[Maru]

Youtube video

The restaurant fed surfers and tourists for nearly 40 years. Because of a yearslong dispute over land use, it and other historical businesses may never reopen.

[Maru]

Youtube video

Texas graffiti case tests First Amendment with felony hate crime charges against three activists
https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/lo...6-287918a8b475

North Texas Activists Face Hate Crime Charges, Prison Time for Anti-Israel Graffiti
https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/...tique-23188969

Free speech experts claim the charges are legally dubious, but in line with Texas’ flexible hate crime interpretation.

A self-proclaimed “lifelong activist” will face a Tarrant County jury this month in a case that legal experts claim erodes the First Amendment rights of protesters and critics of the nation of Israel.

Raunaq Alam, 32, is accused of using spray paint to write the phrase “**** Israel” along the side of a non-denominational church in Euless in 2024. Tarrant County criminal records show Alam was initially charged with graffiti causing a loss of between $100 and $750, a Class B misdemeanor in Texas.

But Alam now faces between two and 10 years in prison for the graffiti after prosecutors upgraded the charges and the associated penalties using Texas’ hate crime statute. Alam is now charged with criminal mischief causing damage to a place of worship, a felony, and prosecutors now claim the financial burden of the graffiti costs more than was initially recorded in arrest records, The Guardian reports.

In Texas, punishments for certain crimes can be enhanced if the state can prove the crime stemmed from the offender's bias or prejudice toward a class’ protected characteristics, which can include race or ethnicity, religion, disability, or sexual orientation.

Spoiler:

Alam’s trial is scheduled to begin on Sept. 8, and a second protester, Afsheen Khan, will face the same escalated graffiti charges in a Sept. 30 trial. A third activist, who has not been named, will be tried under the hate crime statute for the same Euless incident.

Whether or not Alam actually committed a hate crime through his criticism of Israel is legally dubious, defense attorney Adwoa Asante told The Guardian. Alam did not target a synagogue, and his spray paint did not single out a group protected under Texas’ hate crime statute.

“Nowhere in the statute does it cite governmental entities such as states as part of protected persons or group,” Asante said. “If citizens and persons within the United States are allowed to say and express ‘**** America’, why would the condemnation of a foreign country garner more enhanced prosecution from the state of Texas?”

In the nearly two years since the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel, U.S. institutions have reckoned with conflicting views of when anti-Israel speech constitutes antisemitism. Federal officials have stated that criticism of Israel has been used as a reason to deny or revoke visas for international students.

In May, Gov. Greg Abbott signed Senate Bill 326 into law, which requires public schools and universities to use the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of antisemitism in conduct hearings. The definition lists “denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination, e.g., by claiming the existence of a State of Israel is a racist endeavor,” “applying double standards by requiring of (Israel) a behavior not expected or demanded of any other democratic nation,” and “holding Jews collectively responsible for the actions of the state of Israel,” as examples of antisemitism.

Before SB 326 was passed, some critics of the definition argued it offers “a dangerous conflation of the government of Israel and the Jewish people,” which will erode free speech protections.

Across the U.S., activists who helped organize pro-Palestine campus protests have faced escalated scrutiny and legal challenges. Asante said the upgraded charges in Alam’s case represent similar prosecutorial retribution.

“We don’t know if he’s guilty of this offense or not,” Asante told The Guardian. “It’s simply a matter of how far the government is going to silence and to repress anybody that opposes the genocide of Palestinians, so much so that they’re expanding what it means to engage in a hate crime.”

Alam and Khan’s cases are set to be prosecuted by Attorney Lloyd Whelchel, who has a background in capital murder trials but recently represented the state in a case against a woman who shouted an expletive during a Tarrant County Commissioners Court meeting in January. Whelchel argued that the case had “absolutely nothing to do with free speech,” although the defense disagreed.

According to Asante, the upgraded charges in Alam’s case mean the activist has been arrested multiple times over the last two years. He has lost his job and faced “reputational damage.”

