Report: Early Data Links State Policy and School Choice Options

(The Center Square) — The California Family Council joins law enforcement in revealing a new LGBTQ+ suicide hotline bill that could expose children to online predators. Assembly Bill 727 would require the Trevor Project, an LGBTQ+ suicide hotline, be printed on all public school student ID cards for grades 7 through college. The online website connected to the Trevor Project, known as TrevorSpace, is a platform that encourages LGBTQ+ youth ages 13 to 24 to connect and share personal stories. Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxxFull story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/california/article_8bf4bf05-875f-4e02-a9a3-fdca8f305286.html

(The Center Square) — The U.S. Supreme Court, in a 6-3 decision Friday, sided with parents in opting-out their children from school curriculum with LGBTQ storybooks. In the case Mahmoud v. Taylor, the court recognized parents have a constitutional right to opt their children out of, for religious reasons, content such as storybooks that push LGBTQ ideology. “We have long recognized the rights of parents to direct 'the religious upbringing' of their children," Justice Samuel Alito wrote in the court's opinion. "And we have held that those rights are violated by government policies that substantially interfere with the religious development of children.” Justice Brett Kavanaugh concurred. Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxxFull story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_a6cbdd1a-d213-40aa-9c79-d920016daa9c.html

(The Center Square) — Following the California Department of Education and the California Interscholastic Federation being found in violation of Title IX by the U.S Department of Education, the governor's office is unfazed. Meanwhile, the debate over transgender athletes in girls' sports has extended beyond California and the Trump administration to include organizations representing the transgender community and female athletes. Last week, the U.S Department of Education released a statement that found the CDE and CIF in violation of Title IX for allowing biological males in girls’ sports and intimate spaces. Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxxFull story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/california/article_b0fae13a-6432-443f-a03b-937b08d3a4e6.html

(The Center Square) – Parents receiving taxpayer money for school choice won’t lose it immediately, as the state plans to appeal a ruling that declared Ohio’s EdChoice program unconstitutional. Franklin County Common Pleas Judge Jaiza Page ruled late Tuesday in favor of 200 of the state’s public school districts that sued over the voucher program, which was expanded to any Ohio family that wanted to use it. The state’s current budget included $1 billion for the program.Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxxRead more: https://www.thecentersquare.com/ohio/article_d3186acf-501c-4c54-bb72-628b221b752d.html

(The Center Square) – Tennessee lawmakers are questioning why two counties with virtual schools are reaping thousands in state funding at the expense of the state's other 93. Union and Johnson counties have the most significant percentage of the state's 59 virtual schools, according to information presented at Thursday's meeting of the Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations. The virtual students were counted as attending school in Union and Johnson counties, even though they could live elsewhere. Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxx Full story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/tennessee/article_a6276dcd-ae35-4de1-b538-5ea4bcb83e71.html

The FBI has arrested Yunqing Jian, a graduate student from China at the University of Michigan, on charges of conspiracy, smuggling goods into the United States, false statements, and visa fraud. Jian and her boyfriend, Zunyong Liu, are accused of smuggling a “dangerous biological pathogen” called fusarium graminearum into the United States to study. They also have arrested Chengxuan Han, a graduate student from China, on charges of smuggling goods into the United States and making false statements. Authorities called this an “alarming pattern.” Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxxFull story: Smuggling charges filed against 3rd from China connected to MichiganMichigan graduate student from China charged with conspiracy, smuggling 

(The Center Square) – U.S. House Democrats and Republicans shared opposing viewpoints Wednesday on ways to address the rising costs of college tuition in the U.S. In a House subcommittee hearing, Republican and Democrat members questioned a panel of witnesses on antitrust policies of Ivy League institutions. U.S. Rep. Scott Fitzgerald, R-Wis., called attention to a lawsuit filed by a group of former students in 2022 accusing the nation’s top universities of favoring wealthy student applicants over others. Fitzgerald said the schools use personal financial data to determine how much a family can afford to pay and charge them that amount.Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxxFull story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_d7c4e395-dd05-4034-a360-feb48fb64e5e.html

(The Center Square) – The Texas House on Sunday passed a Parental Bill of Rights that includes a ban on social transitioning of children. In the House, the bill was carried by state Rep. Jeff Leach, R-Plano, The Center Square reported. It passed the House by a vote of 88-47 with three voting present, not voting, according to the unofficial tally. The bill affirms that parents are the primary decision-makers in their child’s education, bans Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) ideology in K-12 public schools, restricts teachings of sexual orientation and gender identity, simplifies public school transfers, and reforms the parental-ISD complaint process, among other measures.Full story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/texas/article_2fe9f06f-0138-44aa-aa2e-3dfe17b8ee53.htmlSupport this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxx

(The Center Square) – States with universal school choice policies see more growth in educational options for families, according to a new report. EdChoice, a nonprofit organization that researches school choice policies, said roughly 30,000 private schools serve 4.4 million students across the country. Seventy-six subsidization programs exist in 35 states, with 18 offering support to all students without distinction. Of those, just four have the funds to serve every child. Full story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/pennsylvania/article_880f9cc3-524f-4c3f-a075-874550e8d407.html Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxx

(The Center Square) - A California federal judge issued a preliminary injunction requiring parental notification and opt-outs for gender identity topics in an elementary school’s buddy program pairing older elementary students with younger mentees, citing concerns from the program’s controversial lesson in which fifth graders were enlisted to teach kindergarteners about gender identity. At issue is a specific buddy session, in which teachers selected and read the gender identity book “My Shadow Is Pink,” which the ruling says is “about a boy who liked to wear dresses and play with toys associated with girls.” The session took place at an elementary school in the Encinitas Union School District.Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxxFull story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/california/article_1fd5d4de-cd60-440c-bf07-dd0eb9da638a.html