History teacher Valanna White found herself in a quandary last fall when an administrator at her Tennessee high school pulled her syllabus for Advanced Placement U.S. Government. The course is designed to give students an analytical perspective on American government and its political system. But it was the unit on civil rights and civil liberties […]
Education
Posted inEducation, K-12
GOP States Are Targeting AP Black Studies. Here’s How Kids Can Learn It Outside of School.
This story has been updated. At least four Republican-led states are considering whether a new African American Studies course is in compliance with its laws that restrict lessons on race, following Florida’s ban on the proposed course last month. Officials in education departments in Arkansas, Mississippi, North Dakota, and Virginia are reviewing the advanced placement […]
Posted inEducation, Student Loans
What We Know About Biden’s Student Loan Debt Relief Plan Ahead of the Supreme Court Hearings
In less than 24 hours, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on President Joe Biden’s $400 billion student loan forgiveness program and consider whether the administration can advance the plan forward. The court agreed to hear two separate cases challenging the legality of Biden’s plan or whether Biden exceeded executive authority. After announcing […]
Posted inEducation, K-12
‘These Kids Can’t Wait’: The Struggle to Address the Black Youth Mental Health Crisis
At first, Mira Ugwuadu felt a sense of relief when her high school transitioned to remote learning in 2020, allowing her to work on advanced placement courses at her own pace. But soon, the 17-year-old found herself studying outside of school hours, unable to separate academics from her home life. When her classmates went back […]
Posted inEducation, K-12
Florida’s Rejection of Af-Am Studies Reflects the Historical Fight for Black Education
Florida officials have rejected a new Advanced Placement course on African American Studies, calling it “woke indoctrination” that “significantly lacks educational value.” The state education board released a list of their concerns with the new course, which, like others in the AP program, allows high school students to earn college credit through an advanced curriculum […]
Posted inEducation, HBCUs
An HBCU Student’s Viral Classroom Arrest Sparks Alarm and Anger on Campus
Distressing cellphone video of police officers arresting a student at a North Carolina HBCU following a verbal altercation with her professor has reignited debate about the use of law enforcement in education and has some people wondering: Where are Black students safe? Police at Winston-Salem State University arrested the student in front of her class […]
Posted inEducation, Student Loans
Student Loan Forgiveness Is On Hold. What’s Next for Black Borrowers?
A Texas judge this month halted President Joe Biden’s landmark student loan relief plan, which aims to forgive up to $20,000 in debt for tens of millions of borrowers. Now, the U.S. Department of Justice is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to reverse the judge’s ruling and allow Biden’s debt forgiveness program to move forward. […]
Posted inEducation, K-12
How Race Became the Central Issue in Many School Board Elections
The impending midterm elections could have a dramatic impact on several hot-button issues, from reproductive rights to immigration. But further down the ballot, another battle is brewing. In school board elections, contentious matters of race and identity have become defining issues in many local campaigns. Conservative groups have been funneling money into school board races […]
Posted inEducation, K-12
The Unintended Consequences of Brown v. Board of Education
When the U.S. Supreme Court deemed segregated schooling unconstitutional in 1954, the landmark decision become a symbol of racial progress. But the ruling came with a hidden cost: the dismissal of tens of thousands of Black teachers and principals as white school staff poured into previously all-Black schools and were promoted into leadership roles over […]
Posted inEducation, Student Loans
What More Student Loan Relief Would Mean for Black Borrowers
The news that Americans will see thousands of dollars wiped from their federal student loan debt has been met with elation by many — but disappointment by others. The Biden administration announced last month that it will forgive $10,000 to $20,000 per borrower, an unprecedented move to ease the nation’s student debt crisis. But those […]