Still, Alam told The Guardian that he remains committed to speaking out “in favor of people that are oppressed.”

“I have so much love and compassion for people, and that’s the main reason why I’m so outspoken,” Alam said. “That’s why I’m an activist: because I care so much about people, and I care so much about injustice.”

[Maru]

Youtube video

A Seattle Public Schools (SPS) policy about teaching students an LGBTQ-inclusive curriculum is gaining attention from local families and making national headlines Friday.

The policy in Washington's largest school district has been thrust into the spotlight as parents have learned they cannot opt their children out of certain lessons, and the Seattle school district says it's simply following state law.

The SPS website states the inclusive instruction can happen with no prior notice to Seattle families at any grade.

The families that KOMO News spoke with on Friday largely support the policy even though the Supreme Court just ruled a group of parents in another state could opt out of similar teachings.

Seattle Public Schools LGBTQ+ curriculum and 'opt out' policy draws attention from parents
https://komonews.com/news/local/seat...school-parents

[Maru]

Youtube video

"According to our President, there are only two genders"... "against our President's laws" wtf @Mystic Mock ... suffer this cringe with me.

I don't know who the tweeter is, it's just easier to get the video this way without someone ranting over it to make it 8 minutes...

Student Kicked Out Of Classroom For Opposing Gender Lesson: A&M Removes A Dean And Dept Head After Uproar
https://dallasexpress.com/education/...-after-uproar/

Texas A&M University has removed two academic officials following the fallout of a viral classroom video showing a professor telling a student to leave after raising objections to a lesson on gender identity.

The move came after state Rep. Brian Harrison, a Republican from Midlothian, posted the video online Monday, demanding the removal of A&M President Mark A. Welsh III and sparking national attention. By evening, Welsh directed his provost to remove a dean and department head from their administrative posts, citing course content that he said strayed from the published catalog.

“I learned this afternoon that key leaders in the College of Arts and Sciences approved plans to continue teaching course content that was not consistent with the course’s published description,” Welsh said in a statement shared by the university Monday night. “As a result, I directed the provost to remove the dean and department head from their administrative positions, effective immediately.”

Oh yeah, mislabeled courses were common when I was in and it's a fun way to get students to sign up for dept pet project classes they wouldn't otherwise take on their own. I really enjoyed my time in college doing manual labor for the school picking weeds with medical gloves for a "history" course. Oh and being told that taking long showers for me was now forbidden because too wasteful.

An easy A once you understood the assignment. I dumbed down my papers to talking points that stayed within the sentiments of the Professor. I even named one paper so close to "Trees are Good", just to see if that would make it through the radar... oh and it did... a lot of people got C's because they didn't realize the main assignment.

[Maru]

Chronicle article about the above with more political context(s):

Texas A&M University fires professor in controversial video, hours after push from Gov. Greg Abbott
https://www.houstonchronicle.com/new...r-21039346.php

Abbott praised Welsh's move on social media but also urged the university to fire the professor for acting “contrary to Texas law.” He did not clarify which law he was referring to, and an Abbott spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

However, Harrison said Abbott’s statement was “not good enough” and called for Welsh to be fired as well. The governor does not have the authority to fire a university president directly, but he does appoint the regents who make the prominent hiring decisions.

Welsh then shared an update Tuesday night about his decision to direct the provost to fire McCoul. He reiterated that the university is obligated to deliver courses to students that are consistent with an "extensive approval process."

"This isn’t about academic freedom; it’s about academic responsibility," Welsh said. "Texas A&M is a great university — the best in the world. This is a place that honors academic freedom and academic responsibility. It’s also a place that unequivocally abides by state and federal law. Together, we will remain committed to our Aggie Core Values and providing our students with the education and experience they deserve."

Texas A&M System policies on academic freedom state that “each faculty member is entitled to full freedom in the classroom in discussing the subject that the faculty member teaches but should not introduce controversial matter that has no relation to the classroom subject.”

