Lego says only 1/3 of educators, parents believe students are engaged in learning
As students return to the classroom, a new report by Lego is looking into whether students are engaged while in class, and how teachers and parents can help build their confidence. It works out that the company behind the report is familiar with the building part.
Lego Education released its “State of Classroom Engagement Report” during the week of Sept. 1, which includes insight from over 6,000 administrators, teachers and students from the U.S. and four other countries.
According to Lego, only one-third of the group said their students are engaged in learning. In a short film released by Lego Education in conjunction with the report — called “What Does Engagement Look Like?” — teachers and administrators responded to that very question.
Some of their responses:
“It is active. It is participatory.”
“Lots of talking.”
“Noisy.”
“They’re taller.”
“Spark and energy.”
“To me, engagement looks like I’m happy to be here every day with you and I can’t wait to see what you learn and I learn and what we learn together.”
According to the report, administrators and teachers have varying opinions on how to address disengaged students.
Administrators point to the curricula needing change. Around 96% believe new resources and approaches are necessary to increase engagement.
While teachers see a lack of training as the biggest hurdle. Eight in 10 teachers say they would be happier in their careers if their students were more engaged.
The report said 47% of U.S. school administrators believe that absenteeism and overall declines in enrollment are related to students being disengaged.
Lego Education said a way to get students more engaged is by learning through play. This is something Lego has a lot of research in. Through its Lego Foundation, the company has an entire website dedicated to the learning-through-play concept.
According to the report, 89% of students said their favorite way of learning is through interactive experiences. Beyond the report, others are also looking into play as a tool to benefit students in the classroom including Harvard and UNICEF.
US charges 6 Hamas leaders with terrorism over Oct. 7 attack
The U.S. Department of Justice has announced terrorism charges against senior leaders of Hamas. And with the kickoff to a new NFL season a day away, betting on the games is expected to break records. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024.
US charges 6 Hamas leaders with terrorism over Oct. 7 attack
The Department of Justice has announced charges against six senior Hamas officials for killing at least 43 Americans since the terrorist attack on Oct. 7, 2023, in Israel. Nearly a year later, there are mass protests taking place in the streets of Israel after six more bodies of hostages were recovered.
U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said the federal charges unsealed Tuesday, Sept. 3, won’t be the last efforts by the DOJ to hold Hamas accountable for its heinous crimes.
Justice Department Announces Terrorism Charges Against Senior Leaders of Hamas pic.twitter.com/z8gS2lUGvV
“On Oct. 7, Hamas terrorists murdered nearly 1,200 people, including over 40 Americans, and kidnapped hundreds of civilians,” Garland said. “They perpetrated the deadliest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust. The charges unsealed today are just one part of our effort to target every aspect of Hamas’ operations. These actions will not be our last.”
The recovery of the bodies of Goldberg-Polin and five other hostages in Gaza sparked a massive round of protests in Israel. Thousands of people are calling for more action to be taken to see the release of the remaining hostages.
The charges filed against six Hamas leaders include conspiracy to provide material support to a terrorist organization, conspiracy to murder U.S. Nationals, and conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction.
However, of the six Hamas officials charged, three of them are already dead. The other three have not yet been captured.
Zelenskyy: Ukraine to hold onto Russian territories ‘indefinitely’
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Kyiv will be holding on to the Russian territories it seized last month indefinitely as its war with Russia stretches on. It’s part of a plan to force Russian President Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table.
Almost a month ago, Ukrainian troops took over Russia’s Kursk region in an unexpected operation. Ukraine now claims it controls nearly 500 square miles of Russian territory and has taken hundreds of Russian prisoners of war.
In an interview with NBC News, Zelenskyy would not discuss whether Ukraine planned to try to seize more Russian territory.
The interview aired hours before Ukraine’s foreign minister resigned Wednesday, Sept. 4, as a Ukraine parliament deputy warned it would be the “day of resignations,” with more than half of Zelenskyy’s cabinet members expected to be replaced.
Harris to announce economic plans, Trump to hold town hall
There are now less than nine weeks until Election Day and both presidential candidates will be on the road today.
The Democratic nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris, is set to give a speech in New Hampshire, unveiling plans for new benefits for entrepreneurs and small businesses. Those plans are set to include a tax deduction of up to $50,000 for starting a small business; ten times the $5,000 amount currently granted to small businesses in their first year.
