JANUARY 16, 2026
U.S. News
- Protests and tensions in Minneapolis over a federal agent's shooting of a Venezuelan immigrant during an immigration enforcement action, sparking widespread demonstrations and clashes with ICE officers.
- Trump threatens to invoke the Insurrection Act to deploy troops and end the ongoing protests in Minneapolis if local authorities do not comply.
- Senate passes additional spending bills, though disputes loom over homeland security funding amid broader budget and immigration enforcement debates.
- Arkansas rescinds choice of law school dean over her transgender rights stance, highlighting ongoing cultural and educational policy conflicts.
- Trump announces 'Board of Peace' as part of Phase Two of his 20-Point Peace Plan for Gaza, shifting focus to demilitarization, technocratic governance, and reconstruction.
- Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado presents her Nobel Peace Prize medal to President Trump during a private White House meeting.
- Congress pushes for expanded multilateral defense ties in the Indo-Pacific via the 2026 NDAA, emphasizing cooperation against China through military exercises and long-range capabilities.
- Trump administration's aggressive foreign policy moves (including threats toward Iran and actions in Venezuela/Greenland) draw criticism as signaling a shift to "imperial" approaches.
- Canadian PM Mark Carney meets Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, marking a significant diplomatic visit aimed at improving Canada-China relations.
- U.S. welcomes Japan's pledge to boost defense spending, with discussions between U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Japan's Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi at the Pentagon.
- Ongoing unrest in Iran with mass demonstrations, brutal crackdowns, and reports of hundreds or thousands killed, amid U.S. threats of potential military intervention.
- European troops arrive in Greenland amid U.S.-Denmark talks highlighting disagreements over the island's future status.
- Chinese universities surge in global rankings while U.S. schools (including Harvard dropping to No. 3 in some metrics) slip, amid concerns over funding cuts and academic output.
- Trump administration cuts to higher education funding impact universities and related businesses, with calls for new defenses of institutional autonomy.
- Enrollment ticked up 1% last fall, driven mostly by community colleges, per recent data.
- BITS Pilani opens applications for international students in UG engineering/science programs for 2026.
- U.S. stocks extend record rally with tech momentum building, though public sentiment lags (e.g., low approval for Trump's economic management despite corporate profits rising).
- Foreign holdings of U.S. Treasuries hit all-time highs in November, even as China pulls back slightly.
- Analysts predict strong S&P 500 earnings growth (15-16% in 2026) fueled by AI investments, despite tariff and inflation concerns.
- Weekly U.S. jobless claims fall unexpectedly, but labor market remains mixed with seasonal adjustments.
- 2026 shaping up as year of mega IPOs, with SpaceX, OpenAI, and Anthropic preparing public listings that could flood Silicon Valley with capital amid AI boom.
- NTT releases IOWN Technology Report on optical-quantum trajectory, highlighting advancements in data centers, AI, and quantum computing integration.
- EeroQ demonstrates quantum control chip using superfluid helium to reduce wiring in quantum hardware, advancing scalable quantum systems.
- Canon ranks 7th in U.S. patents for 2025 (top 10 for 42 consecutive years), underscoring ongoing innovation in imaging/tech.
- 5 infectious diseases to watch in 2026, including flu (with new variants spreading) and risks amplified by declining vaccination rates and rising exemptions.
- Virginia lawmakers propose Affordable Medicine Act to create a Prescription Drug Affordability Board and extend Medicare-negotiated prices to more residents.
- Global efforts to end HIV/AIDS emphasized, with calls for sustained U.S. funding and new UNAIDS strategy for 2026-2031.
- House passes clean extension of ACA tax credits, supporting ongoing health coverage access.
- NHL action: Dallas Stars vs. Utah Mammoth highlights (Mikko Rantanen scores power-play goal); Carolina Hurricanes preview vs. Florida Panthers.
- Ongoing winter sports events, including FIS World Cup Nordic Combined and Ski Jumping in Germany (Oberhof/Oberstdorf).
- CAA men's basketball updates with breakout performances and upcoming CBS Sports Network matchups in week three of the season.
- Broader calendar notes for January, including college football playoff echoes and preparations for events like the 2026 Winter Olympics buildup.
Paul Krugman: The Madness of the Mad King https://dianeravitch.net/2026/01/15/paul-krugman-2/ via @dianeravitch
### Key Points
- Paul Krugman analyzes Trump’s presidency, focusing on his ego-driven policies and political dysfunction.
- Trump’s abduction of Nicolás Maduro was more about personal posturing than substantial motives like oil or democracy.
- The killing of Renee Nicole Good by an ICE agent sparks public outrage, revealing Trump’s disregard for accountability and truth.
