Yesterday’s Gems, Today’s InsightsA Roundup of the Web’s Finest Blog Posts!
7-16-25
7-16-25
SCOTUS Gives Trump Permission to Eliminate Department of Education https://dianeravitch.net/2025/07/15/scotus-gives-trump-permission-to-eliminate-department-of-education/ via @dianeravitch
### Key Points
- The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 in favor of Trump continuing layoffs at the Department of Education, bypassing Congressional authority.
- Critics accuse the Supreme Court and Trump of undermining constitutional checks and balances, enabling executive overreach.
- Historically, past Republican administrations, including Reagan and both Bush presidencies, did not pursue abolishing the Department of Education.
- Trump's second term shifted towards far-right ideology, with efforts to dismantle federal education systems and transfer power to states.
- Critics argue this move damages public education, particularly programs supporting disadvantaged communities, and serves extremist agendas.
Headstart Leaders Speak Out Against Kennedy's Order to Ban Children of Non-Citizens https://dianeravitch.net/2025/07/15/headstart-leaders-speak-against-kennedys-order-to-ban-children-of-non-citizens/ via @dianeravitch
### Key Points
- Trump administration proposed banning undocumented immigrant children from Head Start, a program providing essential services to low-income preschoolers.
- The ban extends to other HHS programs, affecting undocumented individuals' access to clinics, family planning, and mental health services. Critics liken this cruelty to historical exclusions in public life.
- Head Start leaders and organizations oppose the ban, citing its contradiction with the program's inclusive history and potential harm to families and children.
- The administration claims cost savings but risks excluding eligible U.S. citizen children due to fear or paperwork issues. Experts suggest the number of affected children is small but warn of broader consequences.
- Pushback includes lawsuits and refusals by state organizations to implement the ban, highlighting public outrage over targeting vulnerable children.
New York Times Publishes Absurd Story About Mamdani https://dianeravitch.net/2025/07/15/new-york-times-publishes-absurd-story-about-mamdani/ via @dianeravitch
### Key Points
- Zoltan Mamdani upset Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic primary for NYC mayor, running on affordability-focused policies like rent freezes and free buses.
- Mamdani's racial identification on his college application became controversial after a hacked file revealed he checked both "Asian" and "African-American" due to limited options.
- The New York Times published the story using hacked data from a white supremacist intermediary, raising ethical concerns.
- Right-wing media amplified the controversy, portraying Mamdani as a radical threat to the Democratic Party.
- Democrats are divided, with some supporting Mamdani's energy and others fearing his progressive stance may alienate voters.
Big Education Ape: AI IN THE CLASSROOM: AFT DANCING WITH THE DEVIL OR WALTZING WITH PROGRESS https://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2025/07/ai-in-classroom-aft-dancing-with-devil.html
### Key Points
- Seattle faces delays in appointing a new school superintendent, potentially impacting leadership at the start of the school year.
- AI tools are transforming education, assisting teachers and students but raising concerns about ethics, equity, and data privacy.
- The AFT's partnership with tech companies aims to train educators in AI use, but critics fear corporate interests may overshadow educational priorities.
- ChatGPT and similar tools are cautiously used in classrooms, with debates over their potential for both innovation and misuse.
Teacher in a Strange Land: The Reason We Still Need Conferences | National Education Policy Center https://nepc.colorado.edu/blog/conferences
- The article reflects on the value of attending education conferences, emphasizing their importance for teachers to gain new ideas, connect with peers, and network despite financial and logistical challenges.
- It discusses the historical significance of the National Teacher Forum, initiated during the Clinton administration, which empowered teachers to engage in policymaking and advocate for their profession.
- The recent Network for Public Education conference highlighted urgent issues such as saving public education, debunking myths about AI, addressing privatization, and the resurgence of unions defending democracy in schools.
- Keynote speakers, including AFT President Randi Weingarten and Governor Tim Walz, inspired attendees by emphasizing hope, leadership, and the collective fight for public education in challenging times.
- The article concludes by stressing the necessity of real-time conferences for motivation, personal connections, and actionable networking to support public education.
Getting Students To Think Requires More Than a Wash and Wax Job on a Dented Jalopy https://larrycuban.wordpress.com/2025/07/15/getting-students-to-think-requires-more-than-a-wash-and-wax-job-on-an-old-jalopy/ via @CubanLarry
### Key Points
- Corporate leaders, parents, and voters emphasize the need for students to think critically and flexibly, but confusion persists on how schools can achieve this goal.
- Curricular reforms and teacher training have emphasized critical thinking but yielded limited results due to unchanged school structures and classroom practices.
- High school structures, such as time constraints, teacher loads, reliance on textbooks, and standardized tests, hinder reasoning and critical thinking.
