Quick summary: This week’s newsletter covers a range of education stories. We start by reflecting on the tragic school shooting near Atlanta. Amid this somber news, we highlight stories of students advocating for change as they face systemic racism in their schools, featuring stories from Kansas City Defender, Prism, Sahan Journal, Epicenter NYC and others.
Protesters fill the boardroom at the University of Minnesota, McNamara Alumni Center, to oppose the University of Minnesota's decision not to divest from Israel. Credit: Dymanh Chhoun for Sahan Journal
Another school shooting; a mass walkout and student-led change: What’s new this school year
Hey fam,
The back-to-school stories I’ve read this week have filled me with both hope and fear. We’re seeing stories of youth creating safe spaces to discuss politics and the issues that matter most to them. Yet, we’re also hearing stories of students unknowingly drinking water contaminated with lead and facing unfair treatment for standing up against injustices.
We’ll be diving into these stories and more in today’s newsletter.
But first, we want to acknowledge and offer our condolences to the students, families and school administrators affected by the tragic shooting at Apalachee High School outside of Atlanta this week, which left four people dead and nine injured. Mass shootings have become an all too familiar reality in the U.S.
We hope you stay informed about what's happening around the country with URL Media, so you can make informed decisions this school year, which coincides with a critical point in the election season.In Oakland, California, a public school district marred by years of lead contamination in its waterways has driven a group of educators and concerned parents to condemn district officials for failing to address the issue across several schools, reports Prism. Lead contamination, which is associated with numerous dangers — including damage to children’s brains and nervous systems, slowed growth and development — is an extreme health hazard to any student exposed to it, stresses Stuart Thompson, a sixth-grade math and science teacher at Frick United Academy.
Featured Stories
India Currents advocates for embracing the "Third Age" as a period of growth and purpose, attributed to American actor Jane Fonda who views aging as an ascension of lifelong learning, community service and emotional health rather than a decline. Read more here →
In 1964, Black civil rights activists in San Francisco staged a provocative protest at the Republican National Convention wearing KKK hoods, showing that under a Barry Goldwater presidency white supremacy would be legitimized. Learn more about this history from PushBlack →
Following next week's presidential debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump, Documented will host a 30-minute virtual roundtable on immigration organized allowing attendees to engage with immigration experts, ask questions and gain insights into how immigration issues are shaping the upcoming elections. Register here →
Four years after Breonna Taylor’s tragic death, a judge ruled that her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, was responsible for her killing, not the officers who shot her. Capital B highlights the ruling is a stark reminder of the need to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act and for Kamala Harris, if elected president, to address policing. Read more here →
Lindsey McLendon, senior fellow for Criminal Justice Reform at American Progress, joined Dr. James Peterson on WURD Radio to discuss her column, "Kamala Harris Knows How To Make Communities Safer,” exploring the presidential candidate’s record over her decades-long career and her commitment to reducing gun violence. 🎧 Listen to the interview here →
URL Original Content: More than 140 immigrant rights and privacy groups urge DHS to halt use of AI
More than 140 organizations advocating for immigrants, racial justice, and privacy, are calling on the Department of Homeland Security to end its deployment of artificial intelligence by December if it cannot comply with federal requirements for responsible use of the technology.
The letter, drafted by the Just Futures Law advocacy group, claims that DHS is in violation of federal policies set by the Biden administration for the responsible use of AI. Therefore, it must cancel or suspend its use by Dec. 1, as required by the Office of Management and Budget, according to the letter addressed to Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.
“The stakes are high,” the letter states. “DHS’s latest AI tools impact millions of people in the U.S. Given the historical discrimination, inaccuracies, and complexities of the immigration system, we have serious concerns that DHS’s AI products could exacerbate existing biases or be abused in the future to supercharge detention and deportation.”
