by Rafael Pena

February 18, 2024

U.S. States Tighten Restrictions On Sex Education In Classrooms

Eight states passed laws last year restricting sex education taught in classrooms, with the possibility of more states following this year.

In a shift that raises concerns about the breadth and scope of sex education in American schools, eight states passed laws last year restricting the content taught in classrooms, with the possibility of more states following suit this year, according to USA Today.

Florida led the charge by expanding its controversial “Don’t Say Gay” law, preventing discussions on sexual orientation and gender identity until the ninth grade. Arkansas, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Mississippi, and North Dakota followed right behind. The trend, documented by the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States, signifies an 800% increase in restrictive legislation from the previous year.

These laws primarily target LGBTQ+ content, prohibiting discussions on sexual orientation and gender identity in early elementary grades. Florida’s legislation goes further by restricting these conversations until the ninth grade, adding complexity to issues surrounding sexual orientation and gender identity. Policymakers argue that these measures protect parental rights, a sentiment echoed across states implementing similar laws.

The legislative trends have serious implications for children, especially LGBTQ+ youth. Research indicates that omitting LGBTQ+ content from sex education leaves these individuals ill-equipped to navigate relationships, setting the stage for potential mental health challenges as they mature. The new restrictions extend beyond LGBTQ+ topics, with some states limiting information about abortion.

The National Sex Education Standards, developed by groups including the Sexuality Information and Education Council, emphasize high-quality, inclusive, and age-appropriate sex education. The recent laws, however, contradict these standards. The standards advocate for teaching reproductive anatomy, puberty, and essential skills such as setting boundaries and accessing resources from trusted adults. They also stress the importance of inclusivity, covering sexual orientation and gender identity in age-appropriate ways.

Conservative groups argue that such content is inappropriate for public school classrooms, igniting a debate about the role of sex education in early childhood. Advocates stress the importance of teaching these topics from a young age, emphasizing safety, healthy relationships, and understanding concepts like bodily autonomy and consent.

A concerning trend is the increasing number of bills framed under the banner of parental rights, impacting sex education and book restrictions. Over 20 such bills were enacted across 14 states last year, reflecting a 73% increase from the previous year. According to the outlet, the push for parental rights often includes provisions restricting the use of preferred pronouns on campus and book bans, raising questions about the influence of ideological parental cohorts on school curricula.

While restrictions are on the rise, a countermovement aims to protect students’ rights to comprehensive sex education. Ten states passed laws last year that protect curriculum content related to dating, sexual violence, and healthy relationships. Additionally, some states are considering bills to increase youth access to contraception and family planning resources in the wake of the 2022 U.S. Supreme Court ruling overturning the constitutional right to an abortion.

by Daniel Johnson

February 18, 2024

NCAA Scoring Record Setter Caitlin Clark Sparks Conversations On Black Women Overlooked By Official Statistics

High scorers and record setters Lynette Woodard and Pearl Moore are two women the NCAA left behind.

Caitlin Clark broke the NCAA All-Time scoring record on Feb. 15, following a 49-point outburst that set her career high. While the fanfare around Clark’s record-setting achievement has propelled her into conversations about whether her scoring prowess will immediately transfer to the women’s professional game, it is also creating conversations about the women the NCAA left behind.

As NPR reports, Lynette Woodard, who played for the University of Kansas in the late 1970s and early 1980s, and Pearl Moore, who played for Division II Francis Marion College during the late 1970s, both put up more points. Woodard scored 3,649 points, and Moore scored an astounding 4,061 despite neither benefiting from the three-point line. However, since both records were set before the NCAA officially recognized women’s collegiate sports, as an organization spokesperson told The Wall Street Journal, they do not recognize statistics from non-NCAA associations. The spokesperson stated that records from these competitions “are not currently included in NCAA record books, regardless of gender.”

Following her incredible college career, Woodard became a two-time Olympian, winning a gold medal in 1984 as the captain alongside Cheryl Miller, Pamela McGee, and Kim Mulkey. Woodard also became the first woman to play for the Harlem Globetrotters and then played basketball professionally overseas, like McGee and Miller’s college teammate, Cynthia Cooper, before eventually joining the WNBA. Woodard told NPR via a written statement that while she celebrated Clark’s record, she also hoped others could have their records honored.

“In honoring Caitlin’s accomplishments, I hope that we can also shine a light on the pioneers who paved the way before her. Women’s basketball has a glorious history that predates the NCAA’s involvement. I applaud Caitlin for everything she has done and look forward to watching her score many more points for years to come,” Woodard wrote.

