Latest news with #AfricanAmericanStudies
Hypebeast
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Hypebeast
Temple University Introduces New Course on Kendrick Lamar's Life, Lyrics and Legacy
Summary Temple University is launching a Fall 2025 course titled 'Kendrick Lamarand the Morale of M.A.A.D City,' taught by Africology and African American Studies Assistant Professor Timothy Welbeck. He explains viaInstagram, 'Kendrick Lamar is one of the leading voices of his generation, with a keen ability to articulate various dynamics of Black life and the quest for self-actualization — particularly capturing narratives of marginalization and the resilience to rise above it.' Popular culture icons are increasingly finding their place in academia, as their stories offer powerful frameworks for teaching core concepts and increasing student engagement. This course, in particular, will explore Lamar's life and music through an Afrocentric lens — examining the socioeconomic and cultural conditions of his hometown, Compton, and the impact of urban policy on the themes in his work. Students will dive deep into Dot's lyrical genius, unpacking how his storytelling, sound, and social commentary have evolved over time. The class will also feature guest speakers who have worked closely with Lamar, offering firsthand insight into his creative journey, cultural influence and legacy in music.
Al Jazeera
29-06-2025
- Al Jazeera
South Carolina's Child Execution
What does George's story tell us about the US justice system and the ways it continues to fail African-Americans? In 1944, amid the harsh glare of Jim Crow, 14-year-old George Stinney Jr. was strapped into South Carolina's electric chair after a trial that lasted just a single day. With no physical evidence, no defense witnesses, and an all-white jury that deliberated for ten minutes, he was convicted of murdering two white girls. Nearly seven decades later, a judge threw out the verdict. In this episode: – Matthew Burgess, Criminal Defence Attorney – Dr Melanie Holmes, Assistant Professor of African American Studies
Time of India
22-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Harvard Social Science dean Lawrence Bobo steps down: David Cutler to serve as interim dean through 2027
Harvard's Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS) is undergoing a leadership shakeup at a critical moment. Lawrence D. Bobo, Dean of Social Science since 2018, will step down from his role and take a sabbatical during the 2025–26 academic year. The decision, confirmed in an internal communication by FAS Dean Hopi E. Hoekstra, comes after Bobo took an unplanned leave in spring 2025 due to personal reasons. His departure marks the end of a six-year tenure that blended administrative leadership with moments of sharp debate within the faculty. In Bobo's absence, noted economist and public policy expert David M. Cutler '87, who stepped in as interim dean earlier this year, will remain in the role for two more academic years. A formal search to appoint a permanent dean will begin in fall 2026, extending Cutler's interim term through mid-2027. Budget pressures grow The timing of this leadership transition is significant. FAS is currently navigating a period of fiscal restraint, triggered in part by federal scrutiny under the Trump administration and broader pressures on university funding. In response, the school has frozen spending on non-essential capital projects and instructed departments to keep budgets flat for fiscal year 2026. Faculty have been directed to develop contingency plans in the face of anticipated shortfalls, with the Social Science division asked specifically to prepare for a possible 20% cut. As interim dean, Cutler has taken on the difficult task of leading these conversations, becoming the messenger for both structural reform and unpopular decisions. In March 2025, he announced the removal of senior leadership at the Center for Middle Eastern Studies, a move that drew attention both for its administrative implications and for the faculty tensions it reflected. With deep roots in Harvard's governance, Cutler brings institutional knowledge, policy experience, and academic leadership from prior roles, including his tenure as divisional dean from 2003 to 2008. His background in health economics and public policy—including roles advising Presidents Clinton and Obama and shaping the Affordable Care Act—has made him a well-regarded figure across multiple schools within Harvard, including the Kennedy School and School of Public Health. Bobo's tenure and legacy Lawrence Bobo's leadership of the Social Science division was shaped by both academic progress and internal disagreement. A respected scholar of sociology and African and African American Studies, Bobo focused on reinforcing research excellence and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration. His time as dean was marked by an emphasis on racial equity in scholarship, departmental growth, and engagement with undergraduates. However, his tenure was not without conflict. Bobo drew criticism from faculty peers for suggesting that some forms of academic speech should be subject to institutional limits. Many argued that such proposals threatened Harvard's tradition of academic freedom. Additionally, he opposed efforts to create a faculty senate—a move seen by some as necessary to increase faculty voice in university governance. Bobo maintained that the existing governing structures, particularly the Harvard Corporation, should instead be reformed to include more faculty engagement. Despite the tensions, Bobo's impact on the division is viewed as substantial. He played a central role in navigating the early phases of post-pandemic academic planning and helped sustain programmatic momentum during a politically charged and financially uncertain period. As Harvard moves into a new chapter of administrative planning and cost-cutting, the continuation of Cutler's interim leadership is expected to offer both stability and strategic oversight. With the social sciences facing external pressures and internal calls for reform, the next two years will be critical in shaping the future direction of the division—and the type of leadership it will require next. Is your child ready for the careers of tomorrow? Enroll now and take advantage of our early bird offer! Spaces are limited.
