education
Israel Bombs Another UN School as Gaza Assault Enters 10th Month
"Another day, another bombing of kids at a U.N. refugee school, another set of children mangled beyond recognition, livestreamed for all the world to see."
Israeli forces on Saturday killed more than a dozen displaced Palestinians in a targeted attack on a United Nations-run school in central Gaza, the latest bombing of an education facility as Israel's assault on the besieged enclave entered its 10th month.
Video footage from the scene of the attack on the al-Jaouni school in central Gaza's al-Nuseirat refugee camp shows puddles of blood on the ground amid the ruins of a building destroyed in the bombing, which reportedly killed at least 16 people and injured over 75 more, children among them.
The Israeli military confirmed it carried out the attack, claiming without evidence that the school was used by Hamas operatives.
"Another day, another bombing of kids at a U.N. refugee school, another set of children mangled beyond recognition, livestreamed for all the world to see," said Vincent Wong, an assistant professor at the University of Windsor.
Trita Parsi, executive vice president of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, asked, "Why have we allowed this to become normal?"
Saturday's bombing of al-Jaouni was one of many attacks Israel's military has carried out against U.N.-run schools since its latest assault on Gaza began in October following a deadly Hamas-led attack. Last month, Israel used U.S.-made small-diameter bombs in an attack on a U.N. school that killed 14 children.
Israeli forces have damaged or destroyed 80% of Gaza's schools, including all of its universities—harm that will reverberate for generations. U.N. experts have said it is "reasonable to ask" if Israel is guilty of "scholasticide," defined as "the systemic obliteration of education through the arrest, detention, or killing of teachers, students, and staff, and the destruction of educational infrastructure."
Chandni Desai, an assistant professor at the University of Toronto, noted in a Guardianop-ed last month that Israeli soldiers recently "set ablaze the remaining parts of the al-Aqsa University's library in Gaza City and photographed themselves sitting in front of the burning books."
"Similarly, an Israeli soldier recently filmed himself walking through the ruins of al-Azhar University, mocking scholasticide and rejoicing in the occupation's destruction of the university," Desai wrote. "'We're starting a new semester,' he said, adding: 'It'll start never.'"
Now in month 10, Israel's war on Gaza has killed more than 38,000 people and wounded nearly 90,000, with tens of thousands more believed to be trapped under the ruins of bombed-out buildings.
Citing unnamed medical sources, Al Jazeerareported Sunday that at least "15 Palestinians had been killed in Israeli bombing across the Gaza Strip since dawn."
The wave of Israeli attacks came amid reports of progress toward a possible cease-fire and hostage-release agreement. The U.S., which has supported Israel's assault with weaponry and diplomatic cover, described Hamas' latest cease-fire proposal as a "breakthrough," but it's far from clear Israel will accept the terms even in the face of massive domestic protests demanding a deal.
According toThe New York Times, Hamas is pushing for "international assurances that, once an initial truce kicks in, both sides will keep negotiating until they reach a final deal to end the war and free all of the hostages remaining in Gaza."
"In effect, Hamas wants to ensure that it does not turn over many of the hostages only for Israel to restart the war," the Times reported, citing unnamed officials. "Israeli negotiators immediately rejected that demand... Israel wants the option to resume fighting if it deems it necessary."
Egypt is expected to host U.S. and Israeli delegations for a fresh round of cease-fire talks, which could drag on for weeks as Israel's military continues to bomb Gaza and starve its population.
With Attention on Presidential Contest, GOP Goes on Austerity Rampage
One leading Democrat warned Republicans' spending proposals would "demolish public education" and "let corporate price gouging run rampant."
With much of the public's attention on the looming presidential election and high-stakes jockeying over who will take on Donald Trump in November, congressional Republicans in recent weeks have provided a stark look at their plans for federal spending should their party win back control of the presidency and the Senate.
