Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Gene Bryant @genebryant.bsky.social · 2h

In the years before he was murdered, Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk had transitioned away from libertarian leanings and toward a dominionist Christian nationalism. It appears that TPUSA’s current leadership is continuing that shift.
www.peoplefor.org/rightwingwat...

TPUSA Doubles Down on Christian Nationalism

TPUSA is partnering with Christian nationalists Dusty Deevers and William Wolfe.

www.peoplefor.org

Gene Bryant @genebryant.bsky.social · 2h

BATON ROUGE - The U.S. Department of Education awarded Helix Community Schools $7.1 million as part of its Charter Schools Program grant. www.wbrz.com/news/baton-r...

East Baton Rouge charter schools awarded $7.1 million from U.S. Department of Education

The U.S. Department of Education gave Helix Community Schools $7.1 million as part of the Charter Schools Program grant.

www.wbrz.com

Gene Bryant @genebryant.bsky.social · 3h

Nashville Police Chief John Drake is keeping an eye on the National Guard deployment in Memphis. and emphasized he would not welcome such deployment in Nashville. www.newschannel5.com/news/newscha...

Nashville police chief says National Guard isn't needed here amid Memphis deployment

Nashville Police Chief John Drake says overall crime is down, but he is concerned by juvenile crime and is watching National Guard deployment in Memphis.

www.newschannel5.com

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Gene Bryant @genebryant.bsky.social · 3h

The Trump Education Department is facilitating movement of public school students to church schools, while pushing God on those who remain behind. www.propublica.org/article/trum...

Five Ways the Department of Education Is Upending Public Schools

The Trump administration has made a rapid succession of hires and decisions at the Department of Education that could spur profound changes in how schools operate and children learn. Here’s what to kn...

www.propublica.org

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Gene Bryant @genebryant.bsky.social · 3h

Cartoon by Monte Wolverton

Gene Bryant @genebryant.bsky.social · 3h

Activists who are hostile to public schools now staff the Trump Education Department. 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

Gene Bryant @genebryant.bsky.social · 4h

Most Shelby County students who benefited from the state’s massive expansion of its education voucher program live in top-earning zip codes, according to a Daily Memphian analysis of Tennessee Department of Education data. dailymemphian.com/subscriber/a...

More than 3,400 Memphis-area kids benefited from Tennessee’s new school vouchers. Here's who got them.

A map of local recipients of Tennessee’s voucher program expansion shows that most live in Shelby County’s top-earning zip codes.

dailymemphian.com

Reposted by Gene Bryant

The Intellectualist @theintellectualist.bsky.social · 11h

Texas GOP chairman Kelly Giles faces felony election fraud charges for falsifying ballot paperwork, another potential failure for a party that has long claimed the mantle of election integrity.
open.substack.com/pub/theintel...

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Gene Bryant @genebryant.bsky.social · 4h

Tennessee Congressman Tim Burchett confirms that the House of Representatives won't return to address pay for members of the military, who are set to miss their first paychecks Oct. 15. www.knoxnews.com/story/news/p...

Rep. Tim Burchett, House GOP double down on government funding fight with Democrats

Burchett told Knox News that U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson won't call members back to Washington as military members will soon go without pay.

www.knoxnews.com

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Gene Bryant @genebryant.bsky.social · 6h

Florida state Rep. Kevin Steele (R) filed a bill Tuesday that threatens state funding to public universities and colleges if they do not rename specific roads after conservative activist Charlie Kirk. thehill.com/homenews/edu...

Florida Republican unveils bill threatening state funding if colleges don’t rename roads after Charlie Kirk

Florida state Rep. Kevin Steele (R) filed a bill Tuesday that threatens state funding to public universities and colleges if they do not rename specific roads after conservative activist Charl…

thehill.com

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Gene Bryant @genebryant.bsky.social · 7h

Oklahoma’s Christian nationalist ex-Supt. Ryan Walters now heads “Teacher Freedom Alliance,” with the goal destroying teachers unions and staffing public schools with non-union teachers. He said TFA stands ready to defend any teacher with a cross necklace. www.peoplefor.org/rightwingwat...

Ryan Walters' New Mission Is To 'Destroy The Teachers Union'

Former Oklahoma state superintendent of education Ryan Walters says that his new mission is to "destroy the teachers union."

www.peoplefor.org

Gene Bryant @genebryant.bsky.social · 7h

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. suggests there may be a link between autism and circumcision. www.cbsnews.com/news/rfk-jr-...

RFK Jr. suggests circumcision is linked to autism. Here's what experts say.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. suggested there may be a link between autism and circumcision while reasserting the unproven theory that Tylenol causes the condition. Here's what doctors say.

www.cbsnews.com

Gene Bryant @genebryant.bsky.social · 7h

Virginia gubernatorial candidate and current lieutenant governor Winsome Earle-Sears (R) claimed in a televised debate that discriminating against gay people in the workplace isn’t discrimination. She said that firing gay people should be legal. www.lgbtqnation.com/2025/10/gop-...

