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Defending Education
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- 1
Education Minister Giuseppe Valditara has awarded a student who intervened to protect a teacher who was assaulted in Rome. The incident has drawn attention to school safety and teacher protection in Italy, with the minister using the award to highlight civic courage among students and the need to defend school staff from violence.
- 2Jordan Vallone: Challenging books belong on library shelves▼Jordan Vallone: The books that challenge us belong on shelves
Jordan Vallone argues in the Herald Community Newspapers that books which challenge readers have a place on library and school shelves. The piece speaks to ongoing debates over book bans and content challenges in schools and libraries, defending access to difficult or uncomfortable material as part of education and open discussion.
- 3Science and higher education urged to choose dialogue over division▼Why science and HE must prioritise dialogue over division
University World News argues that science and higher education must prioritise dialogue over division. The piece frames open conversation across disciplines, institutions and society as essential to addressing polarisation and defending the role of universities in public life, calling on leaders in research and academia to build bridges rather than deepen splits.
- 4New RISE Rankings to Track Integrity in State Education▼Helping Public Schools RISE: Rankings on Integrity in State Education (RISE)
Defending Education has launched the Rankings on Integrity in State Education (RISE), a new tool aimed at helping public schools by scoring states on integrity in their education systems. The initiative ranks states on measures of transparency and honesty in public schooling, and is drawing attention from education watchers assessing how their states compare.
- 5Universities told to keep human connection in the AI era●In the AI era, HE must still strengthen human connection
University World News argues that even as artificial intelligence reshapes teaching, research and administration, higher education must continue to prioritise human connection between staff and students. The piece stresses that mentoring, trust and interpersonal relationships remain central to learning and cannot be replaced by automated tools, whatever efficiency gains AI brings to the sector.
- 6Education Department tells grantees to 'defend the spend'▼Education Department wants grantees to ‘defend the spend’
The US Education Department is asking its grant recipients to justify how federal education funds are being spent, under a 'defend the spend' directive. The policy signals tighter scrutiny of grantee budgets and program costs. Education sector outlets are flagging the move, which could increase reporting burdens for school districts and organizations relying on federal grants.