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Diane Ravitch's Blog - Education & Personal Development
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Headstart Leaders Speak Out Against Kennedy’s Order to Ban Children of Non-Citizens | Diane Ravitch's blog
The first iteration of Trump's Big Ugly Bill included the elimination of Headstart. This program was birthed in 1965 as part of President Lyndon B. Johnson's "war on poverty." It provides food, medical screening, education, and socialization skills for low-income children ages 3-4. It also provides jobs for some of the children's mothers. But there…
SCOTUS Gives Trump Permission to Eliminate Department of Education | Diane Ravitch's blog
After the election, I confidently predicted that Trump would never be able to get rid of the U.S. Department of Education. To eliminate a Department required Congressional approval, and I was confident that Trump would never get that. He would need 60 votes, not 51, and he would never get them. There might even be…
New York Times Publishes Absurd Story About Mamdani | Diane Ravitch's blog
By now, you have certainly heard that a 33-year-old Muslim democratic socialist named Zoltan Mamdani won the Democratic primary for mayor in New York City. Most remarkably, Mamdani upset former Governor Andrew Cuomo, the favorite. At the start, Mamdani was an unknown, Cuomo had name recognition. Cuomo ran on a platform touting his experience and…
Measles Returns, 25 Years After It Was Eradicated | Diane Ravitch's blog
Measles is back! This is bad news. Our nation officially eradicated measles in 2000, yet measles is having a banner resurgence. Why? We all know by now. The COVID pandemic launched an anti-vaccine movement, joined by large numbers of parents who distrusted science and wanted to protect their children: not by immunizing them but by…
Jan Resseger: Trump Is Obliterating Civil Rights Laws | Diane Ravitch's blog
Jan Resseger is a social justice warrior who worked for the United Church of Christ. In retirement, she writes lucid, carefully researched articles about social policy and its effect on the nation's most vulnerable people. I should post everything she writes but I miss some. Here is Jan on Trump's Big Ugly Bill and how…
GOP Has a New Culture War Target: Superman | Diane Ravitch's blog
Democrats are tied up in knots trying to frame "the right message." Republicans are focused relentlessly on stupid, misleading culture war issues, invented out of whole cloth. They skillfully maneuver voters into arguing about fake issues, enabling them to sidestep their truly terrible policies and goals. A few years back, Republicans launched a full-scale attack…
Trump Throws Global Economy into Chaos with On-again, Off-again Tariffs | Diane Ravitch's blog
The New York Times said bluntly that Trump has plunged the global economy into chaos with his wild and wooly tariffs. He doesn't know what they are, who pays for them, how they affect trade. He is listening only to Peter Navarro, the tariff evangelist. Trump is not the master of "the art of the…
Josh Cowen Is Running for Congress in Michigan! | Diane Ravitch's blog
Josh Cowen has announced his candidacy for Congress in a swing district in Michigan. The seat is currently held by a Republican. Josh's main issues will be education and affordability. He told the AP: In an interview with The Associated Press, Cowen said federal worker layoffs and cuts to research funding and Medicaid inspired him to run for the Lansing-area seat…
Trump Budget Guts Scientific Research | Diane Ravitch's blog
William J. Broad, science writer for The New York Times, reports on the Trump administration's draconian cuts to scientific research. As the U.S. cuts back on investments in basic research, China is increasing its spending. I invite anyone who reads this to try to explain why this administration is reducing spending on scientific research. Broad…
The Day That Twitter’s GROK Went Full Nazi | Diane Ravitch's blog
I heard about this story after it happened. I heard that Elon Musk's GROK spewed out a steady stream of anti-Semitic slurs one day. I wasn't following Twitter that day, so I missed it. GROK is Elon Musk's AI voice. GROK provides responses to questions. A few days ago, as MSNBC noted, Musk's GROK started…
The Cartoonist Who Was Canceled by MAGA | Diane Ravitch's blog
Adam Zyglis of the Buffalo News was supposed to have a showing of his drawings in Buffalo. But it was canceled due to threats from MAGA people who don't like his artwork or his politics. This cartoon, in particular, was denounced by rightwing media, who agreed it was "vile."
