Today: October 06, 2024
Today: October 06, 2024

Latest From The Los Angeles Post

Education

College students with loans more likely to report bad health and skip medicine and care, study finds

A new study found that those with student loans are more likely to delay medical, dental and mental health care. PeopleImages/iStock via Getty Images The Research Brief is a short take about interesting academic work. The big idea Students who took out loans to pay for college rated their overall health and mental health as being worse than those who didn’t take out student loans. They also reported more major medical problems and were more likely to report delaying medical, dental and mental health care and using less medication than the amount prescribed to save money. We reported these findings

College students with loans more likely to report bad health and skip medicine and care, study finds
Education

'Knowledge of self': How a key phrase from Islam became a pillar of hip-hop

The popular phrase ‘knowledge of self’ — invoked by numerous rappers who adhere to Islam — is nearly a millennium old. Paul Hawthorne for Getty Images I was 9 years old when Eric B. and Rakim’s “Paid in Full” dropped. I have vivid memories of the bass-laden track booming out of car stereos and hearing it on Black radio, like Kiss FM’s top eight at 8 p.m. countdown. On the track “Move the Crowd,” Rakim – also known as “the God MC” – rhymes “All praise is due to Allah and that’s a blessing.” Growing up as a Black Muslim

'Knowledge of self': How a key phrase from Islam became a pillar of hip-hop
Education

Ending affirmative action does nothing to end discrimination against Asian Americans

Participants at Harvard marching at a rally protesting the Supreme Court’s ruling against affirmative action on July 1, 2023. Ziyu Julian Zhu/Xinhua via Getty Images In two cases challenging the use of race in college admissions, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the educational benefit of racial diversity is no longer what it once called a “compelling interest.” These decisions effectively end race-conscious college admissions. In my view, as a legal scholar of implicit bias and critical race studies, they do not end discrimination against Asian Americans, which was the advertised goal of the lawsuits. The cases against Harvard and

Ending affirmative action does nothing to end discrimination against Asian Americans
Education

I've taught in prisons for 15 years – here's what schools need to know as government funding expands

In the U.S., almost 2 million people are in prison. Rizky Panuntun/Moment via Getty Images In spring of 2023, I taught a class on memoir at the California Institution for Women, a medium-security facility, in Chino. The course focused on autobiographical writing. Each week, students were asked to draft narratives focused on their life story and its larger social context. In addition to writers-in-custody at the prison, the class enrolled University of Southern California students. Every week, my colleague and I drove 12 USC undergraduates out to the prison to join their incarcerated peers in class. Both populations received college

I've taught in prisons for 15 years – here's what schools need to know as government funding expands
Education

To get rid of hazing, clarify what people really think is acceptable behavior and redefine what it means to be loyal

Students often have the wrong idea about what their peers think is acceptable. Anastasiia Korotkova/iStock via Getty Images My husband and I spent a late August day several years ago settling in our oldest child, Andrew, for the start of his first year at college. We went to Walmart to buy a mini fridge and rug. We hung posters above his bed. We attended the obligatory goodbye family lunch before heading to our car to return to a slightly quieter house. Two weeks later, Andrew called me, his voice breaking. A student in his dorm had just died as a

To get rid of hazing, clarify what people really think is acceptable behavior and redefine what it means to be loyal
Education

X marks the unknown in algebra – but X's origins are a math mystery

The use of the letter x as a mathematical unknown is a relatively modern convention. Algebra has been around for a lot longer. Daryl Benson/Stockbyte via Getty Images Even though x is one of the least-used letters in the English alphabet, it appears throughout American culture – from Stan Lee’s X-Men superheroes to “The X-Files” TV series. The letter x often symbolizes something unknown, with an air of mystery that can be appealing – just look at Elon Musk with SpaceX, Tesla’s Model X, and now X as a new name for Twitter. You might be most familiar with x

