Experts say the U.S. addiction crisis is evolving fast, in ways that appear both hopeful and incredibly dangerous. The peril comes from a street drug supply that chemists now describe as a "synthetic soup." (Mann, NPR)
Read MoreThe American Library Association has released its annual list of the most commonly challenged books at libraries across the United States. According to the ALA, the 11 most frequently targeted books include several tied titles. (Tsioulcas, NPR)
Read MoreResearchers from University of California San Diego School of Medicine have found that teenagers who begin using cannabis show slower gains in thinking and memory skills as they grow. The study, published on April 20, 2026 in Neuropsychopharmacology, analyzed data from more than 11,000 participants in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study, the largest long-term study of brain development in U.S. youth. (UC San Diego Today)
Read MoreThe Supreme Court on Monday agreed to hear from Catholic preschools that say it’s unconstitutional to exclude them from a state-funded program because they won’t admit kids from LGBTQ+ families. (Whitehurst, AP News)
Read MoreClassical education’s newfound popularity comes as the Trump administration seeks to promote patriotism and frames criticism of the darker chapters of U.S. history as un-American. The president is also attempting to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives from schools, governments and workplaces. (Lumpkin, The Washington Post)
Read MoreAround the country, at Catholic churches where Mr. Vance and the pope have roots, reporters for The New York Times asked worshipers what they thought of the dispute. (Knight et al., The New York Times)
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