Yesterday’s Gems, Today’s InsightsA Roundup of the Web’s Finest Blog Posts!
8-12-25
8-12-25
Thomas Friedman: The World As We Knew It Is Rapidly Slipping Away https://dianeravitch.net/2025/08/11/thomas-friedman-the-world-we-knew-is-slipping-away/ via @dianeravitch
### 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.
- His administration's officials failed to defend ethical governance, enabling Trump's dictatorial behavior.
- Foreign observers warn of the collapse of trust in U.S. economic data and governance under Trump's rule.
- Trump’s administration manipulated intelligence assessments and revoked appointments based on conspiracy theories.
- Concerns are raised about the systematic dismantling of democratic values and the rise of authoritarianism in the U.S.
Rachel Maddow: Our Worst Fears Have Come True https://dianeravitch.net/2025/08/11/rachel-maddow-our-worst-fears-have-come-true/ via @dianeravitch
Rachel Maddow discusses what life in the United States has felt like under the Trump administration and their use of "secret police" to go after immigrants in this country. "Life has not stopped and none of our personal lives have stopped," said Maddow, "But also at the same time, life in the United States is profoundly changing, is profoundly different than it was even six months ago."
Trump Administration is Extorting Hundreds of Millions from Universities https://dianeravitch.net/2025/08/11/trump-administration-is-extorting-hundreds-of-millions-from-universities/ via @dianeravitch
### Key Points
- The Trump administration has imposed large financial penalties on elite universities, such as Columbia and Brown, alleging antisemitism and discrimination in diversity policies.
- Columbia agreed to pay $200 million over three years and implement monitoring reforms, while Brown pledged $50 million to local workforce organizations and adopted restrictive gender-related policies.
- The administration froze billions in federal funding for these universities and demanded settlements to restore research grants and end investigations.
- Both universities made concessions, including sharing admissions data and adopting controversial definitions of antisemitism, but avoided restrictions on academic freedom.
- Critics view these actions as coercive and fear further federal interference in higher education, with Harvard potentially facing even greater pressure.
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.
Teacher Tom: When I Was a Stranger https://teachertomsblog.blogspot.com/2025/08/when-i-was-stranger.html
While Cuomo attacks stabilized New York housing, his buddy Trump goes after D.C.'s homeless. https://fredklonsky.substack.com/p/while-cuomo-attacks-subsidized-new
- Disgraced former governor Andrew Cuomo, in his attempt to revive his New York mayoral campaign, criticized stabilized housing programs, proposing a law to lower the cap for working-class families qualifying for such housing.
- Cuomo's plan could negatively impact thousands of renters by removing their protections under the rent-stabilized program, which safeguards against unfair rent hikes and provides broader rental rights.
- In contrast, Zohran Mamdani advocates for a rent freeze on stabilized rentals, opposing Cuomo's approach.
- Donald Trump, meanwhile, targets D.C.'s homeless population, predominantly Black, by mobilizing the national guard and FBI, despite a decline in violent crime in the area. He proposes relocating them, reminiscent of his stance on Palestinians in Gaza.
This Would Be A GREAT Article About Self-Control To Use With Students - Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... | The latest news and resources in education since 2007 https://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/
- 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.
Education Research Report: Sequential College Admission Mechanisms https://educationresearchreport.blogspot.com/2025/08/sequential-college-admission-mechanisms.html
- Sequential college admission mechanisms address inefficiencies caused by off-platform options, which can lead to vacant seats and justified envy in centralized systems.
- These mechanisms allow students to delay their enrollment decisions to potentially receive better offers but involve waiting costs.
- A dynamic model using French college admission data shows that sequential systems improve student outcomes, reducing the share of students leaving higher education without a degree by 5.4% and delivering significant welfare gains.
- The study highlights the trade-off between waiting costs and improved assignment outcomes.
glen brown: "If you're dreading the end of Windows 10 in October, you're not alone" https://teacherpoetmusicianglenbrown.blogspot.com/2025/08/if-youre-dreading-end-of-windows-10-in.html
### Key Points
- Microsoft plans to end support for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025, pushing users to upgrade to Windows 11, which has hardware requirements that many devices don't meet.
- Lawrence Klein filed a lawsuit against Microsoft, claiming forced obsolescence and monopolization of the generative AI market. He argues this strategy creates e-waste and risks cybersecurity for businesses and individuals still using Windows 10.