X marks the unknown in algebra – but X's origins are a math mystery
Education

Do smartphones belong in classrooms? Four scholars weigh in

Academic performance improves when schools ban smartphones, research shows. Westend61 via Getty Images _Should smartphones be allowed in classrooms? _ A new report from UNESCO, the education arm of the United Nations, raises questions about the practice. Though smartphones can be used for educational purposes, the report says the devices also disrupt classroom learning, expose students to cyberbullying and can compromise students’ privacy. About 1 in 7 countries globally, such as the Netherlands and France, have banned the use of smartphones in school – and academic performance improved as a result, particularly for low-performing students, the report notes. As school

Do smartphones belong in classrooms? Four scholars weigh in
Education

Urban planning is often overlooked as a career -- here are some ways to change that

Research shows there is a lack of awareness among young people of the urban planning profession. Tim Robberts via Getty Images When students at Hughes STEM High School in Cincinnati were asked back in 2016 what part of their school they’d like to improve, they identified Coy Field – an athletic field they use for baseball, softball, track and football. Students said they felt uncomfortable and unsafe using the field because of its unkempt conditions. The field was covered in trash. Some sections were muddy. Students also had to walk the 10 minutes it takes to get to the field

Urban planning is often overlooked as a career -- here are some ways to change that
Education

DeSantis' 'war on woke' looks a lot like attempts by other countries to deny and rewrite history

SB 266 aims to stop college professors from teaching about systemic racism. Spencer Platt/Getty Images A Florida law that took effect on July 1, 2023, restricts how educators in the state’s public colleges and universities can teach about the racial oppression that African Americans have faced in the United States. Specifically, SB 266 forbids professors to teach that systemic racism is “inherent in the institutions of the United States.” Similarly, they cannot teach that it was designed “to maintain social, political and economic inequities.” We are professors who teach the modern history of the Middle East and Eastern Europe, and

DeSantis' 'war on woke' looks a lot like attempts by other countries to deny and rewrite history
Education

Massachusetts is updating its sex education guidelines for the first time in 24 years

A dozen U.S. states still do not mandate sex education in schools. Xavier Lorenzo/Moment via Getty Images In June 2023, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts shared with the public a draft of a new framework that will guide how elementary, middle and high schools in the state approach sex education. The last time Massachusetts issued guidelines that specify expectations for what Massachusetts students learn about sex in schools was 24 years ago, when most U.S. homes were not yet internet-connected. The new guidelines are part of a larger framework that addresses many aspects of health, including physical education, nutrition and hygiene.

Massachusetts is updating its sex education guidelines for the first time in 24 years
Education

40 years ago, the US started sending more and more kids to prison without hope of release, but today, it's far more rare – what happened?

Panic over supposed ‘super-predator’ teens ended years ago, but its consequences did not. jabejon/iStock via Getty Images Plus A South Carolina judge heard arguments in late May 2023 to reconsider the sentence for Jesse Osborne, who carried out a school shooting in 2016. Fourteen years old at the time, Osborne killed his father, then opened fire at Townsville Elementary School, killing a 6-year-old child and injuring others. He was sentenced to life without parole, but his attorneys have asked that a judge “give Jesse some hope” of leaving prison decades down the line. The judge ordered the defense to submit

40 years ago, the US started sending more and more kids to prison without hope of release, but today, it's far more rare – what happened?
Education

Bluey teaches children and parents alike about how play supports creativity – and other life lessons

The playful Heeler family has amassed fans of all ages. Ian Kitt/BBC Studios Adults and kids love Bluey. This Australian animated show – hugely popular in the U.S. as well – focuses on a family of blue heeler dogs living in Brisbane. The seven-minute episodes feature 6-year-old Bluey; her 4-year-old sister, Bingo; her mom, Chilli; and her dad, Bandit. They depict the beauty of childhood and portray the realities of being a parent in our current age. As developmental scientists who study children and how they interact with the world, we sort of adore Bluey too. The show exemplifies what

Bluey teaches children and parents alike about how play supports creativity – and other life lessons
Education

How after-school clubs became a new battleground in the Satanic Temple's push to preserve separation of church and state

Lucien Greaves, spokesman for the Satanic Temple, which has pushed to establish after-school clubs. Josh Reynolds for The Washington Post via Getty Images As the start of the school year rapidly approaches, controversy can’t be far behind. But not all hot-button topics in education are about what goes on in class. Over the past few years, conflict has trailed attempts to establish After School Satan Clubs sponsored by the Satanic Temple, which the U.S. government recognizes as a religious group. Organizers have tried to form clubs in California, Colorado, Illinois, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia. Organizers in Broome County,

