Education News
Reports on education reform, school choice, and classroom policies. The Daily Signal provides conservative commentary and opinion alongside education news.
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- Opinion
School Worker Was Told She Could Be Fired If She Offered to Pray for Someone Again
It was a small sentence—”I will pray for you”— but it meant big trouble for Cony High School technician Toni Richardson. When Richardson offered that comfort to another Christian on staff in private, she was hauled before school officials and warned not to utter a word about her faith again. District officials kicked off the controversy…Tony Perkins -
- News
School Choice on the Front Line for Military Families
Men and women of the armed forces worry about their children’s education while deployed overseas, says Rep. Jim Banks, R-Ind., and Congress can do something about it. “Most people don’t realize that our national security and military readiness is significantly affected by the quality of education made available to children of service members,” Banks said…Casey Ryan -
- Opinion
Hollywood Actress: Why I Homeschool My Kids
My name is Sam Sorbo. I’m a mom to three wonderful children, and the author of “They’re YOUR Kids: An Inspirational Journey from Self-Doubter to Home School Advocate.” Home schooling seems like a radical idea—but only because we are conditioned to think of it that way. Why? Because most of us attended school. But after…Sam Sorbo -
- News
Stanford Hiring Microaggression and Implicit Bias Staffer for Medicine School
Stanford University is hiring an employee to teach its medical school faculty about microaggressions and implicit bias, according to a Monday report. The university is hiring a “Manager of Inclusion and Culture Strategy” to host social justice trainings for its medical school faculty, as well as investigate and emphasize diversity and inclusion, reported Campus Reform. “Design training opportunities for leadership,…Rob Shimshock -
- Opinion
Leftist Students Fail to Defund Conservative Group at America’s Oldest Catholic University
What’s so controversial about Catholics believing Catholic teaching? A lot, according to some students at Georgetown University. In a clash that’s gotten nationwide attention, the campus’ liberal wing has been fighting to defund a conservative club that’s dedicated to ending the hook-up culture, fighting promiscuity, and defending natural marriage. And while these should be no-brainers…Tony Perkins -
- Opinion
GOP Tax Proposal Would Advance Education Choice
The GOP tax plan, released Thursday, would take the long-overdue step of allowing parents to use elementary and secondary education expenses under 529 savings plans. This could help parents across the country access more education options for their children. The plan would effectively eliminate the existing Coverdell savings account program (which allows families to save for…Lindsey Burke -
- News
Washington State Schools Might Adopt Planned Parenthood Sex Ed Program
Washington state public schools are considering adopting a Planned Parenthood sex education program that already operates in four other states and is looking to go national. The Human Growth and Development Citizen Advisory Committee for Spokane, Washington, is considering using the abortion giant’s “Get Real” program, which will head to the school board as well…Grace Carr -
- Opinion
In the Midst of a Natural Paradise, a Deserted Federal School Fails Children
In a remote village, deep down in the Grand Canyon, visitors will find one of the world’s most amazing environments. Havasu Canyon is best known for its stunning waterfalls and breathtaking blue green waters, which attract thousands of tourists every year. What visitors will also find is a federally run school that is closed much…Romina Boccia -
- Opinion
The Answer to Failing Schools? Give Students ‘Backpacks Full of Cash’
Imagine you are Jeanne Allen—who joined me recently on “Common Ground”—and you’re a longtime educational reformer, and you’ve coined this phrase, “backpacks full of cash.” And the phrase is catching on because it truly captures an exciting idea in American education—the notion that, instead of appropriating giant sums to school systems, we, in effect, give…Bill Walton -
- Opinion
The False Ideas Intellectuals Peddle at College Campuses
As George Orwell said, “some ideas are so stupid that only intellectuals believe them.” Many stupid ideas originate with academics on college campuses. If they remained there and didn’t infect the rest of society, they might be a source of entertainment, much in the way a circus is. Let’s look at a few stupid ideas…Walter E. Williams -
- News
Nearly 30% of Public School Teachers Are ‘Chronically’ Skipping Classes, Study Says
Almost 30 percent of public school teachers are “chronically” skipping classes, according to a new study. Over 28 percent of public school educators miss 11 or more school days each year, discovered a report from the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, an education policy nonprofit think tank. The study, released Wednesday, found that public school teachers are three times…Rob Shimshock -
- Opinion
I’m a Conservative College Student. The First Amendment Is Dying on Campuses Like Mine.
As a conservative columnist for my campus newspaper, it’s not unusual for me to be derided and accused of hate by leftist students. Some have been calling for my firing ever since I started writing. I’m a mainstream conservative-libertarian. Apparently, that is beyond the pale. Campuses are lively places, full of debate on political, social,…Bradley Polumbo -
- Opinion
Federal Student Loans Are Not the Answer. Let the Perkins Loan Program Expire.
On Sept. 30, the outdated federal Perkins Loan Program is set to expire. Policymakers should resist the temptation to revive this duplicative program and instead pursue options that will set higher education policy on track to meaningful reform. Originally created in the 1950s to help students with the cost of attending college, the Perkins Loan…Mary Clare Amselem -
- News
9th Circuit Blocks Praying Coach’s Push to Get High School Job Back
The Supreme Court could be the next stop for a high school football coach after a federal appeals court said a Washington state school district acted properly in firing him for praying in public after games. A three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Wednesday that Joe Kennedy “took advantage” of…Ken McIntyre -
- Opinion
Put Parents in Charge of Education, Not Government
After three court battles, two legislative sessions, and an outside legal bill of over $500,000, we have yet to achieve what parents in Nevada want: the right, and financial ability, to oversee their children’s education. The lesson is one for the entire country. What went wrong? The Republican governor and Democratic-led legislature’s unwillingness to spend…Dan Schwartz -
- News
University Reverses Decision to Ban 9/11 Memorial on Lawn
Southern Methodist University has reversed a decision to ban the display of a 9/11 memorial on a campus lawn, after students objected. The university changed its policy regarding display locations Wednesday after meeting with several student groups, according to The Daily Campus and statements obtained by The Daily Caller News Foundation. Displays on the north end of…Rob Shimshock -
- Opinion
Is College Education Worth It?
August is the month when parents bid farewell to not only their college-bound youngsters but also a sizable chunk of cash for tuition. More than 18 million students attend our more than 4,300 degree-granting institutions. A question parents, their college-bound youngsters, and taxpayers should ask: Is college worth it? Let’s look at some of the…Walter E. Williams -
- News
K-12 School Agrees to Gender Inclusion Policy With No Notice or ‘Opt Out’ for Parents
After facing a lawsuit over its treatment of a kindergartener who identifies as transgender, a nationally recognized public charter school in Minnesota has agreed to adopt a far-reaching inclusionary policy. The school also agreed to pay the child’s parents $120,000. In the settlement, Nova Classical Academy promised to establish a gender inclusion policy that doesn’t…Kelsey Bolar -
- News
8-Year-Old Sues Private School Over Gender Identity
An 8-year-old student identified as transgender is suing a private school in Orange Country, California, for failing to let the child express a preferred gender identity. The lawsuit, filed Aug. 2, alleges that Heritage Oak Private School violated the Unruh Civil Rights Act, which outlaws discrimination based on sex or sexual orientation, because it wouldn’t allow Nikki Brar to wear…Grace Carr -
- Opinion
Transgender Activists Are Seeking to Undermine Parental Rights
Radical feminists aspire to revolutionize society in three ways. First, they seek to eliminate the different ways boys and girls are socialized, so that they will come to have very similar characters and temperaments. Second, they seek to cultivate financial and emotional independence of women and children from the family. Third, they hope to erase…Scott Yenor