Moore’s record is more obscure but is perhaps also lifted by a recent NCAA record set by Lauryn Taylor. Taylor, who plays for Francis Marion College, pulled down 44 rebounds on Feb. 15, the same day Clark set her record. Over Moore’s career, she was a four-time Small College All-American who went on to play for two teams, the New York Stars and the St. Louis Streak, which played in a league that was a forerunner to the WNBA, the Women’s Professional Basketball League.

Moore recently said in an interview that she hopes Clark can break both records. “Records were made to be broken. And I’m thinking about, let’s say, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and LeBron James, and I think it was about 40 years between LeBron’s like 38, and that record last for like 30 years,” Moore said. “And I finished college at 22, and I’m 66 now, so that records like 40 years, so records are made to be broken, and if she does it, good for her.”

Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer, the coach with the most wins in NCAA history in either the men’s or women’s programs, told The Wall Street Journal that she believes the record belongs to Woodard until it is broken. “I think the overall record by Lynette Woodard is THE RECORD.”

So, for now, the records will all have separate descriptions and qualifiers. Still, the benefit to those conversations is that these forgotten scoring geniuses’ names will keep coming up while Clark’s record is discussed.

by Mary Spiller

February 18, 2024

Kentucky School Bus Driver Buys 3rd Grader Pajamas To Participate In Pajama Day

Farrish has been a bus driver for seven years, and he described the students who get on his bus as 'his kids.'

Larry Farrish Jr., a 35-year-old Kentucky bus driver, touched the heart of one of his third graders on Feb. 9. The Engelhard Elementary School student was having a bad day at school because he had no pajamas for pajama day.

According to a Jefferson County Public School press release, when Farrish pulled up at one of the stops on his bus route, he saw 3rd grader Levi sitting on the curb looking upset. He recalled to Today News, “Normally when I pull up, he’s standing there waiting for me with a big smile, but on this day, he was sitting on the ground with a jacket over his head.”

“I asked him, ‘Hey buddy, what’s going on? What’s wrong?’”

Farrish said Levi had “a face full of tears,” as the boy explained that he couldn’t participate in Pajama Day because he didn’t have any pajamas at home.

Farrish told the outlet, “I thought, ‘I gotta fix this. It hurt me so bad. That just wasn’t my Levi, and I wanted him to have a good day. No child should have to miss out on something as small as pajama day.”

As soon as Farrish dropped Levi and the rest of his kids off at school, he continued to the nearest Family Dollar store to buy several pairs of pajamas in a few different sizes for Levi. He returned to the school and brought the pajamas into the front office.

The school administration called Levi down, and they were able to present the gift to him.

“It really turned the whole Friday around, for him and for me,” Farrish added.

Levi opened up about the experience as well. He admitted that he cried tears of joy when he got his pajamas.

Levi began, “I can tell Mr. Larry is nice and his heart is filled with joy. I’m usually really happy, but not on pajama day…When he got me the pajamas, I did a happy cry.”

Farrish has been a bus driver for seven years, and he described the students who get on his bus as “his kids.”

“They become my kids after they leave their parents. I make sure they get to and from school safe, but I also try to bring some type of joy to their lives,” he said.

Jefferson County Public Schools shared what happened on its social media, and Farrish described being sent a flood of messages by parents whose kids he drives to school every day.

“For people to actually be able to find me and reach out on behalf of such a small gesture, it made me cry,” Farrish expressed. “It feels good knowing I made an impact on a child’s life.”

by Mary Spiller

February 18, 2024

Expert: Racial Wage Gap Begins As Young As Age 16 For Black Workers

The median weekly earnings for full-time Black workers, 16-to-24-year-olds, was $614, while it's $747 per week for white young adults.

A new release by CNBC Make It revealed that the racial wage gap and the disparity between white and Black workers begin early on in adolescence.

Black people only make 76 cents to a white worker’s dollar, and according to the Department of Labor, the median weekly earnings for full-time Black workers, 16-to-24-year-olds, was $614, while it’s $747 per week for white young adults. The Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that the gap is smaller than in adults but still pervasive.

CNBC experts discussed what could be causing these disparities so early in their lives. Most majorly, senior Brookings Institution fellow Andre Perry posited that job opportunities for youth are usually directly a result of their family environment.

Perry said, “Children born in higher income and higher wealth families will have greater access to opportunities that their parents can present.” He added that both the resources that parents have access to and the amount of wealth a family has overall can dictate what kind of job children are able to get. Perry explained that, for example, “If your parents have a car, you’ll have more opportunities to get a premium job. Whenever you’re talking about outcomes of children, what you’re describing is the outcomes of adults.”

