01/16/2017 | Washington, DC | NPR Ed
‘Schools Can Save Lives’: An Exit Interview With The U.S. Education Secretary
Cory Turner | NPR Ed | Twitter
He didn’t have long. Education Secretary John B. King Jr. was confirmed by the Senate in March 2016 after President Obama’s long-serving secretary, Arne Duncan, stepped down at the end of 2015. No matter the outcome of the 2016 presidential election, King knew that Obama would be out in a year and replaced by a president who, regardless of party, would almost certainly replace him.
At the helm of the Education Department, King followed the polestar that had guided him as a teacher, principal and as deputy secretary under Duncan: protect kids, especially those who have been traditionally marginalized — children of color, English language learners, students with disabilities and those living in poverty.
To read more visit NPR Ed
King Sends Letter to States Calling for an End to Corporal Punishment in Schools
U.S. Department of Education
U.S. Education Secretary John B. King Jr. sent a letter today urging state leaders to end the use of corporal punishment in schools, a practice repeatedly linked to harmful short-term and long-term outcomes for students.
“Our schools are bound by a sacred trust to safeguard the well-being, safety, and extraordinary potential of the children and youth within the communities they serve,” King said. “While some may argue that corporal punishment is a tradition in some school communities, society has evolved and past practice alone is no justification. No school can be considered safe or supportive if its students are fearful of being physically punished. We strongly urge states to eliminate the use of corporal punishment in schools– a practice that educators, civil rights advocates, medical professionals, and researchers agree is harmful to students and which the data show us unequivocally disproportionately impacts students of color and students with disabilities.”
To read read more visit the U.S. Department of Education
01/16/2017 | Washington, DC | Boston Globe
Warren takes aim at Trump’s pick for education secretary
Annie Linskey | Boston Globe | Twitter
Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts says Betsy DeVos, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to run the Department of Education, has a “radical political philosophy” and a thin resume for the job.
“There is no precedent for an Education Department Secretary nominee with your lack of experience in public education,” Warren wrote in a lengthy letter sent to DeVos on Monday morning.
DeVos hasn’t held top policy-making positions in the past, unlike other picks for the position by past presidents. Warren said that DeVos has “virtually no experience” in handling student debt, developing standards for school accountability, or improving schools – the key responsibilities for the job.
To read more visit the Boston Globe
Former Michigan Chamber of Commerce CEO Defends Betsy DeVos
Dr. Susan Berry | Breitbart
Jim Barrett writes in a column at the Lansing State Journal that the national media is spreading “misinformation” about DeVos and that he is “here to set the record straight” about her.
“For nearly 30 years, Betsy DeVos has been leading the charge for expanded choice, improved quality and enhanced accountability in education,” he continues.
Barrett now chairs the board of the Great Lakes Education Project (GLEP) – a pro-school choice organization that DeVos has funded and served as a board member. Both the Chamber of Commerce and GLEP have promoted the Common Core standards.
To read more visit Breitbart
Why This 22-Year-Old Founder Created A Company To Combat Media Misrepresentation
Karim Abouelnaga | Forbes | Twitter
While volunteering at a local elementary school, Tony Weaver, Jr., founder and CEO of Weird Enough Productions, mentored a black male named Nazir. Recounting his experience, Weaver says, “Halloween was approaching, and when I asked Nazir if he would be dressing as his favorite superhero, he told me ‘I can’t, I don’t look like him, I’m going to dress as CJ from Grand Theft Auto.’” Due to witnessing misrepresentation of African American males in the media, Nazir felt that his skin color not only disqualified him from being a hero, but it also made him a villain.
Media misrepresentation manifests in stereotyped and flawed portrayals of minority groups via different visual mediums. This has been linked to real world mistreatment and discrimination against members of such groups. It’s also tied to people of color receiving less attention from doctors, getting harsher sentencing from judges, and even having a higher likelihood of being racially profiled by the police.
To read more visit Forbes
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