"It is essential that each faculty member be free to pursue scholarly inquiry and to voice and publish individual conclusions concerning the significance of evidence that the faculty member considers relevant," according to the policy. "Each faculty member must be free from the corrosive fear that others, inside or outside the academic community, because their vision may differ, may threaten the faculty member's professional career or the material benefits accruing from it."

The free expression group PEN America had already warned that Welsh's removal of the dean and department head signaled the "death of academic freedom."

Charlotte Arneson, program officer for the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, said the First Amendment protects the professor’s right to engage in "pedagogically relevant" classroom lectures and discussions even on controversial topics. FIRE is a national free speech advocacy nonprofit

Glenn Hegar, the chancellor of the Texas A&M University System, wrote in a statement that early investigations indicated that the professor who taught the course “failed to comply with clear instructions to align course descriptions with course materials.”

“I will work with the Board of Regents to make certain that the A&M System takes the disciplinary action necessary to ensure this does not happen again at one of our campuses,” Hegar said.

Hegar said it was “unacceptable” for faculty to push a personal political agenda, and they should prioritize “protecting children not engaging in indoctrination.” He said the video recording was irreconcilable with the values of the Texas A&M University System.

[Maru]

Trump admin sued by developers and two states after stopping work on nearly complete offshore wind farm project
https://www.cnn.com/2025/09/04/clima...-offshore-wind

Trump administration cancels $679 million for offshore wind projects at ports
https://www.npr.org/2025/08/31/nx-s1...d-energy-ports

[Mystic Mock]

Originally Posted by Maru

Youtube video

"According to our President, there are only two genders"... "against our President's laws" wtf @Mystic Mock ... suffer this cringe with me.

I don't know who the tweeter is, it's just easier to get the video this way without someone ranting over it to make it 8 minutes...

Student Kicked Out Of Classroom For Opposing Gender Lesson: A&M Removes A Dean And Dept Head After Uproar
https://dallasexpress.com/education/...-after-uproar/



Oh yeah, mislabeled courses were common when I was in and it's a fun way to get students to sign up for dept pet project classes they wouldn't otherwise take on their own. I really enjoyed my time in college doing manual labor for the school picking weeds with medical gloves for a "history" course. Oh and being told that taking long showers for me was now forbidden because too wasteful.

An easy A once you understood the assignment. I dumbed down my papers to talking points that stayed within the sentiments of the Professor. I even named one paper so close to "Trees are Good", just to see if that would make it through the radar... oh and it did... a lot of people got C's because they didn't realize the main assignment.

I've suffered through the pain of watching the video too, Zizu.

Tbh the Teacher deserved the sack if she's teaching something that's not apart of the lesson.

I mean what else did she expect?

[Maru]

Originally Posted by Mystic Mock

I've suffered through the pain of watching the video too, Zizu.

Oh nooooooo

[Maru]

Youtube video

[Maru]

US students' reading and math scores at historic lows: 'Devastating trend'
https://abc13.com/post/nations-repor...lows/17781482/

High school students, especially 12th graders, are reading and learning math and science at historic lows, according to a new report from the National Assessment of Education Progress.

The new report, known as the Nation's Report Card, was released Monday by the National Center for Education Statistics, or NCES, and the Department of Education. It is the first nation's report card to be released since the coronavirus pandemic.

The report shows almost half of high school seniors are now testing below basic levels in math and reading, and approximately 35% are at or above a proficient reading level, while 32% of them had a below "basic" reading proficiency.

By comparison, 37% of high school seniors were reading at or above proficiency in the 2019 report card, and 40% were at or above reading proficiency in 1992.

In math, the report shows only about 22% of 12th graders performing at or above proficiency standards.

The report card also looked at eighth graders and their science ability and found 31% of them were performing at proficient or above proficient standards.

Another key issue the report highlighted was absenteeism, with the number of absent students in schools rising among all age groups since the pandemic.

According to the report card, in 2024, approximately 31% of 12th graders specifically reported missing at least three or more days of school in the previous month, an increase from 2019, when the rate was 26%.