The outlet cited geographic location as another big factor affecting Black youth’s wages. Century Foundation member Laura Valle-Gutierrez said, “The average wages in places where we know communities of color are concentrated.”

Overall, Valle-Gutierrez said that it’s incredibly important to keep these disparities in mind while working to support Black youth in their professional pursuits.

Valle-Gutierrez concluded it’s important to “keep in mind that these wage gaps that do start early really do result in a lifetime of consequences in terms of lifetime earnings.”

by Mary Spiller

February 18, 2024

New Orleans Policeman Who Allegedly Shoved High School Student During Mardi Gras Parade Also Accused of Payroll Fraud

New Orleans police officer Alfred Russell is also accused of payroll fraud.

The New Orleans police officer accused of pushing a high school senior marching band member during the Muses parade during Mardi Gras has also been accused of payroll fraud.

According to WDSU, Alfred Russell has maintained that the claims of fraud are false, but has since been removed from duty following the Muses parade.

Videos of the Krewe Of Muses parade on Feb. 15 when high school senior Brandon Mitchell was allegedly shoved by Russell have surfaced.

Mitchell, who was playing the horn for L.B. Landry High, told WDSU that the experience was humiliating but he tried to conduct himself with poise and respect because, as homecoming king of his school and a section leader in the band, he has always been “taught to think about how his actions will impact others.”

He urged others to do the same. “I feel like I have stuff going on for myself that I would rather not lose,” Mitchell said.

The video of the incident showed the aftermath of the push, where Mitchell, another student, and Russell argued while other marching band members and parade-goers watched in shock.

“We at Algiers Charter are deeply disappointed by the incident captured in the video, depicting an NOPD Officer pushing an L. B. Landry Student and member of the Marching Pride of Algiers Band Unit,” Algiers Charter School district said in a statement. “However, we commend our students for their restraint and refusal to engage in negative behavior. This incident underscores the importance of the conflict resolution lessons we impart to our students.”

The school revealed that it would monitor the investigation into the NOPD officer’s actions and that it would “initiate a meeting with the NOPD to address this matter promptly.”

NOPD told WDSU that the department’s Public Integrity Bureau is actively investigating the incident and was alarmed by the parade footage.

by Daniel Johnson

February 17, 2024

Pioneering Haircare Entrepreneur Joe Louis Dudley Sr., 86, Dies; Leaves Legacy Of Success And Inspiration

Dudley built an empire from his and his family kitchen, eventually founding schools that trained generations of cosmetologists.

Joe Louis Dudley Sr., 86, a pioneer in the haircare industry, died Feb. 8.

As the New York Times reported, Dudley built an empire from his and his wife’s kitchen, eventually founding schools that trained generations of cosmetologists. Dudley’s business began as a family affair, he stirred the formulas in a steel drum with a large spatula while his wife, Eunice, created the labels. Their children screwed the tops on the bottles after the mixtures had cooled and set by the next morning.

From those humble beginnings, the Dudleys took over S.B. Fuller’s business in Chicago. They had sold the company’s products while attending North Carolina A&T. The coupled moved the business to Greensboro and built a plant, which also sold Fuller products.

Dudley, like Fuller, was described as a sales evangelist and was also a man of deep Christian faith, often employing those who had been incarcerated or experienced drug problems.

Dudley required his employees to open savings accounts and usually opened his sales meetings with repurposed popular songs or jingles. In 2009, while filming his documentary Good Hair, comedian Chris Rock journeyed to the Kernersville Dudley factory, where he learned about relaxer, a strong hair straightener.

The economics of the chemicals shocked Rock, who learned that a 7,000-pound vat of relaxer was worth around $18,000. Meanwhile, the camera panned to show the Dudley family mansion.

Dudley, named after the Black boxing legend Joe Louis, was born on May 9, 1937, in Aurora, NC, the fifth of 11 children. He stuttered as a child, which led to him being held back in the first grade; teachers called him “mentally retarded.”

His mother, Clara, encouraged her son to “prove them wrong, Joe. Prove them wrong,” a moment that drove Dudley throughout his life.

Lafayette Jones, the chairman emeritus of the American Health and Beauty Aids Institute, an association of Black manufacturers, told the Times that Dudley was “a leader among Black hair care royalty.”

In 1995, Dudley won the Horatio Alger Award, given to “leaders who have triumphed over adversity,” according to the organization. The other honorees that year were two legends in their field: music producer Quincy Jones and football coach Don Shula.