She is also set to announce a goal of 25 million small business applications during her first term if she’s elected president. That would surpass the 19 million new small businesses under the Biden administration.
Meanwhile, Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump will be holding a town hall in the battleground state of Pennsylvania.
He’ll take questions during the event at the Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg hosted by Fox News’ Sean Hannity. The town hall will air Wednesday night on the network.
Both vice presidential candidates are also holding events Wednesday. Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is set to be in Pennsylvania and Republican Ohio Sen. JD Vance in Arizona.
Federal judge won’t intervene in Trump’s New York criminal case
A federal judge has rejected former President Trump’s request to intervene in his New York criminal case. Trump’s lawyers were hoping to move the case to federal court so they could try to have his conviction overturned in the wake of the Supreme Court’s presidential immunity ruling.
The lawsuit brought by six Republican states and led by Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey alleges they have documents proving the Biden administration plans to begin canceling loans this week, even though a cancellation plan technically does not exist yet.
Usually, states cannot file to block federal regulation until it’s officially in place, but in this case, the states say they have proof the secretary of education is implementing the plan without one officially being in place.
The lawsuit claims the administration has been planning this move since May. The Education Department has not commented on the pending litigation.
$35 billion expected to be bet on NFL this season
The NFL’s 2024 season kicks off Thursday, Sept. 5, and the American Gaming Association predicts Americans are about to dish out the big bucks betting on games. They say $35 billion will be placed in legal wagers this season.
If the association is right, that would be a roughly 30% increase from the amount bet on the NFL in the 2023 season.
Last season there was nearly $27 billion spent on legally betting on NFL games. Since then, even more states have passed laws to allow for legal betting markets, including North Carolina, Maine, and Vermont.
Betting is now legal in 38 states and Washington D.C.
The American Gaming Association said more bets are placed and more money is wagered on the NFL than any other league.
Conservative group sues Education Dept over race-based grant eligibility
Young America’s Foundation (YAF), which describes itself as the leading organization for young conservatives, sued the Department of Education, alleging a grant program violates the equal protection clause because its eligibility is based on race. YAF challenged the department’s McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program which provided $60 million in 2023 to approximately 6,000 students.
The Department of Education describes the program as a grant competition in which funds are awarded to colleges and universities to prepare participants for doctoral studies through research and other scholarly activities.
To be eligible, at least two-thirds of the participants in a project must be low-income, potential first-generation college students. The remaining participants may be from groups that are underrepresented in graduate education.
“Defendants say these racial exclusions are necessary to racially balance the number of graduate students in America by giving a preference to so-called ‘underrepresented’ students,” YAF wrote in a court filing. “But make no mistake: the word ‘underrepresented’ is a euphemism for certain minority groups preferred by Defendants.”
The group also included a quote from Assistant Education Secretary Nasser Paydar.
“When we look at U.S. students studying to become our future physicians, professors, scientists and other crucial professionals requiring graduate degrees, many demographic groups are underrepresented . . . . McNair grants fund projects at universities and colleges that help underrepresented students to access doctoral programs,” Paydar said.
YAF named two individual plaintiffs: Avery Durfee, a white female student who is in her junior year at the University of North Dakota, and Benjamin Rothove, a white male student attending the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Both students said they were informed by their universities that they are not eligible for the grant due to their race. However, YAF also admitted the students do not meet the low-income guidelines and that Rothove does not meet the first-generation guidelines.
“Denying a student the chance to compete for a scholarship based on their skin color is not only discriminatory but also demeaning and unconstitutional,” YAF President Scott Walker said in a statement.
The program and the guidelines for eligibility were created by an act of Congress in 1987. Every Department of Education since that time has made awards, including during the Trump administration.
Straight Arrow News reached out to the Department of Education for its response to the suit.
Illinois bans corporal punishment in all schools, including private institutions
Illinois has enacted a landmark ban on corporal punishment in all schools, including private institutions, effective in January. Gov. J.B. Pritzker, D-Ill., signed the bill into law, extending the ban on corporal punishment to private schools in the state, building upon a 30-year-old prohibition already in place for public schools.
In January, Illinois will become the fifth state in the nation to prohibit all forms of physical punishment across all educational institutions. That includes paddling, spanking and hitting.
