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International schools should be collaborating with higher education organizations in order for students to have all credentials and experiences validated equally.

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International schools should be collaborating with higher education organizations in order for students to have all credentials and experiences validated equally.

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Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Justice (DEIJ) In International Schools

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16 hours ago, my home state published an article informing the public that our Oklahoma State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Ryan Walters, is calling for funds being put towards diversity, equity, and inclusion programs to be dropped entirely and spent on workforce initiatives. It is a shocking read.

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16 hours ago, my home state published an article informing the public that our Oklahoma State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Ryan Walters, is calling for funds being put towards diversity, equity, and inclusion programs to be dropped entirely and spent on workforce initiatives. It is a shocking read.

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OK Secretary Of Education Requests Diversity, Equity, Inclusion Spending From Universities

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The Oklahoma Secretary of Education wants to know how much universities are paying for Diversity Equity and Inclusion programs.

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Desantis believes  diversity, equity and inclusion programs are imposing a political agenda.

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Desantis believes  diversity, equity and inclusion programs are imposing a political agenda.

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Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday rolled out a slate of higher education proposals that included eliminating spending on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, a move the governor said would lead such programs to "wither on the vine."

DeSantis also announced proposals involving the frequency of post-tenure reviews for faculty members and the state setting new "core course requirements" at colleges and universities.

DeSantis' announcement came weeks after his administration directed leaders of the college and university systems to collect information from schools about diversity, equity and inclusion-related expenditures. The requirement included the University of North Florida and Florida State College at Jacksonville.

During an appearance Tuesday at State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota in Bradenton, DeSantis criticized what he called "DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) bureaucracies."

"This is basically a component of the administration within universities that are imposing a political agenda, sometimes things like critical race theory," DeSantis said. "The bureaucracies are hostile to academic freedom, and really they constitute a drain on resources and end up contributing, certainly around the country, to higher costs as the bureaucracies metastasize."

After his administration directed collection of the information, the state released a report about expenditures related to diversity, equity and inclusion. The report outlined some universities spending millions of dollars on programs and staff positions, in some cases with much of that funding coming from the state. Some universities also listed specific courses that involve diversity, equity and inclusion concepts.

Information submitted by UNF showed $3,518,349 in diversity-related expenses, according to a review by WJCT News. A total of $1,788,856 is paid by the state.

With DeSantis' proposal Tuesday, the Republican-dominated Legislature could put such expenditures in the crosshairs during the legislative session that will start in March.

"No funding, and that will wither on the vine. And I think that that's very important because it really serves as an ideological filter, a political filter," DeSantis said, adding that he plans to try to prohibit universities from requiring prospective employees to sign diversity, equity and inclusion statements.

Andrew Gothard, president of the United Faculty of Florida union, slammed the governor's proposal.

"The words themselves, 'diversity, equity, and inclusion,' show that these programs are not just about race; they are about ensuring that everyone has fair and equal access to Florida's higher education classrooms," Gothard said in a statement provided to The News Service of Florida.

Rep. Anna Eskamani, D-Orlando, also criticized the governor's plan.

"Diversity, equity and inclusivity programs will also include disability and accessibility services - I guess DeSantis wants to abolish those too," Eskamani said in a Twitter post.

DeSantis also touted proposed legislation that would allow college and university officials to have more control over reviewing faculty members' tenure.

Under a controversial measure passed last year, university faculty members are required to undergo a "comprehensive post-tenure review" every five years. DeSantis' announcement Tuesday suggested the governor wants to give power to university trustees and presidents to perform the reviews more often.

DeSantis said schools might need to do reviews "more aggressively" than every five years.

"I've talked with folks around the country who have been involved in higher-ed reform, and the most significant dead-weight cost at universities is typically unproductive tenured faculty. So, why would we want to saddle you as taxpayers with that cost if we don't have to do that?" DeSantis said.

Another prong of the governor's proposals would deal with academic content. An infographic released by the governor's office said the proposal would "specify standards and content for general education core course requirements to ensure higher education is rooted in the values of liberty and the western tradition."

University system Chancellor Ray Rodrigues, a former state senator who joined DeSantis at Tuesday's appearance, backed the proposal.

"We will be focused on academic excellence at all of our institutions. We pursue the goal of education, and we reject indoctrination," Rodrigues said.

Gothard, however, called the proposal dealing with classroom instruction part of an effort to "curtail speech, belief and association" on campuses.

"Florida's students and families don't need their government to tell them which classes they can take, which degrees they can complete, or what kinds of campus activities they can engage in," Gothard said. "The constitutional rights promised to all Americans do not come with an asterisk that says 'unless Gov. DeSantis disagrees with you.'"

