Insanity Rules in Chicago Public Schools

Recent developments in the public-school district of Chicago could be described as a perfect storm; an extremely bad situation in which many bad things are converging at the same time. The circumstances might collectively serve as a glaring example of the abject failure of U.S. public education.

At the center of the debacle is the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU), the antics of which Education Reporter briefly reported in August as the union battled the city for a bloated $50 billion contract. Still in negotiations, one of the main sticking points is the union’s opposition to district efforts to close schools that are almost completely devoid of students.

The Far-Left Side of Tim Walz

Last month’s Education Reporter, as well as Stanley Kurtz’s revealing essay in the August issue, highlighted the dangerous impact Democrat vice presidential candidate and current Minnesota Governor, Tim Walz has had on education in his state. But there is much more to the candidate’s regular-guy persona than meets the eye, and astute observers wonder what it might mean for education nationally if the Harris-Walz ticket prevails in November.

In a recent issue of National Review, Stanley Kurtz further exposed the radicalism of Macalester College Professor Brian Lozenski, who was appointed by Governor Walz’s education department to write the “ethnic studies” curriculum for K-12 students, and who has been an influential voice in Minnesota education with the approval of Walz.

Transgender Issue Heats Up In Women’s Sports

In January 2023, protesters rallied outside the NCAA convention in Phoenix in support of women’s sports and against allowing transgender men to compete with biological women. The headliner was former University of Kentucky swimming star Riley Gaines, who lost the NCAA medal many believed was rightfully hers when she was forced to compete against male swimmer Lia Thomas. She was joined by dozens of fellow female athletes, coaches, and parents.

Speakers at the rally included swimmer Paula Scanlan, who noted that there are many women and girls who have lost opportunities to biological males competing in the women’s division. “Every time Thomas competed,” Scanlan said, “a female swimmer lost a lane in the pool. When we tried to voice our concerns to the athletic department, we were told that Lia’s swimming on the team was ‘a non-negotiable,’ that they were simply following NCAA guidelines.”

What Books Should Kids be Reading?

(This is the final installment in our series of recommended reading lists for children. This list and all previously published lists will be accessible indefinitely from the main dropdown menu on our website. — Ed.)

Classic children’s books are scarcely to be found in school classrooms and libraries today, so parents must ensure that their kids are reading books that educate, absorb, and entertain in a manner that stimulates curiosity and increases the child’s eagerness to learn about the world.