The AFRO-American Newspapers have a rich history of trailblazing journalism, thanks to the contributions of Black women such as Frances L. Murphy II, Elizabeth “Bettye” Murphy Moss, Ida Murphy Peters, Vashti Murphy Matthews, Carlita Murphy Jones, Elizabeth Murphy Oliver, and many others.
Category: Education
Title I Funding in Limbo: What’s at Stake for Black Students
A Baltimore judge has temporarily blocked Trump’s DEI ban, but experts warn that federal funding may still be at risk for schools serving low-income and predominantly Black students.
Why the Vision of Marcus Garvey Is Needed in the Era of Trump
Marcus Garvey’s vision of economic and cultural advancement of Black people is still relevant today, as he advocated for Pan-African awareness, self-help, and cooperative action, and his organization, the Universal Negro Improvement Association, was the largest Black organization ever developed.
Texas may change how schools select library books. Critics say it could lead to more bans.
Senate Bill 13 would create school library advisory councils to recommend books for school libraries and give the final say over new books to school boards, rather than librarians, and would also make it easier for school districts to remove books that have “indecent content or profane content”.
The Braid Debate: The Rising Costs of Hair Braiding
Braids are a cultural tradition and practical hair care solution for Black women, but the rising cost of braiding services has made them less affordable and driven many to learn how to braid their own hair.
Bringing Black Studies to Black People
Stanford University professor Adam Banks regularly flies from California to Cleveland to teach a free college-level African American studies class to the Black community, aiming to create a safe space for Black people to connect and learn from one another.
Ed Dept. Portal Encourages “Snitching” on DEI
The Trump administration has unveiled an online portal for parents to report violations of educators teaching about race or sexual orientation at taxpayer-funded institutions, sparking immediate pushback from parents’ groups and education equity advocates.
Voucher bills want to prioritize low-income families and be open to all students. Those goals might be at odds.
Texas lawmakers are proposing a school voucher program that would allow virtually any family in Texas to receive taxpayer dollars to fund their children’s private school tuition, with eligibility prioritizing students with disabilities and low-income families, but critics argue that the broad definition of low-income families would likely mean the program would primarily serve families who are already paying to send their kids to private schools.
White House Suspends Chief Education Data Commissioner
The White House has suspended Peggy Carr, the head of the National Center for Education Statistics, which could hamper the collection of data that exposes racial disparities in K-12 schools.
Trump’s DEI Ban and the Civil Rights of Black Students
The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights has issued a Dear Colleague letter to K-12 school districts, requiring them to eliminate DEI programs in two weeks or risk losing billions in federal funding, citing the Supreme Court’s 2023 decision overturning affirmative action in college admissions as the basis for the directive.
