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Amid rising antisemitism in schools, districts have been reminded by the Department of Education that they must address address harassment and discrimination based on race, color or national origin. A Dear Colleague letter stated that the department’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) may investigate complaints of antisemitic harassment or discrimination under Title VI if districts fail to do so. Catherine Lhamon, assistant secretary at the Office for Civil Rights, said: "Schools must take immediate and appropriate action to respond to harassment that creates a hostile environment. Title VI protects all students, including students who are or are perceived to be Jewish, from discrimination based on race, color, or national origin.” According to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), which tracks incidents of antisemitic harassment, vandalism and assault, there were 494 incidents of antisemitism recorded on school grounds in 2022, marking an almost 50% increase over the prior year. Of those incidents, slightly more than half — 257— were harassment, 232 were mostly vandalism, and five were assaults. In its letter to schools, OCR said it would investigate complaints related to students being subjected to slurs, stereotyped or harassed for ethnic attire, language or skin color. The department also said it plans to conduct site visits to K-12 schools, including those that have experienced increases in antisemitic incidents but have not yet addressed them. 

 

K-12 Dive

A school district in Tennessee has joined a growing list of school districts throughout the country suing major social media corporations such as TikTok and YouTube over a student mental health problem. Clarksville-Montgomery County Schools, the state's s seventh largest school system, filed its case earlier this month with the help of the California-based Frantz Law Group and the Tennessee-based Lewis Thomason law offices. Chris McCarty, a Knoxville attorney who is helping to coordinate litigants, said other Tennessee districts are interested in joining the suit. The lawsuit comes after U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy issues a warning last week about the risks of social media to young people. School officials in Clarksville-Montgomery County say they’ve fought an “uphill battle” in recent years against cyberbullying, mental health disorders, classroom disruptions, threats of school violence, and young people’s access to inappropriate content. Among other things, the district is seeking changes to the companies’ products, funding to pay for education and treatment programs on excessive use of social media, and an unspecified award for damages. 

 

Chalkbeat

Lawmakers in Louisiana are demanding answers from state education officials about the $8m set aside last year to put cameras in special education classrooms. Advocates for children with disabilities have been trying for years to get cameras installed in special education classrooms and the money was distributed directly to school districts in August and September 2020. Classroom cameras were bought in an effort to protect children with special needs at school, particularly students who are nonverbal and can't speak up for themselves. One advocate said school districts still refuse to install cameras, despite having the money to do so. State law dictates that school systems must install a camera in a classroom if a parent of a child with special needs requests one. Education officials want an additional $800,000 this year to help with the cameras upkeep.

 

The 74 (Online)

The medical information of some San Diego USD students was compromised in a cybersecurity breach last fall. The breach happened on October 25 and families were notified in December. Staff and students in the district have since been issued new passwords to access the district’s network. The district is currently conducting an investigation and plans to notify affected students as it identifies them.

 

San Diego Union-Tribune

Texas lawmakers have approved a school safety bill, which requires mental health training for school district employees who regularly interact with students and at least one armed security officer at all campuses during regular school hours. The bill was passed in a 93-49 vote and now heads to Governor Greg Abbott's desk for signature. The bill comes just over a year after a gunman killed 19 children and two teachers at the Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. President Biden has urged lawmakers to act on gun control and safety for children in schools.

 

The Hill

California teachers are facing a retention crisis, and while increased salaries and benefits are part of the solution, school workforce wellness for adults is also a key component. Labor and management collaborations have borne fruit on a number of issues in many districts, including educator wellness. Innovative solutions such as the Bakersfield City School District's support mechanism guides and the West Contra Costa County Unified School District's recognition of burnout and allowance of mental health days are important, but not enough. A multitiered system of support aimed at promoting a healthy and robust teacher workforce at all levels, pre-K-12, is needed. The Torlakson Whole Child Institute is teaming with the California Labor Management Initiative for a session on this topic at their upcoming Summer Institute to promote new innovative approaches and help scale these educator and school workforce wellness opportunities to districts across California.

 

EdSource

A bill has been filed by an Alabama state representative that would reduce the requirements for alternative teacher certification programs. Sponsored by Rep. Susan DuBose, R-Hoover, HB 342, would limit the State Board of Education to be limited to four areas: successful operation in at least five states, without being on probation; evidence of certifying at least 10,000 teachers and successful operation for at least ten years and requirement that the applicant pass an exam aligned with Alabama standards of pedagogy and/ or subject area. Programs can also be eligible if approved by the Council for the Accreditation of Education Preparation. DuBose said: "Ideally, we would love to get all of our teachers from our four year colleges here in the state, but they just are not producing enough teachers." Currently, alternative teacher preparation programs need to have documentation of successful program operation and operation in at least five states. The programs also need to meet one of the following: accreditation by CAEP or successfully complete the Alabama State Department of Education’s review process.

 

The 74

California is considering adopting a science-based standard governing the amount of added sugar and salt allowed in school meals. The state's Senate Bill 348 builds on the state's landmark universal school meal policy, which guarantees two free school meals per day for all students, by providing more fresh, scratch-made meals that contain less added sugar and salt. The average American child consumes roughly 19 teaspoons of added sugar per day, which is more than three times the amount pediatricians recommend. Sodium isn’t far behind, with children consuming nearly double the doctor-recommended salt serving per day. Diets so high in added sugar and salt increase the risk of contracting diseases like diabetes, hypertension and stroke. Erin Primer, who has led her school district’s transition to healthier, fresh-grown meals that meet doctor-recommended levels of added sugar and salt, has seen student participation in school meals increase by 52% since the school menu was revamped.

 

EdSource

School of the Wild is a statewide initiative that partners with schools across Iowa to provide elementary and middle school children with a week-long interactive experience at parks in and around the area. The program, which started as a dream in 1997, has expanded outside of the Iowa City area and now offers programming in 36 Iowa counties. The program is supported by a multitude of organizations in both participation and financial assistance. The goal of the program is to build in opportunities for children to explore and connect with nature that are embedded in learning environments. The program gives kids facilitated time in nature where creativity and curiosity inspires learning. The program has proved its value, with high numbers for returners and general participation. The education taking place in the School of the Wild is a tool that students can bring with them regardless of their future career path.

 

The Gazette Cedar Rapids Iowa

Chinese President Xi Jinping has urged top officials to step up efforts to create a "high quality" education system with more global infuence. According to the official Xinhua News Agency, Xi told the Politburo that China needs to set up world-class universities offering scientific courses that meet the nation’s major strategic needs. The country should seek to attract more overseas students, Xi said.  The government will “actively push for the building of the ‘Study in China’ brand, present compelling China stories, spread Chinese experience, and make China’s voice heard, to strengthen the international influence and power of the country’s education,” Xinhua quoted Xi as saying.

 

Bloomberg