A new Florida law grants state leaders the power to label groups as domestic or foreign terrorist organizations, with the governor and the Florida Cabinet holding approval authority. Once designated, these groups lose state funding and university students supporting them can be expelled and reported to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Critics, including free speech advocates, express concern over the law’s vague language and its potential to restrict educational programs and target student protesters.
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A suburban Detroit school district will provide First Amendment training to staff to resolve a lawsuit filed by a teenager. The student alleged a teacher humiliated her for not standing for the Pledge of Allegiance, citing her protest against U.S. support for Israel’s actions in Gaza. The settlement also includes a $10,000 payment from an insurer on behalf of the teacher, though the district denied liability. As part of the agreement, any record of the student’s actions violating school policy will be removed from her file.
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Olabisi Onabanjo University in Nigeria is facing widespread condemnation for a policy requiring female students to undergo physical checks for bras before exams. A viral video depicts female staff touching students’ chests to enforce the dress code, which a student leader defended as maintaining a distraction-free environment, though acknowledging the need for alternative enforcement methods. Critics, including a human rights group, have condemned the practice as a violation of students’ rights and likened it to sexual assault. The university’s student union president stated the policy aims for a respectful environment, but is exploring alternative approaches to enforcing modesty guidelines.
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U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez is demanding answers after Border Patrol agents boarded a bus of Las Cruces High School students traveling to a swim meet, questioning students and causing distress. While Customs and Border Protection (CBP) claims the stop was a routine inspection at a checkpoint, Vasquez and parents criticize the agents’ actions, citing the students’ visible distress and the inappropriateness of targeting minors. The incident has sparked concerns about broader ICE enforcement practices and the potential for similar events. Vasquez has called for a full investigation and policy changes to prevent future occurrences.
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Assembly Bill 1955, the Support Academic Futures and Educators for Today’s Youth Act (SAFETY), protects California teachers from dismissal for refusing to disclose a student’s sexual orientation or gender identity to parents without the student’s consent. The law, signed by Governor Newsom, aims to prevent schools from forcing teachers to act as “gender police,” prioritizing student well-being and the teacher-student relationship. While teachers can still communicate with parents about student safety concerns, the act prohibits punitive action against educators for withholding information regarding a student’s gender identity or sexuality. This legislation follows legal challenges to policies in Temecula and Chino Valley Unified School Districts that mandated parental notification of student gender identity changes. The new law is intended to safeguard LGBTQ+ youth and empower them to control the timing and manner of sharing sensitive personal information with their families.
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John Q. Hosedrinker