Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Carli Brosseau

Caitlin Kelly @caitlinkelly.bsky.social · 1d

“I'm optimistic that, you know, five years from now a majority of kids are going to be in a private school choice program.” www.propublica.org/article/educ...

These Activists Want to Dismantle Public Schools. Now They Run the Education Department.

Under Trump, the Department of Education has been bringing in activists hostile to public schools. It could mean a new era of private and religious schools boosted by tax dollars — and the end of publ...

www.propublica.org

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Reposted by Carli Brosseau

Jordan Green @byjordangreen.bsky.social · 2d

Adam Smith, an ex-Green Beret who led Savage Freedoms — a civilian relief operation praised by Trump but flagged by a FEMA worker for prompting a state medical team evacuation — is running for Congress in NC-11, covering the area of western NC hardest hit by Helene
www.rawstory.com/raw-investig...

Ex-Green Beret suspected of leading armed militia mounts GOP run for Congress

A special forces soldier turned motivational speaker who led a civilian disaster response to Hurricane Helene last fall, generating an Army investigation into whether he was leading an armed militia g...

www.rawstory.com

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The Assembly @theassemblync.bsky.social · 2d

For the last 19 years, North Carolina has been in a death penalty limbo.

But on Friday, Gov. Josh Stein signed Iryna’s Law, a bill named after a Ukrainian refugee stabbed on a Charlotte train. Republican state legislators hope the law will restart executions.

www.theassemblync.com/politics/cri...

A Revived Death Penalty?

Republican state legislators hope a new crime law will restart the death penalty. Legal experts say it won’t be that easy.

www.theassemblync.com

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The Assembly @theassemblync.bsky.social · 3d

MLB last expanded 27 years ago but is nearly certain to select two new teams by 2029, when Commissioner Rob Manfred retires. For seven years, a growing coalition of advocates has built a case for Raleigh.

www.theassemblync.com/culture/spor...

Raleigh Tries to Break Its 54-Year Baseball Losing Streak

Fast-growing Raleigh appears to be a good candidate for a Major League Baseball team. But even a minor league club has eluded it.

www.theassemblync.com

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Reposted by Carli Brosseau

Phyllis Jordan @phylliswjordan.bsky.social · 3d

Brain Development Signals Reading Challenges Long Before Kindergarten @the74.bsky.social www.the74million.org/zero2eight/b...

Brain Development Signals Reading Challenges Long Before Kindergarten

Developmental trajectories of children with and without reading disabilities start to diverge around 18 months, rather than at 5 or 6 years old.

www.the74million.org

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Carli Brosseau @carlibrosseau.bsky.social · 3d

The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians is trying the former Swain County sheriff in tribal court, Lucas Thomae reports. carolinapublicpress.org/72833/former...

Former Swain sheriff answers to tribal court in significant moment for Cherokees

Due to 2022 change in federal VAWA law, Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians is trying former Swain Co. sheriff Cochran in tribal court.

carolinapublicpress.org

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Reposted by Carli Brosseau

88.5 WFDD @885wfdd.bsky.social · 6d

Don Phipps will begin as WS/FCS superintendent on Dec. 1 for a 15-month term. #WFDD #education #NCeducation

WS/FCS names new superintendent to start Dec. 1

Don Phipps, the current superintendent of Caldwell County Schools, will assume the role Dec. 1 and serve for 15 months.

www.wfdd.org

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Liliana Segura @lilianasegura.bsky.social · 7d

“I am in utter shock and disbelief the government has punished my father for simply doing his life’s work of journalism,” said Oscar Guevara...“My father should have never had to face over 100 days in detention. He is the center of our family. He is the reason our home feels like home.”

Mario Guevara To Be Deported After Appeals Court Denies Stay | American Civil Liberties Union

The government detained him for over 100 days in retaliation for his reporting on law enforcement

www.aclu.org

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The Assembly @theassemblync.bsky.social · 7d

UNC-Chapel Hill has hired K&L Gates, a law firm with ties to Republican state legislators, to lead its investigation into the School of Civic Life and Leadership, people familiar with the probe said.