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Opinion - DeSantis's reign of terror on education is Trump's model
If Americans want a glimpse of Trump-style education policy in action, they should look to Florida. Over the last six years, Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) has turned the state into a laboratory for a hard-right agenda, disguised as 'parental rights' but aimed at systematically dismantling public education. Under the banner of culture wars, Florida has censored classroom discussions, politicized school boards and driven teachers out of the profession, undermining not just what students learn but whether they learn at all. It's a blueprint for control, not for education. Start with book-banning. Florida leads the country in book-banning, with 4,561 books banned in schools in 33 of the state's 67 school districts. Banned books, including award-winning authors like Maya Angelou, Saul Bellow and Toni Morrison, classics from Proust to Ovid, bestselling authors like Patricia Cornwell and James Patterson, and left-leaning social commentators like Jon Stewart. This wave of book-bans aligns with broader efforts in Florida to reshape school curricula. The state's new educational standards include language suggesting that enslaved people may have developed skills that 'could be applied for their personal benefit.' The state also placed limits on African American studies programs, claiming an Advanced Placement African American Studies course lacked educational value and violated state law. Gay and transgender students and educators have come under increased scrutiny. Legislation and administrative rules have imposed restrictions on which bathrooms transgender students may use and have limited how gender identity and sexual orientation can be discussed in classrooms. Under laws signed by DeSantis, teachers face legal risks for using the preferred pronouns of transgender students without explicit parental consent. One notable case occurred in Brevard County, where a beloved veteran teacher's contract was not renewed because she referred to a student by a name chosen several years prior to the adoption of the rule. Meanwhile, new laws require parental consent for basic services like nurses' visits, accessing library books and watching PG films like 'Frosty the Snowman.' Because of these rules, tens of thousands of Florida students lose out because their parents have not filled out consent forms. School nurses risk losing their jobs for something as simple as putting a bandage on a scraped knee without prior parental consent. The burden falls heavily on parents, who must navigate a maze of new forms, and on school staff, who are overwhelmed by the surge in paperwork. Many frontline educators and support workers live in fear of backlash from activist groups like Moms for Liberty, whose influence has turned everyday decisions into political flashpoints. DeSantis has also gone to war with higher education, including the takeover of the New College of Florida. High-ranking administrators were fired and diversity programs eliminated. Scores of faculty have quit. DeSantis's hostility toward public education knows no limits. His state ranks dead last in teacher pay, Florida just posted the worst national test scores in more than 20 years and Florida has a universal school voucher program that disproportionately benefits higher-income students. None of this has escaped the attention of Trump, whose executive orders explicitly encourage states to turn federal block grants into voucher programs. His latest proposed budget also slashes $4.5 billion in support for low-income students, undermining programs that help with high school completion, college access and work-study opportunities. He proposes cutting teacher quality initiatives, funding for Howard University, the Office for Civil Rights and bilingual student programs. His proposed budget explicitly prohibits funding for progressive nonprofits and DEI programs. Will Republicans in Congress realize that Trump's assault on education hurts the very institutions their communities rely on? Schools and universities aren't just economic drivers in their districts, they're centers of local pride, identity and opportunity. In places like Brevard County, where we recently held a town hall, hope is being replaced by fear. Parents, educators, students and community leaders all expressed shame and fury at the actions of their local school board and state policymakers. Trump and DeSantis have taken the bullying approach to governing to new extremes. There is no honest debate, no give and take, no compromise. It is a relentless drive to push, divide and control. Cruelty is the point, and the negative consequences of children, families and educators aren't a side effect — it's a strategy. Forty-two years ago, Republican President Ronald Reagan sounded the alarm on the state of American education by releasing 'A Nation at Risk.' Today, that title applies to much more than our schools: our economy, our democracy, our environment, our global standing and our moral compass. But no one is more vulnerable than 50 million American school children living under an immoral, unethical and criminal president. They cannot vote. They have no lobby. They are counting on us to fight back. Jennifer Jenkins is a former Brevard County School Board member and chairwoman of Educated We Stand, a nonprofit committed to resisting right-wing extremism in Florida schools. Arne Duncan is a former U. S. Secretary of Education. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