The Texas Flood Deaths Could Have Been Prevented | Diane Ravitch's blog
Journalist Steve Monacelli reviews the consistent failure of Texas politicians to pay for an early flood warning system. Texas has a huge budget and a huge surplus, but public safety was not a priority for the legislature or the Governor Greg Abbott or the Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick. They were willing to cut taxes and…
Michael Cohen: Texas Sat on a $30 Billion Surplus and Refused to Build a Flood Warning System | Diane Ravitch's blog
The leaders of Texas have shown again and again that they are indifferent to the lives of the people of their state. Governor Greg Abbott has repeatedly refused to participate in the federal summer lunch program for low-income children, which would have fed nearly four million children. Abbott and his fellow Republicans imposed one of…
Ted Cruz Slashed NOAA Funding for Weather Forecasting in Trump Budget | Diane Ravitch's blog
Since the disaster in Texas, where more than 100 lives were lost to a flash flood in the middle of the night, Senator Ted Cruz has been readily available to comment for every television camera. He has warned Democrats and Republicans alike not to politicize the tragic events (forgetting that Republicans pounced on the Los…
Stephen Miller: A Life and Career Driven by Hate and Ruthless Ambition | Diane Ravitch's blog
The New York Times published a long article about the rise and power of Stephen Miller. Miller is one of Trump's closest aides. His title is Deputy Chief of Staff but he seems to be in charge of immigration policy and many more areas. His goal is to deport every immigrant out of the U.S.…
Dan Rather: Robert Kennedy Jr. Is a Public Menace | Diane Ravitch's blog
Dan Rather and his team at Steady writes fearlessly about the dangers posed by Trump and his unqualified Cabinet. In this post, he discusses the scandal of appointing Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Secretary of Health and Human Services. Kennedy has no medical or scientific qualifications. He is a lawyer whose head is filled with…
RFK Jr. Endorses a Packaged Meal Loaded with Additives | Diane Ravitch's blog
Amanda Seitz and Jonel Alecia of the Associated press reported that Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Secretary of Health and Human Services, endorsed a product that violates the standards of his "Make America Healthy Again" campaign. WASHINGTON (AP) — Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Monday praised a company that makes $7-a-pop meals that are delivered…
Michael Tomasky: What Will ICE Do with Its Enormous New Budget ? | Diane Ravitch's blog
From Day 1 of the Trump administration, the strategy of the Trumpers was to "flood the zone." That is, to roll out so many new policies that the public could not keep track, and the media couldn't deal with them all. Trump's staff had the blueprint in Project 2025, and they were prepared with dozens…
A Message to MAGA | Diane Ravitch's blog
It is sickening to realize that the US, our beloved country, is now aligned with Russia and Putin. It is sickening to realize that when the UN took a vote to condemn Putin's illegal invasion of Ukraine, the U.S. voted "no," allied with Russia, North Korea, and Iran. It is sickening to realize that the…
IRS Rules That Churches May Endorse Political Candidates | Diane Ravitch's blog
Trump and the Republican Party have long advocated for changes in federal law to allow churches to engage in political activities. The Johnson Amendment, enacted in 1954, limited the ability of churches and other religious institutions from issuing endorsements from the pulpit. Trump's base includes evangelical churches that wanted this ban lifted. Trump didn't have…
Anand: A Biblical Flood, a Girl’s Death, and a Great-Grandfather’s Legacy | Diane Ravitch's blog
Anand Giridharadas is a remarkable thinker and writer. In this post, he ties together the legacy of a very wealthy man who funded the fight against climate change and the terrible fate of his great-granddaughter Janie, who died in the flood in the Hill Cihntry of Texas. He wrote: In April 2013, Joe Barton, a…
Trump’s Energy Department Hires Climate Change Deniers | Diane Ravitch's blog
Is the climate changing? Most scientists who study the environment believe that it is. They agree that human-caused pollution degrades the climate and that the health of the planet requires less reliance on fossil fuels. The Biden Administration passed landmark legislation to encourage the transition from oil and gas to electricity. Trump has rolled back…
Alligator Alcatraz: Depravity in the Everglades | Diane Ravitch's blog
The editorial board of the Sun-Sentinel in Florida expressed shock and disgust at the creation of the detention camp for immigrants now called Alligator Alley. The existence of this hell-hole offended their sense of decency but they were offended even more by the casual glee that Trump, DeSantis, Noem and others expressed about the inhumanity…
Florida: Ousted Staff at New College Say DeSantis’ Allies Raided Restricted Funds to Pay President’s Bloated Salary | Diane Ravitch's blog
As part of his war on "woke," Florida Governor Ron DeSantis packed the board of New College with likeminded right wingers intent on purging the small college's progressive character. Two financial officers who were ousted during the transition revealed that the DeSantis board dipped into restricted gifts to pay the bloated salary of DeSantis-selected President,…
Anand: The Plutocrats Stop Pretending to be Philanthropists | Diane Ravitch's blog
Anand Girihadaras writes in his blog "The Ink" that the billionaire elite have given up their pretense of using their fortunes to make a better world. Two events stripped away the veil: one, the greedy gaudy wedding of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez in Venice and the announcement by Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla…
CBS Sells Out, Capitulates to Trump’s Demand for Payoff | Diane Ravitch's blog