- Trump deflects criticism of his administration’s failures by announcing a massive military budget increase.
- Krugman warns about the dangers of enabling Trump’s actions, urging resistance and accountability from military leaders and Republicans.
Jan Resseger: McMahon and the Death of the U.S. Education Department https://dianeravitch.net/2026/01/15/jan-resseger-mcmahon-advances-the-death-of-the-u-s-education-department/ via @dianeravitch
### Key Points
- Public education is essential for promoting equal citizenship and bridging societal divides, as emphasized in Derek Black's book "Dangerous Learning."
- The Trump administration's focus on "parents' rights" and decentralization threatens the rights and protections of vulnerable students.
- The U.S. Department of Education was established to address educational inequities and protect civil rights through federal oversight and funding programs.
- Education Secretary Linda McMahon's actions, such as granting Iowa a waiver to consolidate federal grants, are part of broader efforts to reduce federal oversight and shift control to states.
- Critics worry that such waivers could weaken protections for marginalized groups, including English learners, and reduce accountability in education spending.
How Trump Policies Hurt Families https://dianeravitch.net/2026/01/15/trump-was-a-bad-father-and-is-bad-now-for-families/ via @dianeravitch
### Key Points
- Trump administration cut funding for family planning and IVF programs, making it harder for couples experiencing infertility to access treatment.
- Housing costs have risen due to limited supply, tariffs on building materials, and labor shortages caused by immigration policies.
- Prices for essential baby items have increased due to tariffs and production challenges, further straining young families' budgets.
- The article accuses Trump of breaking campaign promises and failing to support American families, despite his rhetoric as a pro-natalist leader.
What I Re-learned about Teaching in High School https://larrycuban.wordpress.com/2026/01/15/what-i-re-learned-about-teaching-in-high-school/ via @CubanLarry
### Key Points
- Larry Cuban returned to teaching high school U.S. History classes while continuing his work as a university professor to understand changes in teaching and maintain credibility with his graduate students.
- He taught a "skills" class designed for students with academic challenges, where he observed significant variations in student performance and the dominance of the "right-answer" syndrome.
- Cuban faced difficulties in encouraging students to take intellectual risks and overcome low self-confidence, with only some students showing improvement in participation and critical thinking.
- His experience underscored the challenges of addressing labels and segregation in education and fostering intellectual growth in students.
Board games boost young kids’ math skills Education Research Report https://educationresearchreport.blogspot.com/
### Key Points
- Playing linear number board games can significantly improve early math skills in children, with benefits seen after brief, 10-minute sessions.
- A meta-analysis of 18 studies highlights the games’ positive impact on counting, number recognition, and understanding quantity, offering a 76% chance of improving numeracy.
- Researchers are designing adaptable number board games for children with disabilities, incorporating varying levels based on children's readiness.
- An updated report addresses the Female Athlete Triad, emphasizing energy deficiency, menstrual health, and bone health in adolescent and adult female athletes.
- The new consensus introduces adolescent-specific guidance, redefines energy status, and updates recovery measures for female athletes.
- A guide for managing youth concussions provides accessible steps for parents and coaches to recognize and respond to concussions effectively.
- The California TUPE program is linked to a significant reduction in youth tobacco use and vaping, particularly in schools with targeted funding for prevention education.
- Effective school-based programs, combined with broader policies, play a critical role in reducing youth tobacco addiction.
- Bullying remains a pressing issue, with overweight teens, foreign-born adolescents, and those with mental health challenges at higher risk. Family and school-based interventions are recommended.
- Earlier exposure to public preschool leads to higher rates of diagnosis and treatment of developmental conditions, emphasizing the importance of early intervention.
- Strengthened implementation structures for educational technology, such as lab-in-charges, significantly improve student engagement and learning outcomes.
Trump Administration Destroys the Systems that Support and Protect America's Children https://janresseger.wordpress.com/2026/01/15/trump-administration-destroys-the-systems-that-support-and-protect-americas-children/ via @janresseger
### Key Points
- The article begins with a quote from Senator Paul Wellstone emphasizing the democratic promise of equal education for all children, which is being neglected.
- Bruce Lesley, President of First Focus on Children, outlines the necessary social policy agenda to ensure justice and equity for children, including expanding the Child Tax Credit, protecting public schools, and funding early education and health programs.
- The Trump administration's policies are framed as divisive, using tactics to exclude vulnerable children and their families through "deservingness" criteria and targeting specific groups such as immigrants, LGBTQ individuals, and low-income families.
- A recent funding freeze by the Trump administration on essential child care and welfare programs in five states (Minnesota, New York, California, Illinois, and Colorado) is criticized for its lack of evidence and partisan motivations.
