House Reconciliation Package, School Closures and Mask Ban Lawsuits Continue.

News

• Today the House Democrats released a reconciliation package that includes $82B for school infrastructure, $9B for higher education and $1.5B HBCUs, $450B for childcare and preschool, and $35B for child nutrition. (The Guardian, Reuters, Bloomberg Government, CNN Politics) 

 

• With the rise of school closures due to student Covid-19 infections and outbreaks (WSJ), districts are quickly reconsidering how to provide effective distance learning. (The 74 Million, Time, CalMatters)

 

• Lawsuits regarding masks in schools continue nationwide (Chalkbeat) and though this debate appears to be ongoing, there was a meaningful update in Tennessee this week when a federal judge blocked TN Governor Bill Lee’s executive order banning masks. (Chalkbeat TN, Fox 13, WREG, WRCBtv)

 

Views

• New York Times Magazine (Casey Parks, Journalist): The Tragedy of America’s Rural Schools 

 

• Politico (Lauren Gardner): Calls grow for FDA to speed authorization of kid Covid-19 vaccines

 

• The 74 Million (Linda Jacobson): From Reopening Schools to Mask Mandates, Education Policy Expected to Play Key Role In Upcoming Newsom Recall Vote in California

 

• NY Times (Michelle Cottle, Editorial Board): America’s School Board Meetings Are Getting Weird--and Scary

 

• Politico (Daniel Payne): Critical race theory turning school boards into GOP proving grounds