- Klein requests Microsoft to continue free updates for Windows 10 until its user base drops below 10%, improve transparency about its discontinuation, and provide alternative security options.
- Users have several options: upgrading to Windows 11, enrolling in the Extended Security Update (ESU) program, purchasing new devices, or switching to Linux. Risks of continuing with unsupported Windows 10 include vulnerability to malware and lack of technical support.
- The blog also covers diverse topics such as social justice, environmental issues, healthcare, and political commentary, reflecting the author's broad interests.
### Key Points
- The author recounts early experiences with problematic supervisors and the lack of support during his initial teaching years.
- Challenges with administrative decisions, such as being forced into roles that conflicted with his strengths, are highlighted.
- Positive experiences with supportive supervisors and their impact on teaching conditions and professional growth are shared.
- The concept of co-teaching and its challenges, including interpersonal conflicts and administrative mismanagement, is explored.
- A successful co-teaching partnership with a colleague is described, showcasing the benefits of collaboration and mutual respect.
- The importance of visionary leadership and motivation for creating better teaching environments is emphasized.
The Uppity Minority: From Pet to Threat, the Cost of Leading Boldly – Cloaking Inequity https://cloakinginequity.com/2025/08/11/the-uppity-minority-from-pet-to-threat-the-cost-of-leading-boldly/
### Key Points
- The "pet to threat" dynamic describes how leaders of color and women are celebrated initially but face resistance when they challenge the status quo.
- This shift is structural and widespread, rooted in institutional norms that resist meaningful equity-driven change.
- Leaders experience subtle signs of backlash, such as isolation, obstruction, and reframing of their actions as aggressive or controversial.
- The phenomenon is exemplified by President Barack Obama and Alison Collins, who faced targeted attacks when their leadership threatened systems of privilege.
- The backlash often comes from those invested in symbolic diversity but resistant to structural change.
- Naming and addressing the "pet to threat" pattern is essential to support leaders and push for systemic evolution.
Dictator Level: The $1 Billion Stranglehold and a Test Balloon for Military Rule in America’s Cities – Cloaking Inequity https://cloakinginequity.com/2025/08/11/dictator-level-the-1-billion-stranglehold-and-a-test-balloon-for-military-rule-in-americas-cities/
### Key Points
- Donald Trump announced federal control over Washington, DC’s police and deployed National Guard troops, citing high-profile crimes.
- Washington, DC’s unique legal status makes it a testing ground for federal military involvement in civilian policing without state-level resistance.
- Congressional budget cuts to DC created resource shortages, amplifying perceptions of local leadership inefficiency.
- Trump declared a “public safety emergency” despite falling violent crime rates, leveraging fear to justify federal control.
- Federalizing DC’s police department sets a precedent for similar actions in other Democratic-led cities.
- The Posse Comitatus Act limits military involvement in civilian policing, but DC’s legal status circumvents these restrictions.
- Historical examples show the gradual normalization of centralized control during crises, paving the way for authoritarian tactics.
- Recommendations include restoring DC’s budget, ending federal control of its police, advancing DC statehood, and reaffirming limits on military policing.
Weekend Quotables Five more journalists slaughtered in Gaza... Crime Surge in D.C.? Only Inside the White House. https://michaelklonsky.substack.com/p/weekend-quotables-cc6
- Five Al Jazeera journalists, including prominent correspondent Anas al-Sharif, were killed in an Israeli airstrike on a media tent in Gaza City. The attack was condemned as a deliberate targeting of journalists.
- President Trump announced federal control over Washington, D.C., police and deployed the National Guard, claiming rising crime despite data showing a decrease in violent crime.
- Anas al-Sharif’s posthumous message emphasized his dedication to conveying the truth, while critics labeled the journalist killings as deliberate silencing of media voices.
- Over 200 journalists have been killed by Israeli military actions, sparking calls from U.S. politicians to end weapon support for Israel.
- Russia highlighted the symbolic importance of holding a U.S.-Russia summit in Alaska, citing historical ties.
- Ontario Premier Doug Ford described Trump as highly unpopular in Canada due to his controversial actions.
Schools Matter: Worried about Crime? How about the Epstein Pedophile Crime Ring Files? http://www.schoolsmatter.info/2025/08/worried-about-crime-how-about-epstein.html
- Former President Donald Trump falsely claimed rising crime rates in Washington, D.C., while addressing the nation. Graphics from MSNBC and CNN contradicted his statements, showing significant drops in violent crime and homicides in both D.C. and the U.S. overall.