How after-school clubs became a new battleground in the Satanic Temple's push to preserve separation of church and state
Education

Hip-hop and health – why so many rap artists die young

Hip hop artists, from top left, clockwise, DMX, Lexii Alijai, Prince Markie Dee and Trugoy the Dove have all passed away within the past decade. Getty Images The song “Be Healthy” from the 2000 album by hip-hop duo dead prez, “Let’s Get Free,” is a rare rap anthem dedicated to diet, exercise and temperance: “They say you are what you eat, so I strive to eat healthy / My goal in life is not to be rich or wealthy / ‘Cause true wealth come from good health and wise ways / We got to start taking better care of ourselves”

Hip-hop and health – why so many rap artists die young
Education

What the US can learn from affirmative action at universities in Brazil

Affirmative action for college students in Brazil led to better employment prospects for those who benefited from the policy. Cesar Okada via Getty Images When Brazil implemented affirmative action at its federal universities in 2012, the policy prompted a public debate that largely resembles the debate over affirmative action in the United States. Brazil’s affirmative action policy requires every federal university to reserve at least half of all seats for students from certain groups. Out of that half, about half of the seats go solely to Black, mixed and Indigenous Brazilians. The other half go to low-income public-school students. Other

What the US can learn from affirmative action at universities in Brazil
Education

Cost and lack of majors are among the top reasons why students leave for-profit colleges

Students who attend for-profit colleges on average have higher student loan debt than those who attend public institutions. FatCamera via Getty Images For the majority of students, the college where they enroll is often the one from where they will graduate. But not so for the approximately 1 million students who transfer each year from one school to another. Of these 1 million, about 100,000 students transfer from one of the approximately 2,300 for-profit universities that exist in the U.S. That’s a sizable portion of the approximately 777,000 students who attend for-profit colleges. As researchers who specialize in higher education,

Cost and lack of majors are among the top reasons why students leave for-profit colleges
Education

6 books that explain the history and meaning of Juneteenth

A Juneteenth celebration in Prospect Park in New York City in 2022. Michael Nagle/Xinhua News Agency via Getty Images After decades of being celebrated at mostly the local level, Juneteenth – the long-standing holiday that commemorates the arrival of news of emancipation and freedom to enslaved Black people in Galveston, Texas, in 1865 – became a federal holiday in 2021. In honor of this year’s Juneteenth, The Conversation reached out to Wake Forest University humanities professor Corey D. B. Walker for a list of readings that can help people better understand the history and meaning of the observance. Below, Walker

6 books that explain the history and meaning of Juneteenth
Education

Juneteenth, Jim Crow and how the fight of one Black Texas family to make freedom real offers lessons for Texas lawmakers trying to erase history from the classroom

Joshua Houston leads a Juneteenth Parade in Huntsville, Texas, in a photo circa 1900. Sam Houston Memorial Museum and Republic of Texas Presidential Library The news was startling. On June 19, 1865, two months after the U.S. Civil War ended, Union Gen. Gordon Granger walked onto the balcony at Ashton Villa in Galveston, Texas, and announced to the people of the state that “all slaves are free.” As local plantation owners lamented the loss of their most valuable property, Black Texans celebrated Granger’s Juneteenth announcement with singing, dancing and feasting. The 182,566 enslaved African Americans in Texas had finally won

Juneteenth, Jim Crow and how the fight of one Black Texas family to make freedom real offers lessons for Texas lawmakers trying to erase history from the classroom
Education

For some NBA draftees who overcame adversity, making the transition to fame and fortune is no slam dunk

NBA rookies must navigate their way over a series of pitfalls. Credit: Jon Enoch Photography Ltd via Getty Images When a young athlete is drafted into the NBA – as 58 players were on June 22, 2023 – it is often seen as a life-changing event. The money makes it so. Salaries for first-round draft picks this year are projected to range from about $2.4 million at the low end to $12 million at the very top. That’s a lot of bread for a young person to handle. The three youngest prospects this year will still be 18 at the