The American Association of Pediatrics has called for an end to corporal punishment, citing its potential to increase behavioral and mental health problems for children while impairing cognitive development.
The World Health Organization has also taken a strong stance against the practice, declaring it a violation of children’s rights to physical integrity and human dignity.
This comprehensive ban aligns Illinois with New Jersey, Iowa, Maryland and New York.
Currently, 17 states in the U.S. still permit corporal punishment in public schools, with only four of these states prohibiting its use on students with disabilities.
The United States faces international pressure to align with global child protection standards, as it remains the only nation yet to ratify the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child.
U.S. Sens. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., and Dick Durbin, D-Ill., are leading the charge for a federal ban on corporal punishment in schools receiving federal funds.
Elon Musk interviews Donald Trump for 2 hours on X after delay
Elon Musk sats down with former President Donald Trump in an interview on X that lasted two hours. And the impact of an earthquake in Los Angeles is caught on live TV. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024.
Elon Musk interviews Donald Trump for 2 hours on X after delay
Former President Donald Trump sat down with tech billionaire Elon Musk for a conversation that was livestreamed on X Monday, Aug. 12. However, the broadcast began more than half an hour late due to a glitch, which Musk later attributed to “a cyber-attack.”
Despite the rocky start, the conversation went on for over two hours. Trump and Musk delved into topics ranging from immigration and inflation to the assassination attempt on Trump’s life, and some of Trump’s top priorities if he should win the November election.
One idea the former president threw out there was potentially dismantling the Department of Education.
“Well, think of education, we’re ranked at the bottom of every list, 40, 38,” Trump said. “In other words, horrible. And we spend more per pupil, more than anyone in the world. And one of my first acts — and this is where I need an Elon Musk, someone who has strength and smarts — I want to close the Department of Education and move education back to the states.”
The FBI is now investigating attempted hacks into both the Trump and Biden-Harris campaigns. The investigation includes attempted hacks targeting three Biden-Harris campaign staffers and Roger Stone, a former adviser to former President Trump.
Stone told The Washington Post his email had been compromised, but it’s not clear if attempts to hack the Biden campaign were successful. A Harris campaign official said it does not appear to have been hacked.
On Friday, Aug. 9, Microsoft issued a report showing Iranian operatives had been trying to interfere with the 2024 election. Trump’s campaign confirmed over the weekend it appears to have been impacted by those efforts after news outlets were sent hundreds of confidential pages.
White House confirms Biden will speak at DNC
The White House has confirmed President Joe Biden is set to speak at the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago. Multiple media outlets are reporting other speakers will include former Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
The convention starts Monday, Aug. 19, and will go through Thursday, Aug. 22.
We're a week out from the start of the 2024 @DemConvention and content creators are getting excited to cover the convention from their own unique lens. @6figga_dilla talked to @saramachi at convention HQ last week about this historic moment for the city and the country. pic.twitter.com/oTxj8ro0Jy
Sources told ABC News the current plan is for Biden and Hillary Clinton to speak Monday night, then former President Obama on Tuesday, Aug. 20. On Wednesday, Aug. 21, it’ll be vice presidential nominee Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and former President Bill Clinton. Finally, Harris is set to address the DNC on Thursday, Aug. 22.
That is a tentative schedule and could still change.
U.S. preps for potential Iranian-backed attack on Israel this week
Security Adviser John Kirby said the U.S. is prepared for “significant” attacks by Iran or its proxies in the Middle East as soon as this week. Kirby said the U.S. has bolstered its forces in the region.
Secretary of Defense Austin has ordered the USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN Carrier Strike Group, equipped with F-35C fighters, to accelerate its transit to the Central Command area of responsibility, adding to the capabilities already provided by the USS THEODORE ROOSEVELT Carrier Strike…
It’s a rare move to publicly announce such military moves; a tactic some say is meant to de-escalate tensions in the region and deter Iran from possibly attacking.
Concerns of an attack come after Iran and Hamas accused Israel of carrying out the assassination of a Hamas leader in Tehran in July.
U.S. troops suffer minor injuries in Syrian drone attack
Defense officials said several U.S. service members suffered minor injuries in a drone attack in Syria on Friday, Aug. 9. The drone targeted a landing zone which hosts U.S. and partner forces in the global coalition to defeat ISIS
U.S. Central Command said it’s still evaluating the damage, but initial assessments show there was minor damage to one set of facilities.