- Trump described the capital as being overtaken by gangs, criminals, and homeless individuals, but statistics demonstrated a decline in robberies and violent crime.
- Experts and news outlets criticized Trump’s remarks, labeling them as misleading and poorly substantiated.
Schools Matter: Lying Fascist in the Oval Office Seeks to Militarize the Capitol http://www.schoolsmatter.info/2025/08/lying-fascist-in-oval-office-seeks-to.html
The Pilgrimage: Playing the Blues, Finding the Truth From the plantations of Mississippi, to the music halls of New Orleans: Filming the history of our family’s bondage, freedom struggle, and enduring rhythm. https://jessehagopian.substack.com/p/the-pilgrimage-playing-the-blues
- Jesse Hagopian and his family embarked on a pilgrimage to Mississippi and New Orleans in July 2025 to explore their ancestral history, document their family story, and confront the legacy of slavery.
- They revisited the plantation where Jesse's great-grandfather was enslaved, honoring their ancestors through music and reflection, while teaching his son about this banned but vital history.
- The family visited New Home Church, founded by Jesse's great-great-grandmother Laura, shared a rough cut of their documentary with the community, and paid respects at Laura and her husband's headstone.
- A profound encounter occurred when the family met descendants of the people who had enslaved their ancestors, shared their documentary, and received a basket possibly woven by their ancestors, symbolizing shared history.
The Reliable Narrator: Big Lies of Education: Word Gap | National Education Policy Center https://nepc.colorado.edu/blog/big-lies-gap
- The "Word Gap" (WG) narrative claims that poor children suffer from limited vocabulary compared to affluent children due to differences in parental communication, which impacts academic achievement.
- The WG story has been widely accepted despite flawed foundational research and biases rooted in class, race, and methodology.
- Media coverage and advocacy amplified the WG narrative, reinforcing deficit ideologies that attribute language and literacy differences to moral and intelligence deficits in marginalized communities.
- Critics argue that the WG narrative pathologizes the language and culture of poor children, perpetuating educational inequality rather than addressing systemic issues.
- Alternative perspectives challenge deficit-based frameworks, emphasizing the need for inclusive approaches that value diverse linguistic and cultural practices.
Yesterday’s Gems, Today’s InsightsA Roundup of the Web’s Finest Blog Posts!
8-11-25
8-11-25
The article covers various topics, including education reforms, AI integration in classrooms, political issues, and societal challenges. It highlights debates on the use of AI in education, concerns over school voucher misuse, truancy rates, public education advocacy, and authoritarian tactics in governance. Additionally, it explores global education challenges, mental health issues, and the impact of technology on learning environments.
### Key Points
- The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) launched a $23 million initiative to train teachers in ethical AI use, aiming to impact 7.2 million students. Proponents see AI as a tool to empower educators, while critics warn of corporate overreach and harm to teaching's human essence.
- Trump’s executive order mandates colleges to submit admissions data to ensure meritocracy, sparking debates on diversity and institutional autonomy.
- Tuition fees in England and Wales rise to £9,535, fueling concerns about affordability and the value of higher education.
- Arizona’s school voucher program allows parents to use ESA funds for vacations, leading to public backlash over misuse of taxpayer money.
- Chronic absenteeism remains a crisis, with truancy linked to bullying, mental health, family issues, and disengagement caused by impersonal school policies.
- Critics warn that AFT’s collaboration with corporations like Microsoft prioritizes corporate interests over educational integrity, raising concerns about AI’s biases and ethical risks.
- Special education faces a dire shortage of teachers and funding cuts, threatening support for students with disabilities.
- School libraries with real librarians improve academic outcomes and foster a love for reading.
- Arts programs and extracurricular activities help engage students, especially those facing challenges, by connecting academic and leisure interests.
- Authoritarian regimes use legal and bureaucratic methods to suppress dissent, reframing repression as governance. The U.S. has begun adopting similar tactics.
- Judicial controversies and gerrymandering efforts in Texas highlight political maneuvering to suppress opposition.
- Pushback against standardized testing has led to calls for Progressive-era reforms and returning power to local districts.
- Libraries play a crucial role in combating misinformation amid AI distortions.
- Advocacy for public education resists privatization efforts by billionaires and organizations like DFER.
- Wildfire smoke poses significant health risks, likened to smoking cigarettes, with vulnerable groups most affected.
- Men are reading less, raising concerns about cultural regression and emphasizing the need for authentic literacy education.