The appropriations process for Fiscal Year 2025, which begins in October, is currently underway, with congressional committees engaging in government funding debates that are likely to continue beyond the November elections.
In keeping with their longstanding support for austerity for ordinary Americans, Republicans in the House and Senate have proposed steep cuts to a wide range of federal programs and agencies dealing with education, environmental protection, Social Security, election administration, national parks, nutrition assistance, antitrust enforcement, global health, and more—all while they pursue additional deficit-exploding tax giveaways for the rich.
"Some of the most concerning policy riders in the House Fiscal Year 2025 budget bills include mandates for new oil and gas leasing, prohibitions on the establishment of important protected areas for wildlife and natural ecosystems, and limitations that hinder federal agency ability to regulate polluters, putting water quality, air quality, and the climate at risk," the Surfrider Foundation noted in a statement earlier this week.
"Two of the key federal agencies that administer these programs are the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), yet the House budget bills call for a 20% funding cut to the EPA, and a 12% funding cut to NOAA," the group added.
Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, has been attempting to sound the alarm over the GOP's proposals, which she has warned would "demolish public education," endanger the health of women and children, gut mental health programs, "let corporate price gouging run rampant," and "expose children to dangerous products."
"I respectfully request that those on the other side of the aisle go back to the drawing board and come back with a new slate of workable subcommittee allocations across all 12 bills so that we can proceed with the important business of our 2025 appropriations work," DeLauro said during a markup hearing last month.
But Republican lawmakers have made clear that they are bent on pursuing steep cuts across the federal government, proposing spending levels well below the caps implemented by the Fiscal Responsibility Act, legislation that suspended the debt limit through January 1, 2025.
"House Republicans now intend to fund 2025 non-defense appropriations bills 6% below the 2024 level rather than provide the 1% increase" negotiated in 2023, noted David Reich, a senior fellow at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.
Republicans in the Senate have also pushed for damaging cuts to non-military spending as the upper chamber prepares to hold markup hearings for its appropriations bills next week.
The Food Research & Action Center warned in a recent statement that legislation put forth by the top Republican on the Senate Agriculture Committee would slash Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits by $30 billion over the next decade, jeopardizing critical food aid for tens of millions of people as hunger rises.
According to a May report by Feeding America, "the extra amount of money that people facing hunger said they need to have enough food" has "reached its highest point in the last 20 years."
Congressional Republicans' spending proposals for next fiscal year are in line with the draconian cuts pushed by Project 2025, a sweeping far-right agenda from which Trump—the presumptive GOP presidential nominee—is attempting to distance himself as horror grows over the initiative's vision for the country.
Project 2025's 922-page policy document calls for more punitive work requirements for SNAP recipients, massive cuts to Medicaid, the abolition of the Department of Education, the elimination of major clean energy programs, and the gutting of key Wall Street regulations.
"Despite Trump's claims to have 'nothing to do with' Project 2025, his administration and campaign personnel contributed to the project," The Intercept's Shawn Musgrave wrote Friday. "Former Trump administration officials wrote and edited massive chunks of the manifesto. One of its two primary editors, Paul Dans, who directs the Heritage Foundation's 2025 Presidential Transition Project, served as the White House liaison for the U.S. Office of Personnel Management during the Trump administration, among other positions."
"Rick Dearborn, who was briefly Trump's deputy chief of staff, wrote the White House chapter," Musgrave added. "Russ Vought, Trump's director of the Office of Management and Budget, wrote the chapter on OMB and similar executive offices."
Parents and Children Are Fighting Back—And Winning for LGBTQ+ Rights
Fear-mongering, intolerance, and hate fail when we stand united against them.
We have the power to reshape laws, stop harmful agendas, and change the narrative to protect our children and allow them to learn and grow in healthy communities. Just last month, we celebrated LGBTQ+ identity and the strides we've made over many years so everyone can have the opportunity to live openly and authentically. This year is especially crucial to protect that progress because of the ongoing attacks on LGBTQ+ children and families happening in our schools and communities. The good news is that the powerful resistance led by parents, advocates, and young people is now turning the tide.