- The funding freeze affects programs like TANF, child care subsidies, and Social Services Block Grants, which are vital for low-income families and children.
- The article highlights the broader societal and moral implications of these actions, describing them as "organized abandonment" of children.
- The author calls attention to the deliberate defunding of systems that protect the health, education, and safety of children, framing it as a political and moral failure.
The Supreme Court’s Decision Will Affect More Than Trans High School Athletes From Forbes.com PETER GREENE https://curmudgucation.substack.com/p/the-supreme-courts-decision-will
### Key Points
- Ohio's EdChoice voucher program faces legal challenges for potentially violating the state constitution by creating a parallel private education system and diverting public funds.
- Critics highlight significant funding disparities, where public school students receive far less state funding compared to voucher recipients attending private schools.
- Approximately 90% of EdChoice funds benefit private religious schools, raising concerns about separation of church and state.
- Voucher programs like EdChoice are often implemented without voter approval, leading to questions about democratic accountability.
Teacher Tom: Especially the Truth and Beauty http://teachertomsblog.blogspot.com/2026/01/especially-truth-and-beauty.html
### Key Points
- Teacher Tom highlights the beauty of listening to nature during sunrise, emphasizing sound over sight as a source of truth and beauty.
- He discusses sensory pollution caused by human-made noise and its disconnection from the natural world.
- Reflecting on evolutionary heritage, he shares experiences of observing wildlife and the importance of staying alert to natural sounds.
- Teacher Tom emphasizes the value of trusting non-visual senses and reconnecting with the body's sensory input, which enhances awareness and understanding.
- The article provides information about Teacher Tom's live workshops, his blog, and opportunities to support his work.
"Science of" as Veneer for Conservative Politics Often Cited Reports from NCTQ and NRP Fail to Meet Standards of "Science" PAUL THOMAS https://substack.com/home/post/p-184653381?source=queue
### Key Points
- Dr. P.L. Thomas recounts his early experiences at Spartanburg Methodist College, where his passion for poetry and teaching began.
- College played a pivotal role in his personal growth, helping him overcome racism and other biases.
- In 2025, he achieved significant milestones in poetry, including editorial work and recognition for his exhibited poem.
- He continues to explore themes of education, social justice, and critical literacy in his writing and scholarship.
glen brown: "Free speech and independent media are essential" https://teacherpoetmusicianglenbrown.blogspot.com/2026/01/free-speech-and-independent-media-are.html
### Key Points
- The importance of free speech and independent media in holding governments accountable and exposing corruption.
- Autocracies undermine free speech and independent journalism to maintain control, using propaganda and censorship to manipulate public opinion.
- The Trump administration's actions, such as lawsuits against media outlets and threats to revoke broadcast licenses, echo tactics used by authoritarian regimes to suppress dissent.
- The use of vague legal definitions, like labeling groups as "domestic terrorists," can suppress free expression and opposition.
- Ignorance, whether in democracies or autocracies, limits citizens' ability to hold leaders accountable, making free speech essential for informed civic action.
When Bad Bunny Opens the Door – Cloaking Inequity https://cloakinginequity.com/2026/01/15/when-bad-bunny-opens-the-door/
### Key Points
- Bad Bunny opens his Chile concert with Victor Jara's song to highlight the intersection of memory, joy, and historical reckoning.
- Victor Jara, a Chilean artist, was a symbol of resistance against the Pinochet regime. His murder underscores the threat of authoritarianism to truth and justice.
- The Pinochet dictatorship reshaped education by promoting privatization, weakening public accountability, and aligning education with conservative ideologies—a trend echoed in modern U.S. policies.
- Patterns of political violence and suppression of dissent in the U.S. today mirror past authoritarian tactics, such as those during Pinochet's regime.
- Universities, as democratic spaces, are increasingly targeted by political power, leading to self-censorship and weakened democratic discourse.
- The erosion of law and accountability in the U.S. raises concerns about justice being politically manipulated, threatening democracy.
- Bad Bunny’s concert serves as a reminder of the importance of cultural resistance in identifying and confronting threats to freedom and justice.
Ohio Budget Feeds School Vouchers Courts to decide fate of Ohio voucher programs ANDY SPEARS https://theeducationreport.substack.com/p/ohio-budget-feeds-school-vouchers
### Key Points
- A lawsuit in Ohio challenges the constitutionality of school voucher programs, with $1 billion in education funding at stake.
- Public school advocates argue that voucher programs violate equal protection provisions by allocating more taxpayer money to private school students than public school students.
- Disparities in funding show EdChoice students receive significantly more than public school students, sparking claims of discrimination.
- The case is expected to reach the Ohio Supreme Court for a final decision.
