Here’s what I’ve been reading this week.
Educational disparities still exist: we should face this reality and work towards true equality.
It could become harder to get birth control if this new rule passes.
“Just because a teacher is black does not mean that he or she is going to relate to every black student’s experience. No one would assume that a white teacher relates to every white student, but the absurdity doesn’t necessarily register with school officials who may be blinded by stereotypes”
Teachers in many areas of the United States aren’t paid enough, so they are moving to school administrator positions causing many students to lose good teachers.
Economic diversity, measured by receipt of the Pell Grant Scholarship, has been declining among colleges because of budget cuts. We are making it harder for lower-income students to attend Universities. Shout out to F&M for enrolling more lower-income students, even without a large endowment.
The power of yoga can heal childhood trauma.
Good policy needs to be based on good science. Pediatricians, at AAP, recommend that infants sleep in the same room (not bed) as parents for one year. More recent research suggests this may not be good for parents of infants after 4 months old. This leaves parents to decide for themselves what works for them and their families.
Federal funding toward preschool should increase, not decrease.
“First, the federal government should provide financial incentives for states to expand enrollment and raise quality….Second, the federal government should conduct a national pre-K quality audit of public and private preschool programs.”
We have focused so much on telling girls they can be anything they want, encouraging them to make choices freely. But, it’s time we do the same for our sons. Letting boys cry, giving them good role models, and raising them to respect women and share in household responsibilities are among the recommendations this article provides.
Tanya Tavassolie 
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