CBS News--U.S. schools are failing to protect kids from lead in drinking water, report finds
U.S. schools are not doing enough to protect students from drinking water contaminated with lead, according to a new report out from the Environment America Research & Policy Center and U.S. PIRG Education Fund. The report found "a pattern of widespread contamination of drinking water" at schools nationwide.
CBS News| March 21, 2019
NJ Spotlight--Poll: Do You Support Legalizing Recreational Marijuana in New Jersey?
State lawmakers are expected to vote on whether to legalize marijuana as early as next week. Where do you stand on the landmark bill?
March 22, 2019
NJ Spotlight--Moody’s: State Revenue Shortfall Could Roil Murphy’s Budget
Rating agency says income-tax receipts need to rise by 17 percent to match projections; is ‘uncertain’ state will get there
The revenue New Jersey collects from April income-tax returns is always crucial for the state budget, but a new report from a top Wall Street credit-rating agency suggests the stakes are even higher for Gov. Phil Murphy’s administration this year.
John Reitmeyer | March 22, 2019
The Record--NJ has one of nation’s worst racial gaps in school suspensions
In New Jersey, black students are 5.4 times and Hispanic students 2.4 times more likely to face out-of-school suspension compared with white students.
Hannan Adely| March 22, 2019
NY Times--As College Consulting Expands, Are High School Counselors Advocates or Adversaries?
High school counselors are often students’ biggest advocates, whether guiding teenagers through depression or the stress of SAT tests and college essays.
But in the federal investigation of corrupt admissions practices unveiled last week, some were seen as obstacles to be pushed aside.
The F.B.I. affidavit revealed how wealthy parents and William Singer, a private admissions consultant, lied to counselors about why students planned to take the SAT and ACT in far-flung locations, where bribed proctors would correct their answers. They rehearsed stories about falsified athletic records, claiming that although a student was not on their school’s sports team, he or she had played over the summer in Italy, or as part of a private club.
The vast majority of private admissions consulting is perfectly legal. But the indictments last week pointed to an awkward reality for the nation’s high school counselors: with the growth of the multibillion-dollar college-prep industry, their role in the application process has become blurrier, especially in affluent communities where parents can pay for outside help.
Dana Goldstein| March 20, 2019