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Recent Editions
Education Slice
National
A federal judge has temporarily blocked the Trump administration from requiring U.S. colleges to submit seven years of detailed admissions data, including information on race, gender, test scores, and grade point averages. The order from Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV in Boston pauses the policy after 17 Democratic state attorneys general filed a lawsuit arguing the request was rushed, unlawful, and could expose sensitive personal information about individual students. The administration introduced the data demand following the Supreme Court’s 2023 decision that ended most race-conscious admissions policies, saying the information was needed to ensure universities were complying with the ruling. State officials opposing the policy argue it is part of a broader effort to dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. The temporary block relieves colleges from a looming March 18 deadline and will remain in place while the court considers the case.
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Education Slice
California
The California Department of Education has filed a lawsuit against Oakland USD for allegedly failing to address "pervasive antisemitism" on its campuses. The lawsuit, initiated on March 5, follows a state order from January that mandated specific actions to combat a "discriminatory environment" in Oakland schools. The state claims OUSD "took no action whatsoever," despite requests for more time to implement changes. The lawsuit highlights a national debate on how schools handle antisemitism amid the Israel-Palestine conflict, with critics arguing that efforts to combat antisemitism may suppress pro-Palestinian viewpoints. The state required OUSD to take several actions, including sending letters condemning antisemitism and holding assemblies about the Holocaust.
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Education Slice
Texas
Four Muslim parents and three private schools have filed lawsuits against Texas officials, claiming discrimination in the state's private school voucher program. The lawsuits, initiated by Mehdi Cherkaoui, a Muslim father and lawyer, argue that the program unjustly excludes Islamic schools based on "categorical presumptions" of terrorism linked to their religious identity. Cherkaoui, who pays nearly $18,000 annually for his children's tuition, seeks to access approximately $10,500 in voucher funding. The lawsuits name Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, Comptroller Kelly Hancock, and Education Commissioner Mike Morath as defendants, highlighting the need for the state to accept all eligible Islamic schools without bias. The plaintiffs demand that the court prevent the state from denying approval based on religious identity or alleged ties to terrorism.
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Education Slice
Florida
Florida's new legislation, HB 1471, mandates that schools associated with designated terrorist organizations lose state-sponsored tuition vouchers, and students supporting such groups face expulsion. Gov. Ron DeSantis is expected to sign the bill, which allows him to classify groups as "domestic terrorist organizations." Bill sponsor Rep. Hillary Cassel said: "If you are a student that says, ‘I wanna hold my flag for a certified domestic terrorist organization,' and you try to promote other students into that organization, you can be expelled." The bill passed the House 80-25 and the Senate 25-11, amid concerns it unfairly targets specific religions. The legislation follows scrutiny of Islamic schools allegedly promoting Sharia law, with Attorney General James Uthmeier stating that taxpayer-funded vouchers for such schools "likely contravene Florida law and undermine our national security." A related bill, HB 1473, will also be sent to the governor.
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