The Politically Connected Law Firm Leading Civics School Investigation

UNC-Chapel Hill hired the law firm K&L Gates, which has represented General Assembly Republicans, to review the School of Civic Life and Leadership.

www.theassemblync.com

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Reposted by Carli Brosseau

Keung Hui @keunghui.bsky.social · 8d

NC State University sues Monsanto, manufacturer of PCBs, over Poe Hall contamination. NC State alleges Monsanto marketed PCB mixtures to the building industry as being safe despite knowing they were toxic. (Via @koriedean.bsky.social) www.newsobserver.com/news/local/e... #nced

NC State sues Monsanto, manufacturer of PCBs, over Poe Hall contamination

Poe Hall has been closed for nearly two years after the toxic chemicals were discovered.

www.newsobserver.com

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Reposted by Carli Brosseau

The Assembly @theassemblync.bsky.social · 8d

SALE: You can get The Assembly through next year's midterm elections for just $26! That's more than 50% off — claim your discounted subscription today.

www.theassemblync.com/subscription...

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Carli Brosseau @carlibrosseau.bsky.social · 8d

Few, if any, schools have benefited more from NC's Opportunity Scholarship program than Grace Christian School in Sanford. It has received more public funding than any other private school in the state for three straight years.

businessnc.com/a-sanford-pr...

A Sanford private Christian school leads the pack as lawmakers turbocharge the state’s voucher program. - Business North Carolina

When state lawmakers launched the North Carolina Opportunity Scholarship in 2013, they promoted the program as one that would encourage school choice in the form of private school tuition for low-inco...

businessnc.com

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The Assembly @theassemblync.bsky.social · 9d

The Assembly and @propublica.org are reporting on the impact of Hurricane Helene in western North Carolina, and we know recovery is far from over. We want to hear from you about your rebuilding story. www.theassemblync.com/environment/...

Are You Still Rebuilding After Helene? We Want To Hear Your Story

ProPublica and The Assembly are reporting on rebuilding after Helene. We want to hear from you about your experience.

www.theassemblync.com

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Reposted by Carli Brosseau

The Assembly @theassemblync.bsky.social · 10d

"I am grateful for every dollar that we’ve gotten, and it’s over $6 billion. But when the scale of the damage is as immense as it was in Western North Carolina, $60 billion, we need a lot more help."

Josh Stein on ‘24 Hours of Rainfall That Changed the Region Forever’

North Carolina’s governor reflects on the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Helene and what lies ahead for the region.

www.theassemblync.com

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Carli Brosseau @carlibrosseau.bsky.social · 10d

“Thank you. That was very depressing,” said Chapel Hill-Carrboro school board member Barbara Fedders after a presentation on the county’s demographics. indyweek.com/news/orange/...

Fewer Kids, Stalled Raises: What’s Ahead for Schools in Orange County

Four takeaways on the future of K–12 education in Orange County from this month’s joint board meeting.

indyweek.com

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Reposted by Carli Brosseau

ProPublica @propublica.org · 13d

NEW: Income isn’t supposed to play a role in how much housing assistance FEMA gives families.

But in some North Carolina counties, the highest-income homeowners received two to three times as much money after Hurricane Helene as those with lower incomes.

With @theassemblync.bsky.social

Arduous and Unequal: The Fight to Get FEMA Housing Assistance After Helene

An analysis by ProPublica and The Assembly of the more rural counties in North Carolina hardest hit by Helene shows that the households that got the most aid tended to have the highest incomes.

www.propublica.org

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Carli Brosseau @carlibrosseau.bsky.social · 14d

"He once called Oklahoma’s teachers union a 'terrorist organization.' Now state Superintendent Ryan Walters is threatening to 'destroy' teachers unions nationwide."

Phyllis Jordan @phylliswjordan.bsky.social · 14d

Oklahoma Schools Chief Ryan Walters Steps Down to Lead Anti-Union Group #edusky @the74 www.the74million.org/article/okla...

