More than a hundred academics at Harvard University have joined an effort to defend free speech on campus and protect colleagues who face harassment because of their work, scholars leading the initiative have said. The founders of the Council on Academic Freedom said they were acting in the face of mounting threats to free expression at universities all over the country. (Pavia, The Times UK)
Read MoreThe Protecting Kids on Social Media Act would set the minimum age of social media users to 13. For teens between the ages of 13 and 18, parental consent would be required, and platforms would be banned from using algorithms to recommend content to those young users. Adults would have to create an account for their teens, providing a valid form of ID to become users on a platform, according to the bill. (Jones, NPR)
Read MoreThe schools were all small and struggling before COVID-19. They faced devastating demographic shifts, declining enrollment, internal conflict exacerbated by ongoing crises, and, most of all, unrelenting financial challenges. Some would have certainly closed even without a global health crisis. For others, the coronavirus was the last stiff breeze that blew them over the edge. (Silliman, Christianity Today)
Read MoreIn a series of changes to the upcoming Synod of Bishops on Synodality announced Wednesday (April 26), Pope Francis cleared the way for lay women and men to participate as voting members. Five men and five women from religious orders will also be added to the assembly and will be given the power to vote on resolutions. (Esteves, Religion News Service)
Read MoreThe Texas Department of Agriculture is ordering its employees to comply with a new dress code, mandating they abide by it in a "manner consistent with their biological gender." An ACLU attorney says it violates federal law that bans employment discrimination based on one's sexual orientation or gender identity. (Franklin, NPR)
Read MoreThe Montana House of Representatives took the extraordinary step on Wednesday of blocking a transgender lawmaker from the House floor for the remainder of the legislative session after an escalating standoff over her remarks on transgender issues in House debate. (Robbins, Tumin & Fortin, The New York Times)
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