Educators and policymakers say it is critical for parents to stay engaged and regularly check in with students and their teachers about assignments and any absences.

Education Secretary Linda McMahon called the report's findings "devastating" in a statement Tuesday.

"Today's NAEP results confirm a devastating trend: American students are testing at historic lows across all of K-12," McMahon said, adding, "Despite spending billions annually on numerous K-12 programs, the achievement gap is widening, and more high school seniors are performing below the basic benchmark in math and reading than ever before."

The Department of Education has notably been cutting staff and services under McMahon's leadership, including the researchers who produced the new nation's report card. President Donald Trump has also tasked McMahon with dismantling her department altogether and handing control over education agendas to the states.

"Success isn't about how much money we spend, but who controls the money and where that money is invested," she said Tuesday.

Marty West, a professor of education at Harvard University, told ABC News the results are concerning because only a portion of American students are getting the education they deserve.

"What troubles me most about the patterns that we're seeing is that the declines are largest for our lowest-performing students -- those in the bottom quarter of the distribution. Meanwhile, high-scoring students - those at the 90th percentile are doing just about as well as ever," West said. "So, this really highlights the extent with which American schools right now are really only preparing some students for success at the post-secondary level."

[Maru]

Texas history professor fired after allegedly calling for political violence at socialist conference
https://nypost.com/2025/09/11/us-new...st-conference/

A professor at Texas State University was axed on Wednesday after a video of him allegedly advocating for political violence during a socialism conference went viral.

Tom Alter, a now-former associate history professor at TSU and member of Socialist Horizon, spoke at the online Revolutionary Socialism Conference 2025 on Sept. 7, according to screen recordings shared on X.

During his brief talk, Alter launched into a tirade about the “US Capitalist crisis” that he claimed is exacerbating issues like education, mental health and even basic infrastructure.

“What makes the current crisis an extra problem for capitalists is the willingness of people to fight back,” Alter said.

Spoiler:

He presented a rough pitch for how socialists could organize a stronger base within the US and criticized various parties, including the Chinese Communist Party, Democrats and “insurrectional anarchists,” for their half-baked methods of organizing.

Alter wished-washed on his approach and praised other anarchists who had been detained or even convicted for participating in protests

“While their actions are laudable, it should be asked, to what purpose do they serve? Without organization, how can anyone expect to overthrow the most bloodthirsty, profit-driven, mad organization in the history of the world — that of the United States?” Alter said in the full clip posted on YouTube.

The Post reached out to Alter for comment and clarity on his message.

Just four days later, Texas State University President Kelly Damphousse announced that Alter was fired after the administration was made aware of his comments. She said that his assertions counted as “serious professional and personal misconduct,” but didn’t point to any specific university policy he violated.

“Conduct that advocates for inciting violence is directly contrary to the values of Texas State University. I cannot and will not tolerate such behavior,” Damphousse said in a statement on X.

Brian McCall, the chancellor of the greater TSU system, celebrated Alter’s removal and even doubled down, saying that no conduct “intended to incite violence” would be tolerated from any employee.

“Video recordings made public this week in which a Texas State University professor advocated for the overthrow of our government are inconsistent with our shared values and demonstrate egregious personal and professional misconduct,” McCall said in the statement.

Alter is the second professor to be laid off in Texas this week.

Melissa McCoul, an English professor at Texas A&M, was instructing a children’s literature course when a female student noted that she wasn’t sure the presentation concerning gender and sexuality was “legal to be teaching” under President Trump’s numerous DEI orders, according to a video shared on X.

McCoul asserted that the student was “under a misconception” that the instruction at hand was illegal.

The professor added that the student’s challenge against the course material, which had been taken up by the president of the university, would likely not “be effective in stopping me from teaching things that are biologically true,” including that there are more than two genders.

The student was asked to leave the classroom shortly after. McCoul was fired on Tuesday, alongside the Texas A&M College of Arts and Sciences dean and the head of the English Department.