public schools

A nationwide public sector strike is planned for Tuesday, September 29, in France, with teachers, healthcare workers, firefighters and public transport staff expected to walk out. In Paris, a demonstration is set to march from Place de la République to Place de la Nation via Bastille. The RATP transport network is among the services affected, and travellers may face disruptions across the country.

A Stanford Medicine study has found that cutting ultra-processed food from school menus will be a difficult task. The research highlights the practical challenges schools face in overhauling meals, as ultra-processed products dominate cafeteria supply chains and budgets. The findings come amid growing scrutiny of processed food in children's diets and debate over how schools should improve nutrition.

Stanford Medicine is being widely cited for a claim that the human brain is actually two organs rather than one, a finding shared by KRON 4 and drawing heavy public attention. The claim, if accurate, would challenge the long-standing view of the brain as a single unified organ and has sparked debate about what this means for neuroscience and medicine.

The White House has moved to cancel federal funding for health and education programs that had already been approved by Congress. The move, reported by Roll Call, raises immediate questions about the administration's use of rescission or impoundment authority and its implications for Congress's power of the purse. Critics are expected to challenge the cancellations, while the affected programs face uncertainty over whether the money will ever reach schools, hospitals and public health initiatives.

India has proposed banning junk food sales in school canteens and within 50 meters of schools, in an effort to curb rising obesity and diabetes rates among children. The measure would restrict children's access to unhealthy foods during the school day. The proposal comes as health officials warn that poor diets are driving increasing rates of chronic disease among young people in the country.

Free speech organisations are warning that new education directives will broaden book bans in schools, arguing the orders will restrict what students can read. The groups say the measures give officials wider authority to remove titles from libraries and classrooms. The reports stem from Florida outlets, suggesting the policy debate centres on US state education policy, with civil liberties groups pushing back against expanded censorship powers.

A report from Berkeley Law examines how the use of artificial intelligence affects people's rights across three key areas: the legal system, media, and schools. The findings suggest AI deployment is raising human rights concerns in these sectors. The report is drawing attention as policymakers and institutions weigh how to regulate AI use in law, journalism, and education.

France is preparing for a day of strikes and protests as civil servants demand pay increases amid ongoing budget pressures. Unions are mobilising public-sector workers across the country, and disruption to schools, transport and other public services is expected. The walkout reflects broader discontent over wages failing to keep pace with the cost of living.

Teachers unions in California are campaigning to renew a statewide tax that generates billions of dollars for public education. The unions argue the revenue is essential to fund schools and protect education programs, making the tax's renewal a key issue in the state's education funding debate.

Ukraine's First Lady Olena Zelenska took part in a 'Dialogue with Communities' event focused on implementing the country's school nutrition reform. The initiative, championed by Zelenska, aims to overhaul how meals are planned, funded and delivered in Ukrainian schools. The event brought together communities to discuss practical steps for putting the reform into effect nationwide.

Researchers at Brown University's School of Public Health have published a new tracker mapping private equity involvement in healthcare across the United States. The tool aims to document which hospitals, physician practices and other providers are owned by private equity firms. It comes amid growing scrutiny of buyout firms' role in medical care and its effects on costs and quality.

A federal court ruling has cleared a path for the establishment of a Jewish charter school in Oklahoma. The decision touches on ongoing legal debates over whether religiously affiliated groups can operate charter schools, which are publicly funded but independently run. Supporters see it as a win for school choice and religious liberty, while critics warn it could blur the line between church and state in public education.

Candidates for South Dakota governor have faced off in a debate covering data centers, education funding and economic development. The exchange highlighted differing visions for how the state should grow its economy and support public schools, with data center development emerging as a contested issue between the campaigns.

EdSource has published a comparison of where candidates for California state superintendent of public instruction stand on major education issues. The side-by-side overview covers the leading contenders' positions as voters weigh who should lead the state's public school system. The rundown gives readers a clear reference point ahead of the election.

Students at the Paul-Éluard high school in Saint-Denis have spent a week of mobilisation under the banner "On manque de tout" — "we're short of everything". The protest comes as a national call to block high schools is launched, with the movement continuing across Île-de-France. The action highlights grievances over a lack of resources and staff in schools serving disadvantaged areas, drawing attention to conditions in French public education.

A Notre Dame Law School amicus brief is urging the U.S. Supreme Court to take up the question of religious exclusions in higher education funding. The filing argues that programs excluding religious institutions or students from otherwise available public funding raise constitutional concerns and warrant the Court's attention. The brief adds to ongoing legal debate over equal treatment of religious organizations in government benefit programs.

Florida residents can weigh in on the state's new science education standards during a listening tour taking place this week. The tour gives teachers, parents and members of the public a chance to offer feedback directly to state education officials before the standards are finalized. The initiative comes as science curriculum requirements, including how topics are taught, remain a contentious issue in Florida schools.

Thousands of students across Germany staged strikes on Friday, 25 November, protesting the reintroduction of conscription, growing militarisation, and education cuts. Writing in Savage Minds, Ana Vracar reports that the movement reflects broader youth resistance to defence spending priorities. The strikes are part of a recurring wave of student mobilisations across German cities, with participants demanding investment in schools rather than the military.

Barbers Hill Independent School District in Texas built an education foundation worth roughly $200 million, and its structure is now coming under scrutiny. Reporting from Houston Public Media and Texas Public Radio highlights questions about how the foundation is organized and how its funds are managed, drawing attention from education watchers across the state.

The finance committee of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools is reviewing a proposed $2.1 billion budget while the district remains under investigation. The review comes at a sensitive time, with officials weighing spending priorities for the upcoming year even as questions raised by the ongoing probe remain unresolved. Local coverage in North Carolina is following how the budget process moves forward alongside the investigation.

A strike at the Berwick Area School District has been avoided after an agreement was reached, according to a report from The Citizens' Voice. Details of the deal and which employee group was involved have not been made public, but the announcement means students and families will not face a work stoppage or disrupted classes in the district.

The Minnesota Department of Education has launched a task force to review the state's standardized testing system. The announcement, reported by KTTC, signals a possible re-examination of how student achievement is assessed in Minnesota schools. Details on the task force's membership, timeline and scope have not yet been made public, and it remains unclear what specific changes the review could bring.

Education leaders and advocates in Wisconsin took part in a public question-and-answer session on school funding, addressing how schools are financed and what changes may be needed. The discussion, covered by The Post-Crescent, focused on explaining funding mechanisms and responding to community concerns about resources for local schools.

Health officials in North Carolina have confirmed that a person tested positive for tuberculosis within the Rowan-Salisbury School System. The announcement was made by local health authorities, who are expected to notify anyone who may have been exposed and offer testing. Details about the individual's identity, school, and condition have not been released, and officials have not said whether others have shown symptoms.