GOP governor candidate shouts that firing people for being gay is "not discrimination" - LGBTQ Nation

She said that being gay is an "immoral lifestyle choice" and that firing gay people should be legal.

www.lgbtqnation.com

Reposted by Gene Bryant

The Tennessee Holler @thetnholler.bsky.social · 12h

EL PASO — a family says ICE showed up at their house looking for migrants and shot and KILLED THEIR DOG, then didn’t help them as the agent ran away and was not identified.

kfoxtv.com/news/local/e...

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Gene Bryant @genebryant.bsky.social · 11h

Students and alumni at the University of Tennessee at Martin protested against the Trump administration's cuts to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and the removal of key black history artifacts from some museums. www.jacksonsun.com/story/news/l...

UT Martin student group protests Trump administration's DEI rollbacks, history censorship

A student-formed group at UT Martin rallied against the Trump administration's cutback to DEI initiatives and removal of history from parks and museums

www.jacksonsun.com

Gene Bryant @genebryant.bsky.social · 11h

The Trump administration offered nine universities [including Vanderbilt in Nashville] benefits in exchange for signing an agreement to protect conservative voices, among other things. M.I.T. is the first to refuse. www.nytimes.com/2025/10/10/u...

M.I.T. Rejects a White House Offer for Special Funding Treatment

www.nytimes.com

Gene Bryant @genebryant.bsky.social · 12h

Protests outside ICE facility were dwindling and ‘low energy’ before Trump called in troops…. www.wsj.com/politics/pol...

What’s Really Going On in Portland, According to Police Reports

Protests outside an ICE facility were dwindling in size and at times ”low energy” in the days and weeks before President Trump called in troops, according to official law-enforcement logs.

www.wsj.com

Gene Bryant @genebryant.bsky.social · 12h

Trump suggests the city of Portland is under “a very serious left-wing terror threat” … “radicals associated with the domestic terror group antifa….” The Associated Press reports ICE protests are confined to one city block. apnews.com/article/fact...

FACT FOCUS: Trump paints a grim portrait of Portland. The story on the ground is much less extreme

There have been nightly protests outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building in Portland for months, peaking in June when police declared one demonstration a riot.

apnews.com

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Gene Bryant @genebryant.bsky.social · 13h

Cartoon by Dennis Goris

Gene Bryant @genebryant.bsky.social · 13h

Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva, an Arizona Democrat who won a special election last month, is still waiting to be sworn in by House Speaker Mike Johnson. apnews.com/article/adel...

Who is Adelita Grijalva and what is the controversy over her being sworn in to Congress?

Democrats are ramping up pressure on Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson to swear in the newest member of Congress.

apnews.com

Reposted by Gene Bryant

The Daily Beast @thedailybeast.bsky.social · 14h

The president’s desperate crusade to get the honor apparently didn’t impress the award committee.

Nobel Head Shades Trump for Peace Prize Derangement Syndrome

The president’s crusade to get the honor apparently didn’t impress the award committee.

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Gene Bryant @genebryant.bsky.social · 14h

President Donald Trump was passed over for the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday despite jockeying from his fellow Republicans, various world leaders and — most vocally — himself. apnews.com/article/dona...

Trump's quest for the Nobel Peace Prize falls short again despite high-profile nominations

The White House is responding bitterly to President Donald Trump being passed over for the Nobel Peace Prize despite efforts from Republicans and world leaders.

apnews.com

Gene Bryant @genebryant.bsky.social · 14h

The former publisher of the Soviet newspaper Pravda has been found dead in Moscow in the latest in a series of suspicious [falling-out-of- window] suicides in Russia. www.thetimes.com/world/russia...

Former Soviet media executive among Russia’s suspicious suicides

The long time head of the Soviet newspaper Pravda has been found dead in Moscow, heightening concerns over a pattern of similar deaths

www.thetimes.com

Gene Bryant @genebryant.bsky.social · 15h

Florida has a new public school chaplain program, and the first chaplain hired is a MAGA-supporting Christian nationalist minister. publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/pastor-pus...

Pastor Pushing MAGA Conspiracy Theories Chosen as Public School Chaplain

When Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill in April 2024 allowing public school districts to authorize volunteer chaplains to minister to children,

publicwitness.wordandway.org

Reposted by Gene Bryant

The Daily Beast @thedailybeast.bsky.social · 15h

Conservative talking heads, including a top White House official and Laura Loomer, wasted no time in showing their anger.

MAGA Meltdown Kicks Off Immediately After Trump Nobel Prize Snub

Conservative talking heads, including a top White House official and Laura Loomer, wasted no time in showing their anger.

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