For some NBA draftees who overcame adversity, making the transition to fame and fortune is no slam dunk
Education

Moms lose significant sleep and free time during kids' school year, new study finds

Moms get about 25 minutes less sleep each weeknight when their kids’ school is in session. Jose Luis Pelaez Inc/DigitalVision Collection/Getty Images The Research Brief is a short take about interesting academic work. The big idea Moms of school-age children get significantly less sleep during the school year than during the summer. We are economists who specialize in education and health research. We combined extensive data on school district schedules with information derived from the American Time Use Survey to explore the ways families use their time differently depending on whether school is in session or out for summer. We

Moms lose significant sleep and free time during kids' school year, new study finds
Education

Asian folktales offer moral lessons that help reduce racial prejudice in children

A teacher tells a story to a group of students. Getty Images In a Cambodian children’s folktale, one man is afraid of lawyers and another is afraid of filth. As the story goes, both are constantly bombarded by their fears despite their efforts to avoid them. The moral of the tale is revealing and contains a powerful anti-racism message: What you hate becomes your fate. As an educational linguist and a psychologist who specialize in children’s literacy development, we know that reading such folktales about people from different ethnic groups reduces prejudice in young children. By age 4, children learn

Asian folktales offer moral lessons that help reduce racial prejudice in children
Education

Taking students to the range to learn about gun culture firsthand

‘Sociology of Guns’ students during a gun range field trip. Sandra Stroud Yamane, Author provided Uncommon Courses is an occasional series from The Conversation U.S. highlighting unconventional approaches to teaching. Title of course: “Sociology of Guns” What prompted the idea for the course? I grew up in the liberal culture of the San Francisco Bay Area and never touched a firearm until I was 42 years old, living in North Carolina and teaching sociology at Wake Forest University. For the past 10-plus years I have been deeply immersed in American gun culture both professionally and personally. I have both studied

Taking students to the range to learn about gun culture firsthand
Education

COVID-19 hurt kids' math learning more than reading and writing – with the biggest setbacks in fall 2020

The pandemic’s effect on student learning could exacerbate racial and economic achievement gaps. Laura Olivas/Moment Collection/Getty Images The Research Brief is a short take about interesting academic work. The big idea The COVID-19 pandemic had a stark negative impact on students’ math scores, new data from Michigan shows. Math achievement growth over the three-year period from spring 2019 through spring 2022 was substantially lower – approximately 7 national percentiles – than among comparable students the three years prior. There were even larger decreases among students who are Black or Latino, low income or who attended the majority of schools that

COVID-19 hurt kids' math learning more than reading and writing – with the biggest setbacks in fall 2020
Education

A 2003 Supreme Court decision upholding affirmative action planted the seeds of its overturning, as justices then and now thought racism an easily solved problem

The Supreme Court issued a decision on June 29, 2023, that ends affirmative action in college admissions. Drew Angerer/Getty Images In an anticipated but nonetheless stunning decision expected to have widespread implications on college campuses and workplaces across the country, the conservative majority of the U.S. Supreme Court on June 29, 2023, outlawed affirmative action programs that were designed to correct centuries of racist disenfranchisement in higher education. In the majority opinion about the constitutionality of admissions programs at the University of North Carolina and Harvard, Chief Justice John Roberts wrote that Harvard’s and UNC’s race-based admission guidelines “cannot be

A 2003 Supreme Court decision upholding affirmative action planted the seeds of its overturning, as justices then and now thought racism an easily solved problem
Education

Military academies can still consider race in admissions, but the rest of the nation's colleges and universities cannot, court rules

A person protests outside of the Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., on June 29, 2023. AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana In a 6-3 ruling on Thursday, June 29, 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the use of race in college admissions at Harvard and the University of North Carolina, outlawing the use of race in college admissions in general. The Conversation reached out to three legal scholars to explain what the decision means for students, colleges and universities, and ultimately the nation’s future. Kimberly Robinson, Professor of Law at the University of Virginia Writing for the majority in a case

Military academies can still consider race in admissions, but the rest of the nation's colleges and universities cannot, court rules

Follow