Meanwhile, as the governor prepares to release his 2023-2024 state budget recommendations, he said he plans to ask the Legislature to approve $100 million to recruit new faculty at universities.

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DeSantis wants to scrap college diversity programs

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Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday rolled out a slate of higher education proposals that included eliminating spending on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, a move the governor said would lead such programs to "wither on the vine." DeSantis also announced proposals involving the frequency of post-tenure reviews for faculty members and the state setting new "core course requirements" at colleges and universities.

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Florida schools forced to strip their classrooms' shelves of books while the state was celebrating Literacy Week.

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Florida schools forced to strip their classrooms' shelves of books while the state was celebrating Literacy Week.

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A video showing the empty bookshelves of a Florida school trying to comply with a Ron DeSantis-backed law that requires the approval of books in classroom libraries has gone viral on Twitter, with more than 5 million views.

The 18-second clip, shared by a Twitter user based in Jacksonville, shows several empty bookshelves in an elementary school's library. The caption reads: "Since y'all wanna play the 'this isn't really happening' game."

The same user had previously complained about "every single book" in his children's classroom being removed, adding that students were told the librarian had to review every book. "Not only did they have all the teachers remove the books from their classrooms, they took any library book the kids were reading and didn't let them finish," the user wrote last Friday. "All in a week where they are having a book fair fundraiser."

Several school district officials have been scrambling to comply with new guidelines issued by the state earlier this month, according to media reports. The HB 1467 law, which was championed by DeSantis, the state's GOP governor, and passed last March, requires teachers to remove books that do not appear on the state-approved reading list, at least until they are reviewed by an employee with a media specialist certificate. Under the new policy, books containing explicit content, particularly pornographic material, are prohibited from classrooms.

Many on Twitter commented on the video, saying how ironic it was that Florida schools were forced to strip their classrooms' shelves of books while the state was celebrating Literacy Week, seven days dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of reading.

Under the "curriculum transparency" law, if non-sanctioned books are found on a classroom's shelves, teachers could face felony charges. The policy also allows parents to issue a complaint if they think a book is not appropriate for their children.

The new guidelines issued by the state don't contain a list of specific books but offer a definition of material that should be considered explicit and other illicit material.

The law has been controversial in several ways, as LGBTQ rights activists have said the guidelines might be used to remove queer literature from the bookshelves. Critics also complained about the ban potentially being used to target books discussing Black history and racial justice.

Newsweek contacted Florida's Department of Education and DeSantis' office for comment.

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Video of Florida classroom stripped of books after DeSantis ban goes viral

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A video showing the empty bookshelves of a Florida school trying to comply with a Ron DeSantis-backed law that requires the approval of books in classroom libraries has gone viral on Twitter, with more than 5 million views. The 18-second clip, shared by a Twitter user based in Jacksonville, shows several empty bookshelves in an elementary school's library.

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Conveying a multicultural world that students can relate to on television is crucial.

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Conveying a multicultural world that students can relate to on television is crucial.

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Work It Out Wombats!, TM/© 2023 WGBH Educational Foundation. All rights reserved

There's no place quite like the Treeborhood, a massive treehouse with secret passageways, gondolas and rope swings. The residents-wombats, snakes, moose, kangaroos, iguanas, fish and eagles-bring that fantastical world to life in the new GBH Kids series Work It Out Wombats!, which premieres this month on GBH 2, on pbskids.org and PBS nationwide. A playful trio of marsupial siblings-Malik, Zadie and Zeke-introduce preschool viewers to "computational thinking," which enables them to solve problems in systematic ways, using a toolkit of skills from computer science.

"Preschoolers are passionate about meeting their goals, but they don't always know the best way to go about achieving them," said Marcy Gunther, executive producer with Marisa Wolsky. "Computational thinking gives children a powerful toolkit for self-expression, for solving problems and for getting out of messes."

"It is crucial for all children to be able to develop competency in computational thinking," said Wolsky.

"Our goal is to equip children with the skills that will help prepare them for the classroom and careers of the future," said Terry Fitzpatrick, GBH vice president for children's media. To develop the series, GBH worked with content director Dr. Marina Bers, a leader in the field of preschool computational thinking and professor of child development at Boston College's Lynch School of Education.

Six years in the making, Wombats! ushers in a "new chapter" in children's television, said Dr. Kareem Edouard, Ph.D., creative producer, who with his partner Dr. Darlene Mortel Edouard, Ph.D., also creative producer, brings expertise in cultural and visual studies, intersectionality and STEM engagement from underrepresented communities.

"Overall, there is a long way to go in children's television for Black and Brown producers," he said. "But there is starting to be a critical mass around representation, which brings a real level of proud."

