28 h. ago Two leaders of Harvard’s Middle Eastern studies center to step down

Departures of Cemal Kafadar and Rosie Bsheer are seen by critics as ‘shameful attempt’ by school to appease TrumpThe leaders of Harvard University’s Center for Middle Eastern Studies are leaving their positions after the center faced accusations of anti-Israel bias.The departures come as the Trump administration scrutinizes institutions who have had pro-Palestine protests over the last year. Earlier this week, Columbia’s president announced she will step down after Trump targeted the university for protests on campus last year. Continue reading...

Events

35 h. ago ‘Canary in the coalmine of totalitarianism’: how Columbia went from a home for Edward Said to a punching bag for Trump

The university had a history of being a home for cutting-edge discourse on Palestine – until it capitulated to the administration’s demands Last week, Columbia University announced that it would cave to demands by the Trump administration and adopt sweeping measures against pro-Palestinian activity on campus, including new restrictions on protest and the takeover of an academic department from faculty control.The news sent shock waves across higher education institutions nationwide for what appeared a stunning capitulation to attacks on academic freedom and the independence of the department of Middle Eastern, south Asian and African studies, or Mesaas, which became a scapegoat for what the administration viewed as a pro-Palestinian climate on campus. It was also a remarkable turn of events for a university that had for years been a home for cutting-edge academic discourse on Palestine, beginning with the scholarship of Edward Said, a leading Palestinian intellectual. Continue readi...

Politics

3 d. ago Things to know about the White House investigation into California's law on students and gender

The Trump administration is investigating California's education department over a law that bans school districts from requiring staff to notify parents of their child's pronoun change

Society

3 d. ago Civil rights groups say push to dismantle Education Department will undue hard

President Donald Trump has reopened a debate in the fight over the federal government’s role in education policy after signing an executive order to dismantle the U.S. Education Department

Politics

3 d. ago Gap of 8,000 secondary school places in special schools last year – figures

Around two in three special schools in England were ‘at or over capacity’ in the last academic year, the Department for Education said.

Politics

4 d. ago Pupils rewarded with iPads, bikes and pizza parties for good attendance – report

School attendance policies should ‘prioritise encouragement and support over sanctions’, the NFER paper has said.

Events

4 d. ago Education Department reopens applications for student loan repayment plans

The U.S. Education Department reopened online applications Wednesday for income-driven repayment plans for student loan borrowers

Politics

6 d. ago Judge blocks DOGE from accessing sensitive information at US agencies

A federal judge has temporarily blocked Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency from accessing people’s private data at the Education Department, the Treasury Department and the Office of Personnel Management

Events

7 d. ago ‘We will work with Congress’: Linda McMahon promises cooperation in push to dismantle Education department

Trump will work with Congress and follow the law as he dismantles Department of Education, secretary insists

Politics

9 d. ago Trump’s order to dismantle education department sparks outrage: ‘see you in court’

Politicians and teachers unions condemn president’s effort to axe department, which can only be done by CongressTeachers unions and Democratic politicians joined in denouncing Donald Trump’s executive order aimed at eliminating the US Department of Education, with the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) saying simply: “See you in court.”Trump’s move was long trailed, so much so that Randi Weingarten, the head of the AFT – which represents 1.8 million teachers – put out her statement the day before the order was signed. Michael Mulgrew, president of the United Federation of Teachers, which represents 200,000 members, teachers and other education workers mostly in New York City, said: “We will join our national union and public education allies to protect students and educators. We are working with our partners to file lawsuits to stop this executive overreach. Continue reading...

Politics

9 d. ago List of Trump's executive orders as president moves to dismantle education department

The latest move to reduce the scope of the federal government will face opposition in Congress

Politics

9 d. ago Trump angrily denies Elon Musk will be part of sensitive Pentagon briefing on China: Live updates

President attacks New York Times over reporting as backlash over billonaire’s role in administration grows

Politics

9 d. ago Trump’s executive order to dismantle Department for Education sparks fears for students – live

Eliminating department, which distributes billions in federal money to schools and manages federal student loans, would likely require act of CongressDefense secretary Pete Hegseth said late Thursday that he would be meeting with billionaire Elon Musk at the Pentagon Friday to discuss “innovation, efficiencies & smarter production.”Musk, a top adviser to President Donald Trump, and his Department of Government Efficiency have played an integral role in the administration’s push to dramatically reduce the size of the government. Continue reading...

Politics

9 d. ago Trump’s executive order to dismantle Department for Education sparks fears for low

Eliminating department, which distributes billions in federal money to schools and manages federal student loans, would likely require act of CongressGood morning and welcome to the US politics live blog. I’m Tom Ambrose and I’ll be bringing you all the latest news on this Friday morning.We begin with the news that president Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday calling for the dismantling of the Education Department, an agency Republicans have talked about closing for decades. The order says education secretary Linda McMahon will, “to the maximum extent appropriate and permitted by law, take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the Department of Education and return authority over education to the States and local communities.” Eliminating the department altogether would be a cumbersome task, which likely would require an act of Congress, AP reported. In the weeks since he took office, the Trump administration already has cut the department’s staff in half and...

Politics

9 d. ago Trump signs executive order aimed at ‘eliminating’ Department of Education ‘once and for all’: Live updates

President claimed giving control of education to states will halve costs and improve standards

Politics

9 d. ago Trump administration briefing: Democrats denounce education department ‘shutdown’

Education secretary ordered to take ‘all necessary steps’ to dismantle department; US rejects Mexico’s request for water – key US politics stories from Thursday at a glanceDonald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday that instructs the US education secretary, Linda McMahon, to start dismantling the education department, seemingly attempting to circumvent the need to obtain congressional approval to formally close a federal department.The administration may eventually pursue an effort to get Congress to shut down the agency, Trump said at a signing ceremony at the White House on Thursday, because its budget had more than doubled in size in recent years but national test scores had not improved. Continue reading...

Politics

9 d. ago Donald Trump's behaviour has chilling echoes of North Korea as critics slam him for using kids as 'props'

President Donald Trump's decision to sign an executive order gutting the Department of Education has sparked outrage and drawn eerie comparisons to North Korean tactics

Politics

9 d. ago Sky News interrupted as Donald Trump makes bombshell announcement live from White House

Donald Trump made the announcement live from the White House as he signed an executive order to begin the process of closing the US Department of Education

Events

1 week ago Trump created a mock classroom in the White House to announce he was dismantling the Department of Education

Analysis: In signing an executive order to dismantle the Department of Education, Trump was assigning homework that will never get done, Richard Hall writes.

Politics

1 week ago The Education Department was created to ensure equal access. Who would do that in its absence?

As the Trump administration moves to dismantle the Education Department, officials have suggested other agencies could take over its major responsibilities

Politics