Weekly News Round-Up for October 12th

posted by: Melissa | October 12, 2018, 06:00 PM

Each week, KANAAE brings its members a round-up of what’s happening in education. From big, eye-catching headlines to the stories most papers overlook, we find the news our members really want to see. This week, water safety, questions over a lock down, social media controversies, and more!

Donations Secure Safe Water for Michigan Schools: Concern about the safety of the drinking water in Michigan schools first arose over the Flint water crisis four years ago. Then just this year, Detroit’s new superintendent, Nicolai Vitti, shut off the water in all of the city’s schools over fear of contamination. Now, both issues may see some sort of resolution. Tech billionaire, Elon Musk, donated money for a new water filtration system to Flint Community Schools, to help ensure the students there will have safe drinking water. The new system is costing nearly $500,000 to install. This was the completion of a promise made last July. Meanwhile, Detroit’s Vitti has raised $2.4 million in donations towards installing new water hydration systems in the city’s schools.

Transgender Student Blocked From Participating in School Shooter Drill: A male-to-female transgender student was separated from other students in her middle school during a lock down drill. In the drill, students were guided into gender-specific locker rooms, but teachers couldn’t decide which locker room the student should use. Â She was then directed to sit in the hall with a teacher. A complaint from a local LGBTQ-rights group about the incident alleges that had this been an actual attack on the school, the student’s safety would have been severely compromised. In response to the incident, the superintendent issued an apology to the student.

Social Media Missteps Bring Educators under Fire: A pair of educators both drew fire this week with their social media posts. A Florida school board member drew criticism when she called Bill Cosby’s accusers “whores” and claimed that they were complicit in what happened to them. Meanwhile, a teacher in Minnesota was forced to resign after tweeting what could be interpreted as a death threat about Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. Both posts come at a time where political tensions are particularly high and serve as a reminder that social media posts by educators often receive extra scrutiny.

Happening Elsewhere:

Kavanaugh allegations prompt some prep schools to examine their culture

President Trump praises Illinois school resource officer who stopped shooting

Push is on to let schools use federal funds to arm teachers

OK Lawmakers reportedly looking into starting school year later

Michael Forces Postponement of School Shooting Hearing

Arkansas teacher pay increase not promised for all

'She was a giant': Arizona education leader Carolyn Warner dies at 88

High School Band Director Suspended After Students Pretend to Hold Police Officers Hostage

This is how one teacher is teaching consent, and people love it

What’s going on where you are?

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