Resisting Trump's imperial dreams Following up on 'Where Are The Democrats?' MICHAEL KLONSKY https://klonsky.substack.com/p/resisting-trumps-imperial-dreams
### Key Points
- French President Macron deployed troops to Greenland at Denmark's request, signaling European independence in Arctic security and resistance to U.S. pressure.
- Democrats criticized Trump's attack on Venezuela procedurally but avoided addressing the broader imperialist and aggressive foreign policy.
- Democrats may adopt a stronger stance on Greenland but remain hesitant to confront Trump's imperialist worldview fully.
- Trump’s actions could lead to NATO’s weakening, potentially allowing European states to pursue independent policies.
- Trump’s aggressive trade policies are driving U.S. partners to seek alternatives, with China emerging as a key player in global diplomacy.
### Key Points
- The National Reading Panel (NRP) did not review 100,000 studies as claimed; the actual number of studies reviewed was significantly lower, and many were rejected for not meeting scientific standards.
- The "five pillars" of reading instruction—phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension—were predetermined and not scientifically validated by the NRP.
- The NRP report has been widely misrepresented to justify explicit, systematic phonics instruction, which the author argues is based on flawed science.
- The reading instruction paradigm is rooted in outdated behaviorist theories from Thorndike, Skinner, and Engelmann, which are not appropriate for modern education.
- Federal and state laws, such as No Child Left Behind (NCLB), were built on the false findings of the NRP, influencing public education policy and curriculum.
- The alignment of reading instruction with corporate interests, such as those of publishers like HMH and McGraw-Hill, has monetized education and prioritized profit over effective teaching methods.
- The "science of reading" movement, supported by right-wing organizations and figures, has been used to discredit alternative approaches like those of Lucy Calkins, Fountas and Pinnell, and Reading Recovery.
- Cognitive scientists and researchers, such as Chomsky, have critiqued the reductionist, mechanical view of reading promoted by the NRP, advocating for a more holistic, language-based approach.
- The rise of digital learning platforms and AI-driven education tools, which rely on the flawed findings of the NRP, poses risks to children’s cognitive and emotional development.
- The author calls for a reevaluation of how children are taught to read, emphasizing the importance of fostering creativity, problem-solving, and critical thinking to prepare them for a complex world.
Please complete the Summer Food Service Program Sponsor - 2026 survey by January 30, 2026. https://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/nu/sfspsponsor2026.asp
### Key Points
- The California Department of Education seeks input from sponsors to improve the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) for 2026 and requests survey completion by January 30, 2026.
- Information and guidance are available for organizations participating in the SFSP, including federal meal programs for children from low-income areas during vacation periods.
- A waiver allows approved schools to offer non-congregate meals during Ramadan for fasting students.
- Management bulletin clarifies fiscal action for meal pattern violations due to missing meal components or production records.
- Funding opportunities for schools to start or expand School Breakfast and Summer Meal Programs are available for 2026-27.
- The California Department of Education provides various resources, standards, and programs, including child nutrition and social-emotional learning frameworks.
Choosing Democracy: How To Mobilize Against Fascism https://choosingdemocracy.blogspot.com/2026/01/how-to-mobilize-against-fascism.html
How To Mobilize America Against Fascism What you can do, beyond party politics Robert Reich Jan 15, 2026 3,103 619 781 Share Friends, This is a national emergency. Trump is off the rails. His ICE and Border Patrol goons are loose on America. The havoc in Minneapolis will worsen and will occur elsewhere. Yesterday, someone else was shot there. His military is loose on the world. Now Venezuela and the Caribbean, at any moment Iran or Cuba or Greenland. (European nations are at this moment sending troops to Greenland, presumably to defend it from Trump’s America.) You may feel helpless — a powerless observer of this hurricane of violence and stupidity. You may be experiencing the kind of despair that immobilizes the brain and numbs the senses. You may want to scream but can’t find your voice because you’re so shocked and frightened. Please do not succumb to helplessness, despair, or fear. You are needed. Des
### Key Points
- The article highlights a national emergency under Trump’s administration, citing his actions domestically and internationally, including militarized responses and authoritarian tendencies.
- The author urges citizens to go beyond traditional political activities like voting and protesting, advocating for mobilization within workplaces, organizations, and religious communities to oppose the administration’s actions.
- Silence and inaction from major institutions, corporations, and leaders are equated to complicity, and the author calls for them to take a stand publicly against the current government’s actions.
- The article emphasizes the importance of influential organizations, foundations, corporations, and religious leaders in resisting authoritarianism and using their platforms to advocate for change.
- The author warns that failure to act against the current administration will result in historical condemnation, while taking a stand will be remembered as courageous leadership.
