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De-BOO-ra Wexler

@debrawexler.bsky.social

110K followers 3.3K following 690 posts

Comms maven. I live in Brooklyn and am passionate about improving education, NYC, and connecting with people working to make my city and our country more livable for all. Obligatory: opinions mine.

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De-BOO-ra Wexler @debrawexler.bsky.social · Nov 24

NEW! IMPROVED! Now with more #education writers than ever before. #edusky

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Reposted by De-BOO-ra Wexler

Justin Wolfers @justinwolfers.bsky.social · 4d

If H‑1Bs “took jobs,” you’d expect lower wages for U.S. grads. The best available studies show the opposite: 1990–2010 H‑1B inflows raised wages of American college grads by 4.2% and non‑college by ~2%, with native employment unchanged.

Think complements, not substitutes.

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De-BOO-ra Wexler @debrawexler.bsky.social · 5d

This is an incredibly important challenge for the next Mayor, not only in terms of getting families into permanent housing but also making sure that support systems (transportation, social services, counseling, even access to laundry) to provide consistency for highly mobile students.

Open New York @opennewyork.org · 5d

We have to get people in safe, permanent, and affordable homes — and to do that, we have to build enough homes for everyone.

140,000 N.Y.C. Students Are Homeless. Can the Next Mayor Change That?

www.nytimes.com

De-BOO-ra Wexler @debrawexler.bsky.social · 6d

I am college touring with my daughter and we just passed a shop called Wicked Sexy Used Tires. And we’re not even in Massachusetts.

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De-BOO-ra Wexler @debrawexler.bsky.social · 7d

It’s officially Spooky Season and I’m good, but thanks!

a girl in a witch costume is peeking out of a closet with the words boo written on the door

Alt: a girl in a witch costume is peeking out of a closet with the words boo written on the door

media.tenor.com

De-BOO-ra Wexler @debrawexler.bsky.social · 9d

Housekeeping, Jane Eyre, Song of Solomon, Midnight’s Children, Intuitionist, After Leaving Mr. Mackenzie, Call It Sleep, Kavalier & Clay, White Teeth, Possession…I could go on. As for Melville, give me Confidence Man over Moby Dick, and it’s not close.

De-BOO-ra Wexler @debrawexler.bsky.social · 10d

The question is, do they have a subscription service?

De-BOO-ra Wexler @debrawexler.bsky.social · 10d

I was born in 1971 so that is definitely incorrect because I’m just coming up on 35.

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De-BOO-ra Wexler @debrawexler.bsky.social · 12d

No comparison. And LaGuardia is not just better but an actual delight in my experience. I’ve never spent more than 5m on the security line at the new LGA.

De-BOO-ra Wexler @debrawexler.bsky.social · 13d

I am not saying that there aren't uses. But for kids, at least, there should be education around safe use of these tools. She actually compared it to sex ed -- trying to keep kids off the platforms would likely be as effective as abstinence-only, we need to teach kids to use them safely.

De-BOO-ra Wexler @debrawexler.bsky.social · 13d

Relatedly, I was talking to an educator recently who noted that much of the conversation around AI in ed focuses on cheating, impact to students' writing and thinking skills, etc. But in her experience most young people using AI were spending time on character ai or other ai companion platforms.

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De-BOO-ra Wexler @debrawexler.bsky.social · 13d

Alas:

AI 'deadbots' are persuasive — and researchers say they're primed for monetization

The digital afterlife industry may near $80 billion in a decade, fueled by AI "deadbots." Tech firms see profit. But experts warn of troubling consequences.

www.npr.org

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De-BOO-ra Wexler @debrawexler.bsky.social · 14d

I’m sticking with Bufferin

De-BOO-ra Wexler @debrawexler.bsky.social · 14d

I always pick 4 if it’s open because it’s sort of tucked in out of the way and that’s my preference. YMMV

Reposted by De-BOO-ra Wexler

lauren benet @laurenbenet.bsky.social · 14d

incredible news 🤯

Kathleen Bachynski @bachynski.bsky.social · 14d

This is huge: “A drug that provides near-perfect protection against H.I.V. with shots just twice a year will be made available at $40 per patient annually in low- and middle-income countries, offering new hope… making lenacapavir a realistic choice in countries with constrained resources.”

Philanthropies Strike a Promising Deal to Turn Back H.I.V.

www.nytimes.com

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De-BOO-ra Wexler @debrawexler.bsky.social · 14d

Science is good.

Bat Krown 🦇 @katbrownwrites.com · 14d

“An emotional research team became tearful as they described how data shows the disease was slowed by 75% in patients.”

What an absolutely incredible, joyous achievement for everyone involved. Hurrah for science and scientists! www.bbc.com/news/article...

Huntington's disease successfully treated for first time

One of the most devastating diseases finally has a treatment that could transform lives, tearful doctors tell BBC

www.bbc.com

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Reposted by De-BOO-ra Wexler

Justin Hendrix @justinhendrix.bsky.social · 15d

Fellow New Yorkers (and all those who are New York-curious), recommended follow:

THE CITY @thecity.nyc · 15d

Woah!!! Thanks to all our followers! Crazy to think we’re so close to reaching 50,000!!

If you have a friend or neighbor who’s looking to read more local reporting, pass our handle along ♥️

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De-BOO-ra Wexler @debrawexler.bsky.social · 16d

I’m surprised there isn’t more of a double bump with the kids’ songs. I definitely know all the words to “Let It Go,” much to my dismay.

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Reposted by De-BOO-ra Wexler

Cara Jackson @carajackson.bsky.social · 16d

"achievement may have improved by 0.017–0.025 SDs if absence rates had returned to pre-pandemic norms in 2023–2024, which would account for 13%–19% of the total needed to achieve a full academic recovery."

Paul Bruno @paul-bruno.com · 16d

The Relationship Between Student Attendance and Achievement, Pre- and Post-COVID journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1...

Sage Journals: Discover world-class research

Subscription and open access journals from Sage, the world's leading independent academic publisher.

journals.sagepub.com

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De-BOO-ra Wexler @debrawexler.bsky.social · 18d

A fun fact about Chester Arthur is that he represented Elizabeth Jennings in her successful 1855 lawsuit that led to desegregation of public transportation in NYC. So I feel like that nickname suits him. (Jennings was also very much a boss.)

history.nycourts.gov/case/jenning...

Jennings v. Third Avenue Railroad Co., 1854 - Historical Society of the New York Courts

In 1852, the Third Avenue Railroad Company obtained a franchise to construct and operate a street railway service in parts of Manhattan. The company … More Jennings v. Third Avenue Railroad Co., 1854 ...

history.nycourts.gov

De-BOO-ra Wexler @debrawexler.bsky.social · 19d

Complex problems rarely have simple causes or solutions—I think there are a lot of issues in play. That includes multifaceted effects from the pandemic (disruption, chronic absenteeism) and shifting digital habits (also exacerbated by the pandemic). But the trend started to emerge pre-pandemic.

De-BOO-ra Wexler @debrawexler.bsky.social · 19d

I have become an evangelist for bell-to-bell bans having seen the impact in schools that have had them in place for 18 months or longer. But this challenge is much bigger than that and I do not believe it's due to test prep or kids not taking NAEP seriously as those conditions are not new.

De-BOO-ra Wexler @debrawexler.bsky.social · 19d

There have been plenty of takes since last week's #NAEP results showed 12th graders performing at the lowest reading level since the test launched in 1992. This analysis from @michaelpetrilli.bsky.social is esp. disconcerting: that cohort had achieved NAEP’s highest 4th-grade reading scores.
#edusky