Ahead of the recession, in 2007, a section of the Dudley haircare factory that manufactured 90% of its products, suffered a fire. Dudley’s daughter, Ursula Dudley Oglesby, a Harvard-educated attorney, helped the family reorganize the company. She became the president and chief executive of what was now called Dudley Beauty Corp.

At the time of his death from Parkinson’s disease, Dudley was still working. Eunice has no plans to stop working either. Dudley and Eunice divorced in 2000 on amicable terms and remained business partners.

by Daniel Johnson

February 17, 2024

Survey: Nearly Half Of Healthcare Workers Have Witnessed Discrimination

Though the report’s focus is on the experience of patients, it notes that racism in the workplace is a common experience for workers in the healthcare industry.

A new report from the Commonwealth Fund and the African American Research Collaborative (AARC) indicates that racism is a serious problem in the healthcare industry.

A survey of over 3,000 healthcare workers found that half reported racism in hospitals and clinics. In fact, 47% of respondents said that they have witnessed discrimination against patients in their facilities, and 52% said racism is either a crisis or major problem in the healthcare industry, USA Today reports.

“The study shines a light on the discrimination and racism healthcare workers observe and the implications for negative health outcomes of patients in many communities,” said Henry Fernandez, CEO of AARC and the report’s lead author. “Understanding this connection at a national level is critical to measuring and addressing discrimination in the healthcare system to mitigate harm to patients and produce better health outcomes overall.”

Though the report’s focus is on the experience of patients, it notes that racism in the workplace is common for workers in the healthcare industry.

Some 58% of Black health care workers surveyed said that they experienced discrimination in their workplaces because of their race or ethnicity. They also expressed a fear of retaliation if they raise concerns about discrimination, despite feeling that their employers are making strides toward addressing racism in their workplaces.

Over two-thirds of health care workers believe that four key actions could help reduce discrimination at their jobs: making it easy to report situations involving racism or discrimination anonymously; actively listening to patients of color and health care workers of color; examining the treatment of non-English speaking patients; and training professional schools or healthcare staff to spot discrimination.

“If we are going to build truly equitable health care systems, we have to start by listening to voices of those on the front lines,” said Dr. Laura Zephyrin, senior vice president for advancing health qequity at the Commonwealth Fund and the report’s co-author, said. “Understanding what health care workers are experiencing, and what they want and need from their employers and colleagues to address discrimination, is critical to successful and sustainable change.”

The report also uncovered that facilities that had mostly Black or Latinx patients had more instances of racism than those who either had a majority white patient base, or no clear majority at all.

Healthcare workers also reported that they dealt with stress due to racial or ethnic discrimination in healthcare, and it is also more prevalent if the workers are in a facility that serves mostly Black or Latinx patients.

According to the report, “Racism in healthcare impacts not only patients but also large numbers of health care workers. Just under half of healthcare workers, and majorities of Black, Latino, and AAPI health care workers, report that dealing with racial or ethnic discrimination in health care creates some or a lot of stress for them.”

Chicago, Mayor, Brandon Johnson, school board president, resigns

by Daniel Johnson

February 17, 2024

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson Praises Black/Latinx Businesses For Helping Migrants

The network of establishments, mostly small Black and Latinx-owned businesses, has served about 18,000 meals daily since the end of 2022.

As part of his initiative to highlight Chicago’s mission to feed the asylum seekers who living in the city’s shelters, on Feb. 6 Mayor Brandon Johnson toured BJ’s Market and Bakery, one of 17 establishments serving migrants hot meals in the city’s shelters.

This is thanks to a $17.6 million contribution to the Greater Chicago Food Depository from the state of Illinois and private donations. The network of establishments, mostly small Black and Latinx-owned businesses, has served approximately 18,000 meals each day since the end of 2022.

Kate Maehr, executive director & CEO of the Food Depository, told CBS News, “It is a model of what we were able to do; not only providing millions of meals for new arrivals, but also reinvesting millions of dollars in small and local Black- and brown-owned businesses.”

John Meyer, the owner chef/owner of BJ’s, said his restaurant has seen a 100% increase in revenue since joining the program, which has allowed him to add four employees.

“This mission is going to take all of us, so there is a strong commitment for the state, county, and city to continue to challenge the federal government to respond to international crises while also making sure that the 28 shelters I have stood up, the 5,500 children I am educating, and the thousands of families that we are providing healthcare for… we continue our efforts to do just that,” Johnson said during a press conference.

Johnson also praised the program as a good representation of the spirit of Chicago.

