The government shutdown has caused Head Start, a federally funded program designed to help children from low-income households, to run out of money, potentially leaving hundreds of thousands of Black pre-K children without access to meals, health screenings, and family support services.
Category: National
Posted inPolitics
Public Outrage as Officials Celebrate While Workers Face Hardship
Amidst economic uncertainty and hardship for ordinary Americans, government leaders are celebrating holidays and indulging in luxuries, demonstrating a lack of empathy and compassion for those in need.
Posted inWord In Black
Judge Rules in Favor of Using Emergency Funds to Support SNAP Program
A federal judge in Rhode Island has ordered the Trump administration to tap into emergency funds to pay for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), just hours before the federal dollars were expected to run out, in response to a lawsuit from citizens and nonprofits over the USDA’s failure to use emergency funds to support SNAP during the shutdown.
Posted inHomepage
A Doritos Bag, a Gun Drawn, and a Black Teen Terrorized by ‘AI’
A 16-year-old Black student-athlete was handcuffed and detained at Kenwood High School in Baltimore County after an AI “gun detection” system mistook a crumpled Doritos bag for a firearm, highlighting the need for accountability and transparency in the use of AI technology.
Posted inEducation
Southern HBCUs See Sharpest Drop in Black Student Enrollment over Past Decade
The number of Black students enrolled in U.S. colleges and universities has decreased by nearly half a million over the past decade due to inconsistent Pell Grant funding and state budget cuts.
Posted inEducation
Trump Administration Plans to Move Special Education Programs to New Federal Partners
The Education Department is exploring new federal partnerships to support special education programs, after the Trump administration laid off nearly every staff member in the Office of Special Education Programs, potentially weakening protections for students with disabilities.
Posted inEducation
Teacher Turnover Linked to Higher Suspension Rates for Black Students
Black students are more likely to be suspended in schools with high teacher turnover, according to a new study, which found a strong relationship between teacher turnover rates and school punishments for students.
Posted inWord In Black
Judge Blocks Trump Administration’s Mass Firings of Special Education Staff
The Trump administration laid off hundreds of staffers at the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, which could make it harder for Black students with disabilities to get the support they need from the federal government, although a federal judge has temporarily blocked the move.
Posted inOpinion
The $25 Million Mistake: Why Dallas Must Reject ICE’s 287(g) Deal — And the Politics Behind It
Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson has proposed a $25 million offer from ICE to enroll the Dallas Police Department in the 287(g) program, which would allow local police officers to enforce immigration laws, sparking backlash from Council Members and potentially undermining trust between the police and the community.
Posted inPolitics
Funding for WIC Program Hangs in Balance Amid Government Shutdown
The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) is facing a funding crisis due to the government shutdown, and while the Trump administration has allocated $300 million to keep it afloat, state funding is patchy and there is no guarantee that all expectant mothers and babies will be fed.