- Traditional classroom practices focus on correct answers rather than encouraging students to ask questions or engage deeply in discussions.
- While some schools have altered structures by extending class periods and reducing reliance on conventional tests, such changes require significant effort and sustained commitment.
- Budget cuts and resistance to change make it challenging to overhaul entrenched high school structures.
Ban on Birthright Citizenship Is Unconstitutional, Says Federal Judge https://janresseger.wordpress.com/2025/07/15/birthright-citizenship-ban-is-unconstitutional-says-federal-judge/ via @janresseger
- A federal judge in New Hampshire ruled that President Trump’s executive order banning birthright citizenship is unconstitutional, protecting rights guaranteed by the 14th Amendment.
- The Supreme Court previously ruled on limiting nationwide injunctions but did not decide on the constitutionality of Trump’s executive order, leaving room for further legal challenges.
- Judge Laplante emphasized the foundational importance of citizenship, stating it is the greatest privilege and essential for protecting children’s rights.
- The attack on birthright citizenship is framed as an immigration control measure, but it risks marginalizing children and denying them access to critical services and protections.
- Plyler v. Doe (1982) established that denying public education to undocumented children violates the Equal Protection Clause, highlighting the broader implications of birthright citizenship.
Teacher Tom: "We're All Watching" https://teachertomsblog.blogspot.com/2025/07/were-all-watching.html
### Key Points
- Teacher Tom describes a preschooler building a "bad guy trap" and narrates the elaborate mechanism of the trap.
- The interaction evolves into a discussion about bad guys, pretend play, and the idea of "pretend real" as children contribute to the activity.
- Teacher Tom emphasizes the importance of play-based learning and its role in fostering creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking in preschoolers.
- The blog also promotes Teacher Tom's work, including his downloadable top blog posts, speaking engagements, and email subscriptions.
The TROUBLING Teacher Union Connection to Open AI, Microsoft, and Anthropic - Nancy Bailey's Education Website https://nancyebailey.com/2025/07/15/the-troubling-teacher-union-connection-to-open-ai-microsoft-and-anthropic/
### Key Points
- Teacher unions signed agreements with tech companies to fund AI teacher training, raising concerns about corporate influence in education.
- Billions are spent annually on edtech, yet its impact on student learning and teacher support remains unclear.
- AI’s potential to replace teachers is worrying, with virtual tutors and computer-based roles becoming more prominent.
- The timing of AI initiatives aligns with political pushes for privatization and tech-driven education reforms.
- Teachers, not corporations, should lead the integration of technology into classrooms, given their expertise in education.
- AI and edtech often focus on workforce development and data collection, which may harm student-centered learning.
- Corporations have historically disrupted public education without improving outcomes, raising doubts about their motives.
- The teacher unions’ collaboration with tech companies raises trust issues, given past compromises like adopting Common Core.
- Critics question the leadership of unions in defending public schools and standing up to corporate agendas.
Harold and Zohran., by @fklonsky https://open.substack.com/pub/fredklonsky/p/harold-and-zohran?r=kja7f&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
### Key Points
- Harold Washington's election in Chicago marked a turning point for marginalized communities, driven by grassroots organizing and a multiracial coalition.
- Washington faced intense resistance from Chicago's Democratic machine, which backed a Republican opponent under racist slogans. Mamdani faces similar opposition from establishment Democrats and Republicans.
- Both Washington and Mamdani championed systemic change, addressing racism, economic exploitation, and international human rights, while unsettling the political elite.
- Mamdani's platform includes progressive policies like public housing, fare-free transit, and a $30 minimum wage, reflecting New York City's diverse demographics.
- The article emphasizes the need for collective action across cities and movements to support leaders like Mamdani in advancing equality.
Tyrant Playbook: Why the US Department of Education is Closing – Cloaking Inequity https://cloakinginequity.com/2025/07/15/tyrant-playbook-why-the-us-department-of-education-is-closing/
Tyrant Playbook: Why the US Department of Education is Closing
### Key Points
- Tyranny follows a deliberate formula, as outlined in Netflix’s "How to Become a Tyrant," and the steps are observable within the U.S. political landscape.
- Step One: Authoritarians seize power by exploiting democratic systems, consolidating control, and neutralizing opposition, as seen in Trump’s policies and Project 2025 agenda.
- Step Two: Tyrants crush rivals by targeting critics, banning media, and politicizing institutions, with Trump’s actions against journalists, educators, and dissenters mirroring these tactics.
- Step Three: Fear and scapegoating are used to justify crackdowns and build enforcement forces like ICE, which has been expanded and militarized under Trump’s administration.
- Step Four: Controlling truth involves manipulating media, censoring education, and erasing historical narratives, as evidenced by campaigns against DEI programs and academic freedom.
