoing U.S. partisan gridlock.
- The ICC secures its first conviction for Darfur atrocities, marking a milestone in international justice.
- AI adoption in workplaces doubles within two years, raising efficiency and ethical concerns.
- Health updates include a COVID-19 surge from the XFG “Stratus” variant, advances in asthma treatment, and rising health costs projected for 2026.
- Sports highlights include NFL London games, MLB playoffs, and college football rankings.
Civil Rights Elders Speak | Bill Ayers https://billayers.org/2025/10/08/civil-rights-elders-speak/
- The article seems to serve as a blog or website post with a variety of content, including updates on civil rights, events, and archived materials spanning several years.
- It mentions specific calls to action, such as supporting Haiti, advocating for Leonard's release, and promoting civil rights initiatives.
- The content includes references to categories like articles, book reviews, education, politics, short fiction, and more.
- There is a detailed archive of posts dating back to 2006, indicating a long history of content creation.
- The post appears to encourage engagement through sharing and subscribing.
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Seattle School Board Meeting, October 8, 2025 https://saveseattleschools.blogspot.com/2025/10/seattle-school-board-meeting-october-8.html?spref=tw
### Key Points
- The Seattle School Board discussed a $71M electronic upgrade project for AV, intercoms, and security systems across multiple schools in four phases.
- Amendments to Board Policy 4311 aim to clarify law enforcement access and focus the SEO program at Garfield High School on external threats. Data collection and community engagement are required to assess the program's effectiveness.
- The 2025-2026 Highly Capable Plan highlights expanded access, improved identification, and professional development for advanced learners. Concerns about variability in HC services across schools were raised.
- The Board addressed levy funding for 2026, dividing amounts across school years.
- Nepotism within Seattle Schools, particularly at JSCEE, was noted as an ongoing issue.
glen brown: Hope https://teacherpoetmusicianglenbrown.blogspot.com/2025/10/hope.html
### Key Points
- The Department of Education under Linda McMahon has drastically reduced its staff and shifted its focus toward promoting alternatives to public schools, such as private, Christian, and virtual schools, as well as homeschooling.
- Over $500 million in federal funding has been redirected toward charter schools, often at the expense of traditional public schools.
- The department has encouraged states to use federal funding for private schools and businesses rather than public schools, which critics say worsens inequities for marginalized groups.
- A coalition with conservative groups like Turning Point USA, Hillsdale College, and PragerU has been formed to promote "patriotic education," which downplays historical injustices like slavery.
- Public schools have been portrayed as unsafe and unsuccessful, with department officials advocating for policies that allow parents to create customized educational plans using taxpayer funds.
- Critics, including civil rights groups, argue that these policies reduce inclusivity, diversity, and equity in education while funneling public resources toward private interests.
- McMahon's department has been accused of undermining public schools by cutting funding for mental health programs, rolling back civil rights protections, and threatening penalties for schools that support diversity initiatives.
- Conservative groups and donors, such as Moms for Liberty and the America First Policy Institute, have gained significant influence within the Education Department, advocating for school privatization and religious ideologies.
- Policies like federal voucher programs and block grants for Title I funding have been criticized for diverting resources away from public schools to private and religious institutions.
- Advocates for public education fear these changes will lead to financial instability for public schools, reduced access for marginalized groups, and a decline in the quality of education.
glen brown: Federal shutdown deals blow to already hobbled cybersecurity agency https://teacherpoetmusicianglenbrown.blogspot.com/2025/10/federal-shutdown-deals-blow-to-already.html
### Key Points
- The U.S. government shutdown beginning October 1, 2025, has significantly affected CISA, with only one-third of its employees working, worsening its already strained resources.
- CISA's role includes securing federal systems, critical infrastructure, and state and local networks, as well as sharing cybersecurity alerts and best practices.
- The expiration of the 2015 Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act has further weakened CISA’s ability to collaborate with private sector entities effectively.
- Political tensions have undermined CISA’s reputation and funding, with significant staff reductions and proposed budget cuts under the Trump administration.
- Suggestions for improvement include insulating agencies like CISA from shutdowns, maintaining cybersecurity funding, and enhancing public-private information-sharing networks.
Choosing Democracy: The Trump/ MAGA assault on Higher Education https://choosingdemocracy.blogspot.com/2025/10/the-trump-maga-assault-on-higher.html
1. **Positions of Power**: Stalin rose as General Secretary, gaining control over the Communist Party's apparatus. Similarly, Miller, as presidential chief of staff, influences what the president sees and decides, granting him implicit authority.
2. **Illness of the Leader**: Stalin's ascent began during Lenin's illness. While Trump’s health is declining, it has created space for Miller to assert his influence at the center of U.S. power.
3. **Conspiratorial Thinking**: Stalin utilized the assassination of Kirov to claim nonexistent conspiracies against him, leading to waves of terror. Miller has also shown a tendency to insist on vast conspiracies within the U.S. aimed at undermining American power.