During the 2024 Presidential campaign, "60 Minutes" invited both Trump and Harris to sit for an interview. Harris accepted, Trump declined. The interview took about an hour. As is customary, the editors cut the interview back to 20 minutes, the customary time slot. CBS used a short response from Harris about the war in Gaza…
Texas Floods: Staff Cuts at Weather Service, Plus Local Refusal to Pay Taxes for Early Warning=Disaster | Diane Ravitch's blog
The disastrous floods that swept through Hill Country and caused the deaths of 80 or more people were made worse by human error. The New York Times found that the local branches of the National Weather Service were short on staff; critical positions were empty. The computer specialists who worked for Elon Musk in an…
GOP Tax on College Endowments Excludes Some Lucky Winners | Diane Ravitch's blog
In 2017, Trump pushed through a 1.4% tax on college endowments. Not on all colleges, but on those that had a large endowment relative to the size of their student body. No President had ever thought to tax endowments, which typically subsidize scholarships and maintenance. This time around, Trump proposed a draconian increase in the…
DOGE Cuts to NOAA and National Weather Service Blamed for Deaths in Texas Floods | Diane Ravitch's blog
Among its many stupid decisions, Elon Musk's DOGE cut the staff of NOAA and the Natuonal Weather Service. Experts warned that people would die without accurate warnings. Trump ignored the warnings; so did Republicans in Congress. The cuts were imposed. The savings were a pittance. Unprepared for the storm and flooding in Texas a few…
July 4th: No Celebration for Me Today | Diane Ravitch's blog
I have always been a patriotic American. I love the United States. To me, this country has always represented the words of welcome--the poem by Emma Lazarus-- attached to the statue of Liberty. Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame, With conquering limbs astride from land to land; Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates…
Should Trump Be Added to Mount Rushmore? | Diane Ravitch's blog
This is a headline I never expected to write. But it's no joke. Republicans are pushing the idea of adding Trump to the nation's pantheon of great presidents: Washington, Jefferson, T. Roosevelt, and Lincoln. The New York Times has a digital representation of the issue. It shows Mount Rushmore as it currently exists and shows…
Two Highly-Recommended Movies! | Diane Ravitch's blog
When I see something I really enjoy, I like to share with you. Number one is Mariska Hargitay's brilliant documentary "My Mom Jayne." Her mother was the Hollywood icon Jayne Mansfield. She died in a horrible automobile crash when she was only 34. Mariska and two of her siblings were asleep in the back seat…
Did You Know That Trump Is Suing the Pulitzer Prize Board? | Diane Ravitch's blog
I don't know how this story escaped me, but when I saw it, I was shocked. I thought I had become numb to whatever Trump does or says, but my reaction to this story proves it's not true. I'm shocked and stunned to learn that he is suing the board that awards Pulitzer Prizes for…
Jan Resseger: Administration Cancels Federal Funding on Short Notice | Diane Ravitch's blog
Jan Resseger reports on an unprecedented stoppage in federal funding of Congressionally authorized school programs. School districts across the nation were informed on June 30 that the funding for five important programs would be withheld on July 1 pending further review. The administration really would like to terminate the programs but since they can't do…
Timothy Snyder: Ed Martin is the Loyal Puppet of Putin and Trump | Diane Ravitch's blog
When Trump named Ed Martin as Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, those who know his record (and are not faithful Trumpers) were appalled. He had actively defended the January 6 insurrection and had a long record as a Putin apologist, among other things. A strange choice for a very important role in…
Julian Vasquez Heilig: Racism and Sexism Are Baked into AI | Diane Ravitch's blog
Julian Heilig Vasquez is a scholar of diversity, equity, and inclusion. His blog Cloaking Inequity is a reliable source of information on these topics. He writes here that artificial intelligence reflects the biases of the status quo. Heilig is a Professor of Educational Leadership, Research, and Technology at Western Michigan University. He is a leader in…
Billionaires Are Running Our Country, Says German Data Firm | Diane Ravitch's blog
The German data company Datapulse released a report showing the vast and growing power of billionaires in the U.S. The report confirms your and my suspicions about the rigging of our economy and our politics. Surely it's no surprise that Trump's Cabinet is packed with billionaires. Guess who they are looking out for? Not you.…
The Senate Passes Trump’s Big Ugly Budget Deal, and Vouchers Are in It | Diane Ravitch's blog
The U.S. Senate just passed Trump's massive budget bill, which renews tax cuts for the rich and makes deep cuts to Medicaid, about $1 trillion. Three Republican Senators voted against it: Rand Paul of Kentucky, Thom Tillis of North Carolina, and Susan Collins of Maine. Vice-President JD Vance cast the tie-breaking vote. Many hoped that…
David Dayen: What Else Is Included in the Big Ugly Budget Bill? | Diane Ravitch's blog
Since this is a mostly education blog, I have covered the budget debate by focusing on what the GOP is doing to maim public schools and enrich private (especially religious schools). In the past, Republicans were strong supporters of public schools. But the billionaires came along and brought their checkbooks with them. The rest of…
Carol Burris: Update on the School Funds in Trump’s Big Ugly Budget Bill | Diane Ravitch's blog
Most attention has focused on the horrible cuts to Medicaid and food assistance (SNAP) in the bill just passed by the GOP majority in the Senate. It has some differences with the version passed by the GOP House, so there will be changes and compromises. Carol Burris, executive director of the Network for Public Educaruon,…