- Step Five: Tyrants remake society by reshaping institutions, privatizing education, and eliminating federal protections, as seen in Trump-aligned strategies to dismantle the Department of Education.
- Step Six: Ensuring permanent rule involves legal systems designed to prevent rivals and institutionalizing authoritarianism, with Trump’s Supreme Court appointments playing a key role.
- Silence and complacency enable the rise of tyranny, making awareness and action crucial to prevent authoritarianism from taking hold.
glen brown: "We are losing the story of who we are as a country" https://teacherpoetmusicianglenbrown.blogspot.com/2025/07/the-gotaways.html
### Key Points
- The article critiques anti-immigrant policies like Arizona's "show me your papers" law and their societal impact, emphasizing the toxic sentiment fueling such measures.
- It discusses the Trump administration's aggressive deportation actions, portraying undocumented immigrants as "the other," and the fear instilled in communities.
- Bishop Mark J. Seitz and other religious leaders advocate for moral clarity, highlighting the loss of America's narrative as a country valuing human dignity and individual liberties.
- The Catholic Church's stance against deportation policies contrasts with the muted response from major Jewish organizations, raising questions about broader advocacy against dehumanization.
- The militarized enforcement actions in places like MacArthur Park symbolize societal breakdown and evoke fears of authoritarianism.
Education Research Report: How preschool teachers themselves grow and improve over time https://educationresearchreport.blogspot.com/2025/07/how-preschool-teachers-themselves-grow.html
- Preschool teachers play a crucial role in shaping a child's academic, emotional, and social development, but their professional growth is often undervalued and overlooked.
- Associate Professor Akiko Hayashi conducted a cross-cultural study to investigate how different systems of professional development influence preschool teacher growth in Japan, China, and the United States.
- The study utilized video-cued ethnographic interviewing and involved longitudinal interviews with teachers from 2002 to 2015, alongside perspectives from 112 educators across the three countries.
- In Japan, teacher development is centered on hands-on experience and communal learning through practices like in-house study groups, driven by moral commitment rather than external rewards.
- In China, the professional development system is hierarchical, fostering growth through formal evaluations, rankings, and mentorship, with extrinsic motivation playing a major role.
- In the United States, teacher development is self-directed, focusing on informal methods such as peer observation and additional coursework, with intrinsic motivation being significant but less stable due to external factors.
- Cultural norms shape the stability of teacher development systems: Japan’s collaborative model is the most stable, the U.S. individual-focused model is less stable, and China’s authority-led approach falls in the middle.
- The study highlights that successful teacher development strategies must align with cultural values and institutional structures, offering practical insights for shaping education policy globally.
Schools Matter: The Privatization/Censorship/Indoctrination Agenda Is in Full Bloom http://www.schoolsmatter.info/2025/07/the-privatizationcensorshipindoctrinati.html
### Key Points
- The article critiques the ongoing privatization, censorship, and indoctrination in education, emphasizing that these trends are harming public schooling.
- A focus is placed on poverty as a key issue affecting education outcomes, rather than teacher quality or excessive testing.
- The blog archives and related posts highlight systemic issues like corporate influence, over-testing, and the impact of socio-economic inequality on education.
- The author references various essays and reviews critiquing education reform policies such as No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and the push for privatized schooling models like KIPP.
Schools Matter: MIT Research on Student Use of AI Exposes Serious Cognitive and Behavioral Concerns http://www.schoolsmatter.info/2025/07/mit-research-on-student-use-of-ai.html
### Key Points
- MIT research highlights cognitive and behavioral concerns arising from student reliance on AI tools like Large Language Models (LLMs).
- Experiments revealed weaker brain connectivity and reduced cognitive engagement in students using LLMs compared to those relying on their own thinking or search engines.
- LLM use diminished critical thinking, memory recall, essay ownership, and the ability to quote one's own work.
- Essays generated with LLMs were homogeneous and lacked depth, easily identifiable by human teachers.
- Researchers advocate for longitudinal studies to assess the long-term educational impacts of LLM reliance and emphasize careful integration of AI in learning contexts.
- Ethical concerns include the algorithmic influence shaping user perspectives and the "echo chamber" effect perpetuated by LLMs.
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Readers/Parents, What Do YOU Think? https://saveseattleschools.blogspot.com/2025/07/readersparents-what-do-you-think.html?spref=tw
### Key Points
- Seattle Public Schools is unlikely to appoint a permanent superintendent by the school year start due to extended public feedback deadlines.
- Acting Superintendent Fred Podesta may be considered to continue temporarily as the search for a permanent replacement progresses.
- Criticism surrounds the lack of open-ended survey questions and limited public input opportunities during an urgent time.
