Courts
‘We’ve got to protect kids’: Missouri AG joins 32 others in suit against social media giant for being addictive and harmful for childrenMissouri has joined 32 other states in suing Meta, parent company of Facebook and Instagram, alleging it has knowingly harmed the mental health of minors by making its social media… Read More
Public Education
Missouri school board dodges federal ‘guidance’ to enact sexual orientation, gender identity clauses – and officials warn other districts not to fall for itSteve Makoski sees the role of a school board member as protecting schoolchildren – even from the president of the United States. He feels he and three of his Springfield,… Read More
Gender, Springfield
Springfield Board of Education dodges federal ‘guidance’ to enact sexual orientation, gender identity clauses – and officials warn other districts not to fall for itSteve Makoski sees the role of a school board member as protecting schoolchildren – even from the president of the United States. He feels he and… Read More
Public Education
Missouri school board likely to add sexual orientation, gender identity to non-discrimination policy, bending to federal pressureWould the Biden administration stop feeding Springfield students if the school board doesn’t bend to its will on gender identity policies? That’s the central question behind Tuesday night’s vote by… Read More
School Choice
‘Doing what is best for our children’: Why a public-school board member sent her children to a Christian schoolWhat made a public-school board member take her children out of the system and send them to a Christian school? Buffy Smith tells her story on Making… Read More
Public Education
Missouri’s top education official Margie Vandeven announces retirementMissouri Commissioner of Education Margie Vandeven announced Tuesday she would officially retire on July 1, 2024. “Serving as Commissioner of Education for the great state of Missouri has been… Read More
Drugs, Missouri
Missouri health coalition helping parents, schools fight youth vaping, addictionSALEM, Mo. – The Healthy Dent County Prevention Coalition convened late last month to address youth addiction in the area. After a student survey in Missouri… Read More
Local Government, Missouri
Carthage wins two distinguished awards from America in BloomCARTHAGE, Mo. – A Carthage-based nonprofit aiming to revitalize the city through beautification, togetherness and community promotion is being singled out nationally for its work. Vision… Read More
Crime, Missouri
Missouri man gets 51 months in prison for preparing fraudulent tax returns(The Center Square) – A Missouri man was sentenced to 51 months in prison for preparing 23 fraudulent federal income tax returns. U.S. District Judge Henry Autrey sentenced Darius Cobb,… Read More
Public Education
Public summer learning loss program for middle schoolers hosted by Missouri private school(The Sentinel) – An innovative new program based out of Thomas Jefferson Independent Day School in Joplin, Missouri, is hoping to make a difference in student achievement with a four-week summer… Read More
Courts
‘It’s not the parents’ damn business.’ School board members draw suit from Missouri AG Bailey over closed meeting to hide bathroom policy from parentsA Missouri school board is being sued by the state’s attorney general for illegally holding a closed meeting in an alleged effort to keep its bathroom policy from public discussion. Read More
Labor
UAW strike against Stellantis, General Motors expands to 38 locations(The Center Square) – The United Auto Workers on Friday at noon expanded its strike against the Big Three automakers to 38 locations at General Motors and Stellantis. After failing… Read More
Free Speech
Feds threatened social media companies with ‘adverse legislation’ if they didn’t censor online speech, new Supreme Court brief arguesBiden officials “threaten, pressure, and coerce social-media platforms to silence the core political speech of millions of Americans,” Missouri and Louisiana argue in a Wednesday brief that asks… Read More
Education, Missouri
Immersive hands-on science center coming to Joplin in 2025JOPLIN, Mo. – Downtown Joplin will receive a science center in 2025. The Creative Learning Alliance had its eyes on the former Joplin Public Library property… Read More
Missouri
Wentzville, Missouri GM plant with $363M in taxable wages shut down by UAW strike(The Center Square) – United Auto Workers at the General Motors assembly plant in Wentzville went on strike Friday as they didn’t reach a contract agreement. UAW also went … Read More
Culture
Sen. Hawley boycotts Big Tech’s private ‘cocktail party’ in Senate, warns of AI consequences for childrenCalling it a “cocktail party” for Big Tech, Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley refused to attend a Senate meeting with the country’s most powerful IT execs Wednesday to discuss the dangers… Read More
Culture
St. Louis Children’s Hospital stops prescribing puberty blockers and hormone treatments to minors in compliance with new Missouri lawWashington University officials announced Monday their doctors will no longer prescribe puberty blockers or hormone treatments to minors through its Transgender Center at St. Louis Children’s Hospital. The decision was… Read More
Public Education
Second Kansas City-area school district lowers bar for grades; new bottom is 50%, ‘any effort’ earns 60%Students in a Kansas City-area school district who do no work could end a course with 50% on their record, and with “any effort” receive a minimum of 60%. That’s… Read More
Education, Missouri
Ripe for abuse? Missouri school district uses anonymous reporting systems for ‘racism, bias, sexism, microaggressions’(The Heartlander) — A Missouri school district is among many in the U.S. using what critics call anonymous snitching systems to report on so-called “equity” and “bias” incidents. One parents… Read More
Government
Illinois lawmakers react to Missouri law protecting minors from transgender procedures(The Center Square) – Gov. J.B. Pritzker says he will support any family who moves to Illinois from Missouri after a new law in the Show Me State bans procedures… Read More