EWA's blog about education issues and topics from a journalist's perspective. The Educated Reporter is anchored by Emily Richmond with contributions from EWA staff and guests.
EWA’s blog about education issues and topics from a journalist’s
perspective. The Educated Reporter is anchored by Emily Richmond with contributions
from EWA staff and guests.
The tension over having armed police on public schools campuses isn’t new, but it’s moved back into the spotlight in recent months. In early June, the school board in Minneapolis — where George Floyd was killed during an arrest by the city’s police — voted unanimously to sever its ties with the city’s police department.
If schools can be opened safely, then do it. “If you can’t do it
safely, you shouldn’t do it at all.” That’s the view of the
Democratic congressman with the most clout in federal education
policy.
U.S. Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Va.), the chairman of the House
Committee on Education and Labor, dismissed
recent CDC guidelines that emphasize the importance of
reopening schools in a Friday, July 24 webinar at the Education
Writers Association’s National Seminar.
Missed some of the sessions this week — or just want to relive
some of the great moments? We’ve gathered some outstanding quotes
from our speakers in this post.
Conference attendees can also watch video replays of most
sessions on the conference
site, and everyone can follow along on
Twitter at #EWA20.
In a new investigation, The Huffington Post’s Rebecca Klein found disturbing examples of Christian schools that receive taxpayer dollars — through tax credit scholarship and voucher programs — that were requiring LGBTQ students to undergo “conversion therapy” in an attempt to change their sexual orientation. The controversial practice…
The U.S. Supreme court today struck down a Trump administration
effort to end protection from deportation for more than 650,000
young undocumented immigrants — including many educators and
students. The action to prevent these individuals from legally
living and working in the United States was “arbitrary and
capricious,” the high court declared in
its 5-4 ruling.
School districts and universities nationwide are reconsidering
the use of law enforcement officers on campus after yet another
unarmed black man died at the hands of police.
For education reporter Adolfo Guzman-Lopez of KPCC, Southern California Public Radio, life has been “an emotional roller coaster” since he was shot in the throat by police with a rubber bullet. The incident happened May 31 in Long Beach, where Guzman-Lopez was covering a protest against police brutality and the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
Across the country, education reporters are out in the field
covering community protests mounted in response to police
brutality and the death of George Floyd, a black man who died
after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for nearly
nine minutes.
Are left-leaning extremists inciting riots in Idaho? Is a
Minnesota McDonald’s burning after protests? Did a protestor
steal a Chicago police horse?
No, no and no. All of these claims — which were all shared widely
on social media — are false. But in highly emotional situations
like demonstrators protesting the death of George Floyd,
misinformation and disinformation can take on a life of its own
on social media.
Here are several resources for combating misinformation in your
reporting — and some examples of debunked stories.
Among the biggest challenges journalists face these days:
covering race issues accurately and fairly. Reporters not steeped
in the subcultures they’re sent out to cover must especially
guard against ways their own unconscious biases, or ignorance
might cause them to unintentionally reinforce unwarranted
stereotypes or even reinforce community traumas.
Below, we’ve gathered reporting guides; materials to help you
acknowledge your privilege; books on racial inequities in
schools; and places you can donate.
On June 2, the Minneapolis School Board
voted unanimously to sever its ties with the city’s police
department, which had provided training and oversight for its
armed school resource officers. The decision came in the wake of
the death of George Floyd, a black man who died after a city
police officer knelt on his neck for more than eight minutes
during an arrest. Several officers involved in the incident now
face felony charges.
With more celebrity defendants pleading guilty to using a high-priced fixer to help their kids cheat their way into top colleges, what’s been the impact on college admissions? The Wall Street Journal’s Melissa Korn, whose book on the “Varsity Blues” scandal has been optioned for a television project, discusses the latest developments, as well as the fallout more broadly for higher education.
The Future of School Police
Some school districts rethinking security guards and armed officers in wake of George Floyd death and protests of racial injustice (EWA Radio: Episode 242)
The tension over having armed police on public schools campuses isn’t new, but it’s moved back into the spotlight in recent months. In early June, the school board in Minneapolis — where George Floyd was killed during an arrest by the city’s police — voted unanimously to sever its ties with the city’s police department.
US Rep. Bobby Scott: ‘If You Can’t Open Schools Safely, Don’t’
Congressman details schools' planning, funding, and Republican discord during EWA interview
If schools can be opened safely, then do it. “If you can’t do it safely, you shouldn’t do it at all.” That’s the view of the Democratic congressman with the most clout in federal education policy.