- Community meetings are scheduled to gather input from diverse groups, including Native American families and those speaking Spanish, Vietnamese, Amharic, and Black families.
- Concerns are raised about hiring leftover candidates from other searches and the risks of rushed decision-making.
- Debate exists over whether the newly elected Board members after November should make the superintendent decision, despite their lack of experience.
- Issues of nepotism and favoritism in Seattle Schools staffing and promotions are highlighted as ongoing concerns.
Trump Freezes Out Public Schools, by @TheAndySpears https://open.substack.com/pub/theeducationreport/p/trump-freezes-out-public-schools?r=kja7f&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
- North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson is suing the Trump Administration over a sudden freeze in education funding, which has left the state waiting indefinitely for $165 million.
- The frozen funds support critical programs such as afterschool and summer activities, STEM education, mental health services, adult literacy classes, and smaller class sizes, impacting over 10,000 students and potentially leading to job losses for 1,000 educators.
- Nationally, the frozen funds amount to $7 billion, with Tennessee specifically losing $118 million. Tennessee Governor Bill Lee supports Trump’s policies, which undermine public schools.
- Trump’s Department of Education is promoting a $20 billion federal voucher scheme that benefits unaccountable private schools, further disadvantaging public education.
- Tennessee has lagged behind in school funding compared to neighboring states and the nation, as highlighted in related discussions.
- Increased teacher compensation has proven effective in attracting applicants in other states, but Tennessee has not implemented such measures.
Yesterday’s Gems, Today’s InsightsA Roundup of the Web’s Finest Blog Posts!7-15-25
The article compiles a wide range of topics, including education, politics, societal challenges, and activism. It examines systemic issues such as public education crises, authoritarianism, oligarchic influence, public health concerns, and grassroots movements advocating for equity, transparency, and resistance to oppressive systems.
### Key Points
- Seattle is unlikely to have a new school superintendent by the start of the school year, reflecting challenges in leadership transitions.
- The GOP uses cultural issues like CRT, transgender rights, immigration, and even Superman's immigrant story to distract voters from their policies, fueling outrage through conservative media.
- Measles has resurged in the U.S. due to declining vaccination rates, caused by anti-vaccine sentiment. This resurgence threatens the U.S.’s elimination status and public health.
- Trump issued an executive order banning "disparate impact" in civil rights investigations, undermining decades of progress in addressing systemic discrimination.
- Bill Gates and AI platforms are critiqued for their roles in climate change, education reform, and privatization, emphasizing the need for grassroots resistance like "One Million Rising."
- The Epstein scandal underscores the intersections of wealth, power, and secrecy, highlighting systemic inequalities and the need for accountability.
- Arizona's school voucher system benefits wealthy families, leaving public schools underfunded and exacerbating inequality.
- Charles Feeney’s philanthropy, characterized by anonymity and selflessness, contrasts with the public recognition sought by other billionaires. He donated $8 billion to impactful causes, including education and public health.
- Public schooling in the U.S. plays a dual role as a public good and a social welfare mechanism, but it fails to address systemic poverty effectively.
- Grassroots movements like "One Million Rising" advocate for strategic non-cooperation and community organizing to combat authoritarianism and defend democracy.
- Teachers often have to adapt to educational systems and technologies they did not create, limiting creativity and prioritizing administrative efficiency.
- The Live Aid concert in 1985 highlighted the power of music to drive social change, contrasting with today’s corporatized music industry.
- Declining vaccination rates, anti-vaccine movements, and public health crises are linked to political polarization and misinformation.
- The misuse of school vouchers and privatization harms public schools, benefiting wealthier families at the expense of equity.
- Authoritarian tendencies in U.S. politics, including Trump’s executive overreach, propaganda, and scapegoating, parallel historical fascism and necessitate organized resistance.
The "One Million Rising" initiative promotes strategic peaceful non-cooperation and community organizing to combat authoritarianism.
One Million Rising: Strategic Non-Cooperation to Fight Authoritarianism · No Kings
https://www.mobilize.us/nokings/event/803953/
Across the country, authoritarian forces are getting bolder and more dangerous. Trump and his allies are not hiding their agenda: mass deportations, rollbacks of civil rights, weaponized courts, and full-scale attacks on our democracy. We don’t have to wait until it’s too late. We can stop this. But it’ll take all of us—not just on single days of mass action, but through sustained organizing in our communities.
That’s why this summer, we’re launching One Million Rising—a national effort to train one million people in the strategic logic and practice of non-cooperation, as well as the basics of community organizing and campaign design. This is how we build people power that can’t be ignored. You’re invited to join us—and lead.
Let’s build a force bigger than fear and louder than hate. Let’s get ready. Let’s get organized. Let’s stop Trump. https://www.mobilize.us/nokings/event/803953/
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