Across the nation, select politicians are starting to retreat from using anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric to evoke fear and sow divisions. This shift in momentum didn't happen by accident; it’s a testament to the strength and commitment of parents and young people standing up for the kind of inclusive community they want to live in. Fear-mongering fails when we stand united against it.
As a parent and ally, I am deeply troubled by the attacks on trans families and LGBTQ+ individuals. They are not just political—they are personal. They affect our neighbors, our friends, and most of all, children. Our country has witnessed a concerning rise in the introduction and passage of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation. In 2019, 100 bills targeting the LGBTQ+ community were introduced. Last year, that number rose to 600 bills against the transgender community alone, 87 of which passed. This year over 500 anti-LGBTQ+ bills have been introduced so far and 34 have passed, harming more young people and their families every day.
It’s important to spotlight these initial wins, build on this momentum, and redouble our commitment to the fight for freedom for all.
These legislative efforts, often disguised as religious or cultural conservatism, perpetuate stigma and discrimination, threatening the safety, well-being, and livelihoods of LGBTQ+ people. Transgender individuals, in particular, face heightened risks of harassment, violence, and exclusion in public spaces and institutions. Moreover, anti-LGBTQ+ legislation harms LGBTQ+ youth by reinforcing feelings of shame, isolation, and unworthiness, and increases the risk of mental health issues, particularly suicidal tendencies.
Despite the formidable challenges, young people, parents and allies have worked together to resist and challenge discriminatory laws. Grassroots advocacy efforts and legal challenges are successfully defeating many of the laws that have been introduced this year and stopping the introduction of new ones.
For example, in Georgia, parents, faith leaders, educators and health care providers spoke out and overcame daunting political odds to defeat nearly 20 anti-LGBTQ+ bills. In West Virginia, advocates successfully opposed over 20 bills. In Kentucky, moderate Republicans and faith leaders joined forces to reject harmful legislation and protect local nondiscrimination ordinances. These victories highlight the power of community action, grassroots mobilization, and shared values.
Florida is worth highlighting to understand this trend. Equality Florida has been on the frontline, bearing the brunt of every kind of attack and creating a roadmap for effective resistance. This session, they defeated 21 of the 22 anti-LGBTQ bills introduced. While they are the state’s LGBTQ civil rights group, their impact has been felt across the country. By rebranding Florida’s bill HB 1557 as the "Don't Say Gay" bill, they spotlighted its intent to censor LGBTQ+ students, intimidate teachers, and erase families. This slogan became a national call to action.
Uplifting the voices of parents has been vital to Equality Florida’s efforts. Parents who never thought of themselves as activists are showing up to confront lies about their families at school board meetings and in the legislature. They have fought against book bans, censorship of what children can learn, and the denial of life-saving healthcare decisions for their kids.
While Florida is the frontline, we must recognize this is a national fight. We must stand united against these cynical political attacks to protect our democratic values of equality and justice for all.
Even as we celebrate these victories, we need to recognize that there are extremist groups in many states that have vowed to continue their unholy crusade against the LGBTQ+ community. They are organized and backed by think tanks, political consultants, and deep-pocketed funders willing to bankroll their attacks. At the end of the day, protecting LGBTQ+ people from harm is a shared responsibility—we can all learn from the parents, young people, and their communities leading the charge to safeguard these protections. As we approach the ballot box in November, it's important to consider the impact of our choices on the rights and well-being of all members of our community.
It’s important to spotlight these initial wins, build on this momentum, and redouble our commitment to the fight for freedom for all. In the years ahead, I hope we see the impact of common-sense legislation that makes it easier for all of our youth and families to feel safe and supported. I am optimistic about our future, knowing that parents and allies will continue to fight for what is right. And, we can’t do it alone. Please join with your powerful voice and vote.