Oklahoma Schools Chief Ryan Walters Steps Down to Lead Anti-Union Group

‘This fight is going national,’ he said of his departure, which one critic called ‘a positive move for Oklahoma.’

www.the74million.org

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Reposted by Carli Brosseau

Keung Hui @keunghui.bsky.social · 15d

NC lawmakers may require schools to report all teacher assaults to improve safety. HB775 also requires all threats against teachers to be reported to police. Rep. Julie von Haefen among 3 no votes. She's worried about criminalizing students. www.newsobserver.com/news/local/e... #nced #ncpol #ncga

NC lawmakers may require schools to report all teacher assaults to improve safety

Lawmakers say some principals aren’t telling police that students are assaulting teachers even when it results in serious injuries.

www.newsobserver.com

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Reposted by Carli Brosseau

Keung Hui @keunghui.bsky.social · 16d

New $100,000 fee for H-1B visas could hurt teacher recruitment for North Carolina schools. The Trump administration fee hike is targeted at high-tech workers but also impacts schools recruiting teachers from overseas. Will schools get fee exemption? www.newsobserver.com/news/busines... #nced #ncpol

New $100,000 fee for H-1B visas could hurt teacher recruitment for NC schools

Schools already facing teacher shortages hope to be exempted from the new $100,000 application fee for bringing in overseas workers.

www.newsobserver.com

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Carli Brosseau @carlibrosseau.bsky.social · 17d

“The Board’s subsequent effort to punish him for ‘leaking’ closed-session information only highlights the culture of secrecy at odds with the Open Meetings Law and the Public Records Law,” the complaint says.

www.theassemblync.com/education/hi...

Former Provost Sues UNC-Chapel Hill Trustees Over Closed Meetings

Chris Clemens accused the trustees of "hiding matters of grave public concern,” including tenure debates, using a Signal group and closed session.

www.theassemblync.com

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Reposted by Carli Brosseau

The Assembly @theassemblync.bsky.social · 17d

OCTOBER 8: Join three Triangle-based national journalists for drinks and discussion at Durham’s Motorco Music Hall, where they will talk about the stories behind their new books and the future of North Carolina and national politics.
www.theassemblync.com/events/octob...

Books, Beer, and Politics graphic showing Frank Bruni, Bill Adair, and David A. Graham

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Reposted by Carli Brosseau

The Assembly @theassemblync.bsky.social · 18d

BREAKING: The Assembly obtained a draft of the bill the General Assembly may pass in response to a Charlotte stabbing.

Among other things, it allows judges to hold any defendant in jail without a hearing for up to 3 days for a mental health evaluation.

www.theassemblync.com/politics/cha...

A Fatal Stabbing and Its Aftermath

Republicans have made a political cudgel of Iryna Zarutska’s killing. A draft crime bill expected this week may be more posturing than solutions.

www.theassemblync.com

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Reposted by Carli Brosseau

The Assembly @theassemblync.bsky.social · 20d

North Carolina has kept in-state tuition flat at its public universities for almost a decade, but system officials are signaling that it may finally be time for a change.

www.theassemblync.com/education/hi...

End of the (Flat) Line?

The UNC System at a Board of Governors meeting proposed allowing North Carolina's public universities to raise in-state tuition by up to 3 percent.

www.theassemblync.com

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Carli Brosseau @carlibrosseau.bsky.social · 20d

"The INDY spoke with Christopher about why he felt compelled to write Stopping the Deportation Machine, strategic tensions in advocacy work, and why he believes local journalism saved this story from being forgotten." indyweek.com/culture/wild...

Talking with Bryan Christopher About Student Advocacy and His New Book, “Stopping the Deportation Machine”

"Stopping the Deportation Machine" chronicles the story of Wildin Acosta, a undocumented student in Durham, who faced deportation in 2016.

indyweek.com

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Reposted by Carli Brosseau

Fenit Nirappil @fenitn.bsky.social · 20d

RFK Jr.'s vaccine advisers have backed away from their plans to stop recommending hepatitis B vaccination at birth, a policy credited for a drastic plunge in infections and nearly eliminating maternal-to-fetal transmission www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...

Vaccine panel delays vote to end recommendation of hepatitis B shot at birth

Vaccine advisers on ACIP are also considering who should receive updated coronavirus vaccines, a highly anticipated decision that influences access to shots.

www.washingtonpost.com

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