U.S. Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Va.), the chairman of the House Committee on Education and Labor, dismissed recent CDC guidelines that emphasize the importance of reopening schools in a Friday, July 24 webinar at the Education Writers Association’s National Seminar.
Here’s What You Missed at the 73rd National Seminar
Missed some of the sessions this week — or just want to relive some of the great moments? We’ve gathered some outstanding quotes from our speakers in this post.
Conference attendees can also watch video replays of most sessions on the conference site, and everyone can follow along on Twitter at #EWA20.
At These Christian Schools Getting Public Dollars, LGBTQ Students Pushed Into Conversion Therapy
New investigation finds academies receiving millions in taxpayer dollars are using the controversial practice with students with pseudoscientific conversion therapy (EWA Radio: Episode 241)
In a new investigation, The Huffington Post’s Rebecca Klein found disturbing examples of Christian schools that receive taxpayer dollars — through tax credit scholarship and voucher programs — that were requiring LGBTQ students to undergo “conversion therapy” in an attempt to change their sexual orientation. The controversial practice…
DACA Ruling Has Important Implications for Educators, Students
Find tips and resources to inform local coverage of decision's impact
The U.S. Supreme court today struck down a Trump administration effort to end protection from deportation for more than 650,000 young undocumented immigrants — including many educators and students. The action to prevent these individuals from legally living and working in the United States was “arbitrary and capricious,” the high court declared in its 5-4 ruling.
Schools, Universities Reconsider Police on Campus
George Floyd's killing prompts schools to shift resources to counselors, other forms of security
School districts and universities nationwide are reconsidering the use of law enforcement officers on campus after yet another unarmed black man died at the hands of police.
Protest Stories Are Education Stories
Longtime radio journalist Adolfo Guzman-Lopez shares insights from the Southern California schools beat, and how to effectively cover the public response to George Floyd’s death
(EWA Radio: Episode 240)
For education reporter Adolfo Guzman-Lopez of KPCC, Southern California Public Radio, life has been “an emotional roller coaster” since he was shot in the throat by police with a rubber bullet. The incident happened May 31 in Long Beach, where Guzman-Lopez was covering a protest against police brutality and the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
Covering Protests: Education Journalists’ Voices From the Field
'The protest stories are education stories'
Across the country, education reporters are out in the field covering community protests mounted in response to police brutality and the death of George Floyd, a black man who died after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes.
How Journalists Can Fact-Check Highly Emotional Stories
Misinformation on social media runs rampant during protests over George Floyd's death
Are left-leaning extremists inciting riots in Idaho? Is a Minnesota McDonald’s burning after protests? Did a protestor steal a Chicago police horse?
No, no and no. All of these claims — which were all shared widely on social media — are false. But in highly emotional situations like demonstrators protesting the death of George Floyd, misinformation and disinformation can take on a life of its own on social media.
Here are several resources for combating misinformation in your reporting — and some examples of debunked stories.
Tools to Help Reporters Examine Their Racial Biases
Reporting guides and other materials to guard against unconscious bias
Among the biggest challenges journalists face these days: covering race issues accurately and fairly. Reporters not steeped in the subcultures they’re sent out to cover must especially guard against ways their own unconscious biases, or ignorance might cause them to unintentionally reinforce unwarranted stereotypes or even reinforce community traumas.
Below, we’ve gathered reporting guides; materials to help you acknowledge your privilege; books on racial inequities in schools; and places you can donate.
Word on the Beat: School Resource Officer
In wake of nationwide protests over George Floyd's death, role of school police is questioned
On June 2, the Minneapolis School Board voted unanimously to sever its ties with the city’s police department, which had provided training and oversight for its armed school resource officers. The decision came in the wake of the death of George Floyd, a black man who died after a city police officer knelt on his neck for more than eight minutes during an arrest. Several officers involved in the incident now face felony charges.
What’s New With ‘Varsity Blues’
The latest on the college-admissions scandal, and how COVID-19 is reshaping what campuses will look like this fall
(EWA Radio: Episode 239)
With more celebrity defendants pleading guilty to using a high-priced fixer to help their kids cheat their way into top colleges, what’s been the impact on college admissions? The Wall Street Journal’s Melissa Korn, whose book on the “Varsity Blues” scandal has been optioned for a television project, discusses the latest developments, as well as the fallout more broadly for higher education.