‘U of M Is Controlled by Wealthy Jews:’ Alleged Comments from Michigan DEI Official Leads to Firing

Rachel Dawson

A Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) officer is without a job after the University of Michigan fired her for antisemitic remarks and “extremely poor” judgement stemming from an incident nine months ago.

The New York Times reports that Rachel Dawson, the former director of the university’s Office of Academic Multicultural Initiatives, reportedly made antisemitic comments in a conversation at a conference in March. Documents obtained through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request show Dawson allegedly said U of M was “controlled by wealthy Jews.”

Read the full story

Minnesota Parents, Private Colleges Suing Walz over PSEO Law Appear in Federal Court

Becket Fund for Religious Liberty

A group of parents suing Gov. Tim Walz over a new law that would prohibit certain private colleges from participating in the Post Secondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) program appeared in federal court last week.

Melinda and Mark Loe and Dawn Erickson are co-plaintiffs in the petition they filed last year against Walz and his Minnesota Department of Education commissioner, Willie Jett, which alleges that a new law the Democratic governor signed to prohibit colleges that have a statement of faith requirement for students from participating in PSEO programs is unconstitutional.

Read the full story

Commentary: The Years of Madness Are Ending

Joe Biden

Never in U.S. history has a president-elect been welcomed as the real president before his January 20 inauguration. And never has the incumbent president so willingly surrendered his last two months in office and all but abdicated—to the relief of his nation and the rest of the world.

One reason so many are welcoming Trump’s return is the universally desperate hope that his election spelled an end to a collective madness at home and its ripples abroad during the last four years. And why not?

Read the full story

Virginia U.S. Rep-Elect John McGuire Urges Party Unity After Luther Cifers Wins GOP Nomination for State Senate

John McGuire

U.S. Representative-elect John McGuire (R-VA-05) urged Republicans in Virginia’s 10th State Senate district to unite behind Luther Cifers, the outsider businessman who secured the Republican Party’s nomination to run for McGuire’s former seat.

Cifers won the nomination during the Friday mass meeting in Goochland that The Daily Progress reported drew 1,000 Republicans, ultimately securing more votes than Louisa County Board of Supervisers Chairman Duane Adams in the third round of voting, which was concluded at about 1 a.m. on Saturday.

Read the full story

Majority of Arizona Voters Support Changing Laws for Faster Election Results: Poll

A majority of Arizona voters would support legislation aimed at increasing the speed of election results as lawmakers in the Arizona State Senate file legislation to emulate the rapid election tabulation seen in Florida.

The poll, released last Thursday by Noble Predictive Insights, found that 52 percent of Arizona voters want Arizona to “change its laws to maintain election integrity and count votes more quickly.”

According to the pollsters, 15 percent more Arizonans want the laws to change than the number who want them to remain the same, as just 37 percent said the current laws are “the best way to ensure a correct vote count.” An additional 11 percent of respondents told Noble Predictive Insights they were not sure.

Read the full story

Federal Data: School Leaders Say 40 Percent of Students Are Behind Grade Level

Students Studying

According to a federal survey of school leaders, 40% of students in the nation’s public schools were behind grade level in one or more subjects at the beginning of the school year. 

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) announced its findings this week that the percentage of students school leaders estimated to be behind where they should be was down 7% from the 2022-23 school year but still 8% higher than before the pandemic. 

Read the full story

Commentary: Push Ohio Healthcare Price Transparency Legislation Across the Finish Line

Doctor Patient

Ohio state legislators are putting the finishing touches on bipartisan legislation to make healthcare more affordable and accessible. This week, state representatives and senators are working in conference to negotiate the final text of hospital price transparency legislation each chamber has passed versions of. They must pass this vital patient protection before the legislative session concludes at the end of the week, and Gov. DeWine must sign it into law.

Like many Ohioans, I learned about the importance of upfront hospital prices the hard way. After experiencing intense abdominal pain last year, my physician told me I needed umbilical hernia surgery — a four-hour outpatient procedure at a hospital in Barberton. The surgery was a success, and I wasn’t overly concerned about the cost because I have good insurance through my husband’s union job.

Read the full story