This attack was the second within a week to injure U.S. personnel who are part of the coalition to defeat ISIS.
This latest California quake came almost a week after a magnitude 5.2 quake struck Bakersfield.
Team USA’s Jordan Chiles to lose bronze medal after appeal denied
The latest turn in the Olympic medal controversy involving gymnast Jordan Chiles did not go Team USA’s way. On Monday, Aug. 12, the USA Gymnastics Organization sent Olympic officials what it called time-stamped video evidence that showed Chiles’ coach requested a review of her score within the allotted one minute, meaning Chiles should be able to keep the bronze medal that was awarded to her following a score change.
However, USA Gymnastics released a statement later Monday saying the Court of Arbitration for Sport would not reconsider its ruling to strip Chiles of the medal.
But the twists to this saga may not be over just yet though.
USA Gymnastics said it will continue to “pursue every possible avenue and appeal process” including the Swiss Federal Tribunal to “ensure the just scoring, placement and medal award for Jordan.”
Students file petitions against cellphone bans in several states
High school students are petitioning against schools in several states across the U.S. as cellphone bans come into effect. Thousands in Florida, Louisiana and Nevada have signed such petitions, stating that they want access to their cellphones during school hours.
Broward County Schools in Miami, Florida, recently implemented new restrictions for student cellphone use. The new restrictions require students to store their phones throughout the day, including lunch hour, in airplane mode. Headphones are also barred from being worn by students during school hours.
Over 18,000 students and parents have already signed a petition in which they ask for a meeting to discuss these new regulations and explore adjustments to the policy.
Elsewhere, one student started a petition aimed at pushing schools to impart guidelines on responsible cellphone use, rather than outright bans. Kaytlin Villescas at Prairieville High School in Louisiana says she and her peers should be allowed access to their devices, which she argues are not just for communication, but are valuable tools in academic pursuits.
A third set of students have also joined with a similar petition in Las Vegas, Nevada. More than 25,000 people have signed a petition there as the Clark County School District requires students in grades 6-12 to put their phones in signal-blocking pouches when they arrive at school each day.
The pouches keep a phone signal from reaching the device, and students will be instructed on where to keep their pouches, potentially on the student’s desk or a designated area within a classroom. The pouch will not lock, and keep devices accessible in case of an emergency.
The district said the effort “is to ensure a distraction-free and safe learning environment.” Devices such as laptops, cellphones, and tablets are still permitted for use during lunch periods, school activities, bus transportation and classroom periods with the approval of the school principal.
The petition in Nevada says the Clark County School Board should focus its attention on “more important issues,” such as beefing up funding for school lunches, teachers’ salaries and security for bullying and harassment.
So far, none of the schools have changed their policies due to the signed petitions.
NY bans graphic active shooter drills as parents say they’re traumatizing students
New York, which is home to the United States’ largest school district, is banning the use of realistic active shooter drills in all schools in the state. The New York State Board of Regents approved the change on Thursday, July 11.
The new rules will begin this school year and the board unanimously approved them. Schools now cannot use actors, props and violent depictions during school shooting drills. Instead, schools will be required to use only “trauma informed” and “age appropriate” procedures. Additionally, parents will have to be notified of the drills one week in advance.
The move follows years of complaints from parents. Parents, activists, doctors and lawmakers claimed the graphically detailed drills traumatize children and do not actually prepare them for such events. Instead, they said, the drills create a culture of fear and anxiety among students.
In one case, a parent reportedly complained that their child came home and began locking doors and windows in response to an active shooter drill at their school. In another instance, a five-year-old asked their parent what a “bullet can do to a body.”
Parents said that these incidents show that students’ focus are turning from learning to concerns about violence. However, in reality, the likelihood of being in a school shooting still remains very rare.
Data from Everytown for Gun Safety reveals that less than 1% of gun deaths annually are from school shootings. However, gun control advocates point out that gun violence remains a problem at schools. Everytown for Gun Safety also showed that there have been 118 incidents of gunfire on U.S. school grounds this year so far.
Meanwhile, Stella Kaye, a 17-year-old, who survived two school shootings, said that the realistic active shooter drills do not really prepare students for the actual shootings. Kaye also said she supports the change coming to New York schools.