“The $17 million investment for these 18 black and brown small businesses really captures what I call the soul of Chicago,” he said. “It’s who we are. I actually think it’s quite fitting that we are in this wonderful small business because it has been Black and brown small businesses that have stepped up in this moment, in this crisis, to respond to these families who are arriving here.”

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

February 17, 2024

Memphis Corrections Deputy Charged For Alleged Sexual Relationship With Inmate

A corrections deputy in Memphis was arrested and charged for allegedly having sex with an inmate at the Shelby County Jail.

A corrections deputy in Memphis, Tennessee, was arrested and charged for allegedly having sex with an inmate at the Shelby County Jail.

Akira Jones was arrested Tuesday, February 6, and charged with sexual conduct of prisoners, WREG reports. The charges came after the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) received a complaint on December 20, 2023.

A subsequent investigation identified Jones as the suspect, initially prompting the sheriff’s office to place her on administrative leave without pay in January. The sheriff’s office then notified the district attorney’s office and investigators to bring the case before a grand jury.

Two days after her arrest, the SCSO announced Jones was terminated from her job after being charged with a class E felony.

“The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office instructs all personnel, at hire and at in-service, that sexual contact between an officer and detainee is a criminal act that will lead to prosecution and termination,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement.

“It is forbidden by law and policy. The SCSO will not tolerate the misconduct of any employee and will continue to hold our employees accountable to the highest ethical standards to ensure our public’s trust.”

pic.twitter.com/dDRcFvIVNl
— ShelbyTNSheriff (@ShelbyTNSheriff) February 7, 2024

Jones didn’t make it a full year with the SCSO after beginning her corrections deputy role in May 2023. As of last week, Jones remained jailed on a $5,000 bond.

Her arrest came one month after a corrections officer in Elkhart County, Indiana, was arrested for allegedly having sex with a female inmate, WNDU reports. Malachi Yoder, 26, was identified as the suspect after a female inmate told corrections staff that she had sex with an unidentified male corrections officer. Yoder was arrested and sent to Elkhart County Jail.

by Lauren Nutall

February 17, 2024

Legal Battles And Land Rights: The Ongoing Struggle Of Black Landowners Against Developers

Over the years, Black landowners have fallen victim to property developers seeking to flip land.

As Black Americans inherit land, they are overwhelmed with pressure from developers to sell so that it may be repurposed.

Historically, Black Americans have been systematically threatened and harassed in an effort to force them to forfeit land ownership to developers. Others have been priced out of their homes, citing rising property taxes, according to AP News. This reality has led several Black people to lose their land, a significant source of generational wealth among families, NBC News reported.

Some families have managed to preserve their proprietorship and have no plans of ever selling outside of their family, such as the Smith family. “We’ve established that if anyone wants to sell their property, they will do so to a sibling and not an outsider,” said Evelyn S. Booker, who, alongside her seven siblings, inherited a 60-acre plot of land from their mother, Esther Smith Morse.

Though the Smiths have covered all legal avenues to ensure that the land remains within their family, their avid refusal has not deterred developers with hopes of transforming the occupied mass of land into a viable real estate investment or other plans. And, as it turns out, this is a similar tale for other Black landowners.

Last year, the late Josephine Wright, 93, resided in Hilton Head Island, SC on land that had been in her family for generations. In Feb. 2023, developer Bailey Point Investment Group filed a lawsuit attempting to coerce Wright into selling the land so that the company could erect a 147-unit residential subdivision. What ensued was a lengthy legal battle between the two parties, which gained traction across the country and garnered the attention of major celebrities such as Tyler Perry, Snoop Dogg, and more. “I don’t want to say anything that can be used against me, but I think they are unscrupulous and greedy, and they want all the property they can get their hands on,” Wright told WSAV in June 2023 about the development company.

According to NBC News, this is an all too common reality for many Black Americans who do not have access to resources to protect themselves against developers, partially due to informal ownership arrangements caused by a distrust of the government and legal systems. However, some programs are helping Black families preserve their property rights. The Center for Heirs’ Property Preservation is a South Carolina-based non-profit providing legal education and direct legal services for needy families. With guidance from assistant professor of agriculture, economics, and sociology at Auburn University in Alabama, Ryan Thomson, the Southern Rural Development Center also helps inheritors get their affairs to maintain legal ownership of their homes.

Still, as many Black families struggle to navigate the legal expectations of proprietorship – unclear deeds and titles, inaccurate or poorly detailed family records, and no wills – development companies have continued their practices to ensnare vulnerable Black landowners.