Conveying a multicultural world with animals is a special challenge, said Dr. Kareem Edouard, who is an assistant professor of learning sciences and STEM education at Drexel University.

"The animals are not a proxy for race," he said. "Their names, the way they dress, their holiday celebrations, the foods they eat-all of these are ways to represent diversity."
Guided by the GBH-developed Wombats! Culture and Inclusion Plan, the producers designed 40 episodes along with a a website, games, apps, a podcast, hands-on activities and support materials for parents and educators.

All incorporate diverse narratives and tell stories for children of different abilities, ethnicities and linguistic backgrounds. "I was very excited by the GBH Kids team's passion and dedication," said Dr. Darlene Edouard. "The conversations we had about culture and inclusion weren't a one-time thing but happened constantly throughout the making of the show."

In creating the characters in JunJun's Filipino family, capturing cultural details is critical. "We worked really hard as a team to ensure that the cultural nuances are ingrained," she said. "We conveyed that in the environment or through background images-for example, JunJun wears a shirt with the Philippine sun on it."

The Edouards created two matrices that the scriptwriters used as tools to develop cultural nuance in characters and stories. To support new, diverse writing talent, the producers established a scriptwriters' fellowship, modeled on one developed for Molly of Denali, which engages promising, early career BIPOC writers. GBH Kids is also working with media scholar Dr. Fashina Aladé of Michigan State University to document the program's approach to culture and inclusion and investigate how children and families respond to it.

"I do this work for the younger version of myself, the little Kareem who didn't get to see as many creative and diverse television productions," said Dr. Edouard.

Starting in February, Work It Out Wombats! airs weekdays at 9:30am on GBH Kids and 10:30am on GBH 2.

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There's no place quite like the Treeborhood, a massive treehouse with secret passageways, gondolas and rope swings. The residents-wombats, snakes, moose, kangaroos, iguanas, fish and eagles-bring that fantastical world to life in the new GBH Kids series Work It Out Wombats!, which premieres this...

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Research shows our children learn better when taught by a diverse population.

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Research shows our children learn better when taught by a diverse population.

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Connecticut Senate Democrat leaders held a press conference announcing their priorities this session related to education and the state's workforce.

The proposals include greater transparency and oversight of school spending, increasing teacher diversity, reducing higher education costs, expanding sick day coverage for workers, restricting scheduling changes for hospitality businesses and increasing the reduced wage for workers who receive tips.

Noting that Connecticut school districts spend $9 billion annually, Sen. Doug McCrory, D-Hartford, said the state needs to have greater oversight of how that money is being spent to ensure students are well-prepared to enter the workforce.

"I think every citizen of the state of Connecticut, every resident, would like to see a great return on their investment," McCrory said. "Transparency is very important; we want to know where our dollars are being spent. Besides just teacher salaries, there's a lot more resources our children need to be successful. So, we're going to do a deeper dive and look how we're spending that $9 billion across the state of Connecticut."

McCrory said they also hope to address teacher shortages plaguing the country and the state through recruiting and retaining teachers, including retaining teachers already in the profession, as well as expanding the diversity of teachers in the classroom.

"All the research shows our children learn better when taught by a diverse population," McCrory said. "We need some more Black teachers, we need some more brown teachers, we need some more yellow teachers. Because in Connecticut 91 percent of the teachers are white. That's great, that's a great number, but we also need to retain them."

McCrory said they plan to "remove some barriers that have been in place since 1986 in the state of Connecticut that limit the number of teachers of color in the state of Connecticut, and we have programs to do it."

The Connecticut Education Association (CEA), Connecticut's largest teachers' union, said they support "resources to offset the costs of training, and provide mentorship and guidance to help each candidate earn their certification," but indicated they did not support the lowering of standards for certification, in a survey sent to candidates during the 2022 campaign season.

McCrory also said it was imperative that teachers are prepared to usher students into the state workforce, which has 100,000 job openings, through teaching financial literacy, computer literacy and addressing the social and emotional needs of students.

Turning to workforce bills, Senate Democrats indicated they are putting a priority on passing a bill that would require businesses in the hospitality sector, including restaurants, to give their employees longer notice if they will be cut from their shift or otherwise pay the employee a portion of their wages.

Often called the Fair Work Week bill, it has been pushed at the legislature for a number of years, with business and restaurant groups largely opposed, saying it will hurt their ability to appropriately staff their businesses.

Chair of the Labor and Public Employees Committee, Sen. Julie Kushner, D-Danbury, said they are putting a renewed effort behind the Fair Work Week bill and believe they will get it across the finish line this year.