The New York State Legislature is also looking to reduce the number of mandatory lockdown drills in schools, from eight to four each year and to reduce evacuation drills from four to two annually.
Advocates for the changes argued that the better solution for school safety is to train staff on how to respond to active shooter situations and other safety measures such as locks on doors and windows in classrooms.
Advanced Placement test changes make them easier to pass
It’s getting easier to pass high school Advanced Placement (AP) tests. The tests — which have long been seen as a boost to help students get into college — have seen changes in recent years, which have caused scores to see an uptick across the board.
The College Board, which makes the tests, updated its scoring model by replacing a panel of human experts with a large-scale data analysis. The changes have led to hundreds of thousands more students getting a passing score on AP U.S. history, European history, government and politics, and chemistry exams.
The tests are graded on a scale of 1-5, with a 3 or higher considered passing.
The number of passing students could go up again in 2025. The College Board said it is still recalibrating other subjects, including AP English Language and Composition, which is taken by half a million students every year.
Why some school districts won’t comply with Oklahoma’s Bible mandate
Oklahoma Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters released guidelines on the state’s mandate that all schools teach the Bible on Wednesday, July 24. Walter’s memo included instructions on how to incorporate the Bible into classroom discussions and said that teachers will emphasize the Bible’s historical, literary and secular benefits.
However, more than a handful of Oklahoma school districts said that they will not implement the mandate and will instead keep their current curriculum. Some schools also argue that their studies already include discussions on the impact of religion on society.
The Oklahoma attorney general has said that state law allows for the Bible to be taught in schools but also noted that doing so is a district-by-district decision. Most districts refusing the superintendent’s directive are using the attorney general’s statement as grounds for their decisions.
Meanwhile, the Center for Education Law said that Walters’ mandate is not legally enforceable. The firm previously won a case against Walters and the Oklahoma State Board of Education that challenged the board’s authority to restrict certain content from school libraries. The judge in that case ruled that decision is to be made by a local school board — not the state Board of Education.
However, Walters maintained that he would enforce the Bible mandate by using “every means to make sure of it.”
“The radical leftist mob has tried to rewrite history in Oklahoma,” Walters. “It stops today, and Oklahoma schools will refocus our kids’ education, so they know the value of the Bible in its historical context.”
The directive by Walters told teachers to present the Bible in a “neutral way.” However, how to present it in that manner is not explicitly outlined in the guidelines and which version or translation of the Bible to be used has not been specified. Additionally, how schools are supposed to pay for the extra books is still unclear.
The mandate is likely to be challenged in court as opponents have argued that the mandate in Oklahoma is a clear constitutional violation of the separation of church and state.
The guidance from Walters comes after Oklahoma tried to implement the country’s first religious charter school. However, the implementation was struck down in court. The move also comes as Louisiana has required that the Ten Commandments be place in every classroom, which has been delayed until at least November while it faces challenges from Louisiana parents in court.
Georgia reverses decision on state funding for AP Black studies course
Georgia state Superintendent Richard Woods said on Wednesday, July 24, the state will pay for districts to teach a new Advanced Placement course in African American studies. A day prior, Woods said state money would not be used for the course but didn’t say why.
His statement sparked backlash, with critics saying the decision would suppress teaching Black history. They also compared the decision to similar ones in other states, like Florida and Arkansas.
Georgia’s Board of Education – which is appointed by the governor – must approve a class for it to be eligible for state funding, which helps pay for teachers’ salaries and class materials.
The state superintendent originally said funding for the course would be left up to local governments if they wanted it taught in their district. In response, some districts said they would have to cancel the class for high schools.
Public criticism was swift and within 24 hours, the superintendent announced Georgia would fund the course after all, as long as districts use a certain code linked to an existing African American studies course approved by the state.
— Georgia House of Representatives (@GaHouseHub) July 25, 2024
Despite the reversal, supporters of the course are still voicing concerns, saying Georgia’s original refusal to recognize the course was discriminatory.
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp also sent a letter to Woods, questioning the original decision not to back funding for the course. Several Georgia state representatives are also calling for the Department of Education to get rid of defunding policies in Georgia.
In Arkansas, students enrolled in the AP course for the upcoming school year will receive credit, a change from the previous year. Last year, students did not receive credit due to uncertainty among state officials about whether the course violated a state law restricting the teaching of race