4. **State of Exception**: Stalin's regime operated under a suspension of law during times of terror. Miller appears to advocate for a similar state of exception, where the executive can act without legal constraints.
5. **Interrogation Tactics**: Miller's recent terror memo suggests the federal government will interrogate suspects extensively. In a state of exception, such interrogations can fabricate evidence, perpetuating the cycle of conspiracy.
Snyder emphasizes that while the political aims differ, the concerning political forms and methods are similar, warranting vigilance. He concludes by urging awareness of historical patterns to identify potential issues in contemporary politics.
Work Hard, Burn Out, Repeat: The Culture Schools Won’t Quit https://norinrad10.com/2025/10/08/work-hard-burn-out-repeat-the-culture-schools-wont-quit/ via @norinrad10
### Key Points
- The author reflects on the chaotic and toxic work culture of the service industry in the 1980s, highlighting its brutal nature and lack of focus on mental health.
- Anthony Bourdain’s death in 2018 triggered a shift in the restaurant industry towards more humane practices, including mandatory breaks, better communication, and prioritizing staff well-being.
- The education system, however, continues to operate under outdated, toxic management practices, with teachers facing burnout, low pay, and lack of support, mirroring the old service industry culture.
- Teachers are the most burned-out professionals in the U.S., with high absenteeism, unfilled positions, and many planning to leave the profession early due to poor working conditions.
- Leadership in education often fails to reflect on its toxic behavior, despite investing in social-emotional training for students. Teachers are left to juggle systemic failures and excessive testing demands.
- The author criticizes the overemphasis on standardized testing and suggests alternative approaches, such as breaking tests into smaller parts and screening students beforehand.
- Gifted education programs are being cut in some districts, but the author advocates for improving these programs to support advanced learners and ensure their engagement and development.
New study finds sex ed fails 2SLGBTQIA+ students - Education Research Report https://educationresearchreport.blogspot.com/
### Key Points
- Teenage girls who avoided potentially negative feedback during a speech task were more likely to experience increased anxiety three years later, according to a study using eye-tracking glasses.
- The study focused on "attention bias," where adolescent girls who avoided threatening cues showed the greatest rise in anxiety symptoms over time.
- Girls are particularly sensitive to social feedback, which may contribute to anxiety disorders during adolescence.
- The study also explored intergenerational transmission of anxiety, with mothers' attention biases potentially influencing their daughters' anxiety.
- A UBC Okanagan study found that 2SLGBTQIA+ students received less inclusive sexual health education but demonstrated higher sexual health literacy due to self-education via online resources.
- Despite their higher literacy, 2SLGBTQIA+ students reported low overall safer sex practices and emphasized the need for comprehensive, inclusive sexual education in schools.
- Research from Brown University revealed that parents overestimate their children’s sleep duration, with only 14% of children meeting national sleep guidelines.
- Latino children in the study slept less than their non-Latino peers, with cultural factors like co-sleeping and later bedtimes influencing sleep patterns.
- Researchers recommend improving sleep communication with families and promoting healthy sleep habits to address sleep deficits.
- A study in Denmark found that a genetic predisposition to higher BMI is linked to poorer educational outcomes, such as lower chances of earning a high school diploma or college degree.
- Youth with a higher BMI predisposition are more likely to report being bullied, have higher school absences, and lower test scores.
- Short-term class closures disproportionately affect disadvantaged students, with boys from low-income households showing the greatest declines in math scores.
- Smaller class sizes, experienced teachers, and remedial programs can mitigate the negative effects of class closures on disadvantaged students.
- CALD (Culturally and Linguistically Diverse) children are more likely to experience developmental vulnerabilities, particularly in communication and language skills.
- Structural disadvantages, such as language barriers and economic hardship, contribute to these challenges, necessitating targeted early childhood support and culturally responsive policies.
- A Finnish study found that mathematics self-efficacy strongly predicts performance, while mathematics anxiety negatively impacts learning. Girls reported higher levels of math anxiety than boys.
- Enhancing self-efficacy can improve math performance, while reducing test anxiety requires targeted strategies like low-stakes assessments and positive reinforcement.
Another LAUSD Incumbent Gets An Opponent https://www.changethelausd.com/another_lausd_incumbent_gets_an_opponent
- Parent advocate J.P. Perron is challenging LAUSD incumbent Kelly Gonez, bringing extensive experience in special education activism to the election.
- Los Angeles School Board elections are highly contested, with significant financial investments from both the Charter School Industry and employee unions.
- Many candidates often lack a track record of improving the system, but Perron has a history of active involvement in special education advocacy.
- Perron served on the Special Education Committee and Community Advisory Committee (CAC), where he gained trust and leadership roles, despite bureaucratic resistance.
- The LAUSD has faced issues such as silencing parents, corruption in the charter school industry, and strikes caused by poor union relations, raising questions about the need for change.