29-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
DeSantis's reign of terror on education is Trump's model
If Americans want a glimpse of Trump-style education policy in action, they should look to Florida. Over the last six years, Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) has turned the state into a laboratory for a hard-right agenda, disguised as 'parental rights' but aimed at systematically dismantling public education. Under the banner of culture wars, Florida has censored classroom discussions, politicized school boards and driven teachers out of the profession, undermining not just what students learn but whether they learn at all. It's a blueprint for control, not for education. Start with book-banning. Florida leads the country in book-banning, with 4,561 books banned in schools in 33 of the state's 67 school districts. Banned books, including award-winning authors like Maya Angelou, Saul Bellow and Toni Morrison, classics from Proust to Ovid, bestselling authors like Patricia Cornwell and James Patterson, and left-leaning social commentators like Jon Stewart. This wave of book-bans aligns with broader efforts in Florida to reshape school curricula. The state's new educational standards include language suggesting that enslaved people may have developed skills that 'could be applied for their personal benefit.' The state also placed limits on African American studies programs, claiming an Advanced Placement African American Studies course lacked educational value and violated state law. Gay and transgender students and educators have come under increased scrutiny. Legislation and administrative rules have imposed restrictions on which bathrooms transgender students may use and have limited how gender identity and sexual orientation can be discussed in classrooms. Under laws signed by DeSantis, teachers face legal risks for using the preferred pronouns of transgender students without explicit parental consent. One notable case occurred in Brevard County, where a beloved veteran teacher's contract was not renewed because she referred to a student by a name chosen several years prior to the adoption of the rule. Meanwhile, new laws require parental consent for basic services like nurses' visits, accessing library books and watching PG films like 'Frosty the Snowman.' Because of these rules, tens of thousands of Florida students lose out because their parents have not filled out consent forms. School nurses risk losing their jobs for something as simple as putting a bandage on a scraped knee without prior parental consent. The burden falls heavily on parents, who must navigate a maze of new forms, and on school staff, who are overwhelmed by the surge in paperwork. Many frontline educators and support workers live in fear of backlash from activist groups like Moms for Liberty, whose influence has turned everyday decisions into political flashpoints. DeSantis has also gone to war with higher education, including the takeover of the New College of Florida. High-ranking administrators were fired and diversity programs eliminated. Scores of faculty have quit. DeSantis's hostility toward public education knows no limits. His state ranks dead last in teacher pay, Florida just posted the worst national test scores in more than 20 years and Florida has a universal school voucher program that disproportionately benefits higher-income students. None of this has escaped the attention of Trump, whose executive orders explicitly encourage states to turn federal block grants into voucher programs. His latest proposed budget also slashes $4.5 billion in support for low-income students, undermining programs that help with high school completion, college access and work-study opportunities. He proposes cutting teacher quality initiatives, funding for Howard University, the Office for Civil Rights and bilingual student programs. His proposed budget explicitly prohibits funding for progressive nonprofits and DEI programs. Will Republicans in Congress realize that Trump's assault on education hurts the very institutions their communities rely on? Schools and universities aren't just economic drivers in their districts, they're centers of local pride, identity and opportunity. In places like Brevard County, where we recently held a town hall, hope is being replaced by fear. Parents, educators, students and community leaders all expressed shame and fury at the actions of their local school board and state policymakers. Trump and DeSantis have taken the bullying approach to governing to new extremes. There is no honest debate, no give and take, no compromise. It is a relentless drive to push, divide and control. Cruelty is the point, and the negative consequences of children, families and educators aren't a side effect — it's a strategy. Forty-two years ago, Republican President Ronald Reagan sounded the alarm on the state of American education by releasing 'A Nation at Risk.' Today, that title applies to much more than our schools: our economy, our democracy, our environment, our global standing and our moral compass. But no one is more vulnerable than 50 million American school children living under an immoral, unethical and criminal president. They cannot vote. They have no lobby. They are counting on us to fight back. Jennifer Jenkins is a former Brevard County School Board member and chairwoman of Educated We Stand, a nonprofit committed to resisting right-wing extremism in Florida schools. Arne Duncan is a former U. S. Secretary of Education.