"This is the year that we want to get this done," Kushner said. "We know that so many workers in our state are working two or three jobs and they have to make choices every day about the scheduling about how do you manage different employers and different schedules, so this year is the year that we want to pass predictable scheduling."

Kushner said the bill would only apply to large employers with 500 or more employees in the retail and hospitality sector and restaurants with at least 30 locations. Notably absent were hospitals, which have previously opposed such legislation, and face similar scheduling issues.

"This is very doable. It's been done in other states and other cities, so I know we can do it here in Connecticut and we can make it possible for workers to juggle many different jobs and also their family lives," Kushner said. "This is a critical bill for us to get done."

Senate Democrats also proposed increasing the base wage for waiters and waitresses in the restaurant industry who receive a lower hourly wage rate because they receive tips, as has been done in other states like Michigan.

Senate President Pro-Tem Martin Looney, D-New Haven, said that while Connecticut's minimum wage will reach $15 per hour this year, the base wage for employees receiving tips remains at $6.38 per hour increasing the gap between the reduced wage and the state's minimum wage.

Kushner said that competition for employees in the restaurant and even fast-food industry has led to wages increasing for employees even beyond the minimum wage. "What has happened is that we don't have a level playing field, because some employers are already doing that, a lot of employers in Connecticut, so this would require all employers to do it and level the playing field."

Connecticut's restaurant industry was hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent government shut down and the industry has since been struggling to rebuild its workforce. The Leisure and Hospitality sector in Connecticut remains roughly 8,000 jobs short since the onset of the pandemic in 2020, according to the Connecticut Department of Labor.

Reached for comment, Scott Dolch, president of the Connecticut Restaurant Association, said that Connecticut restaurants need support, "not complicated new laws and regulations that will make it harder for restaurants to stay in business and keep Connecticut residents employed."

"Although the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic has subsided, Connecticut restaurants are now facing new and significant headwinds including inflation, supply chain issues, and continued worker shortages," Dolch said. "The result is an unstable landscape that continues to put local restaurants out of business, including some landmark, historic restaurants that have been mainstays in Connecticut cities and towns for decades, but who've permanently closed their doors in recent weeks and months."

Today was the second day in a row of Senate Democrats releasing their priorities for the legislative session. On Monday, they released their Safer Connecticut Agenda, addressing domestic violence, online privacy, transportation safety and improved access to mental health and addiction treatment.

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Senate Democrats announce priorities for education, workforce

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Connecticut Senate Democrat leaders held a press conference announcing their priorities this session related to education and the state's workforce. The proposals include greater transparency and oversight of school spending, increasing teacher diversity, reducing higher education costs, expanding sick day coverage for workers, restricting scheduling changes for hospitality businesses and increasing the reduced wage for workers who receive tips.

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This news article is the first recognition I have seen for awarding excellence in diversity, equity and inclusion.

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This news article is the first recognition I have seen for awarding excellence in diversity, equity and inclusion.

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Excellence in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Awards

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MSU is recognizing individuals, teams and units for their exceptional and innovative contributions to advancing diversity, equity and inclusion in teaching, research, programming, service, community outreach and organizational change. The 2022-23 Excellence in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Awards ceremony will be held from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. Feb.

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Merrianneeta Nesbitt, a Sociology instructor and the Assistant Director of Faculty and Staff Equity Education, sparked hope and joy for others. 

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Merrianneeta Nesbitt, a Sociology instructor and the Assistant Director of Faculty and Staff Equity Education, sparked hope and joy for others. 

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Celebrating the legacy of Merrianneeta Nesbitt: ‘a powerhouse facilitator’

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Merrianneeta Nesbitt, assistant director of the Office of Outreach and Education in Student Affairs, passed away in December after battling cancer. Friends and family gathered in the Elson S. Floyd Cultural Center on Thursday to celebrate her life, share memories and honor her legacy. Nesbitt spen…

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Dr. Hyppolite, OU Vice President of DEI & Chief Diversity Officer delivers a powerful statement of "Your story is our story."

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Dr. Hyppolite, OU Vice President of DEI & Chief Diversity Officer delivers a powerful statement of "Your story is our story."

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Dr. Hyppolite Welcome Back | University of Oklahoma

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There is an Australian international school in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam promoting a high level of diversity and opportunity. 

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There is an Australian international school in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam promoting a high level of diversity and opportunity. 

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Find out more about where students are equipped for future academic opportunities here:

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Australia is known and loved for many things. In an increasingly polarising world, its diversity stands out. One in four of its population was born overseas, with Mandarin, Arabic, Vietnamese, Cantonese and Punjabi making for the top five languages used at home. The national character has a strong democratic inflexion.