Trump's refugee policy is animated by white supremacy
I was a Peace Corps volunteer in South Africa from 2015 to 2017. The village where I served had been one of the 'Tribal Homelands' where black people had been forced by the apartheid government to reside after being taken from the areas where they had been living for generations.
There is still no running water, no indoor plumbing and very limited electricity. The soil is of very limited fertility; there is widespread unemployment and childhood malnutrition.
It is an outrage that, while many brave people who worked alongside our military in Iraq and Afghanistan are still waiting in refugee camps, President Trump is allowing white South Africans to enter the USA immediately as an 'oppressed minority.' White South Africans are not economically depressed nor in any immediate danger. They live in modern cities and towns with shopping malls and all the same basic services we have in the USA.
This action is a slap in the face to all the people who fled for their lives from authoritarian countries and are now patiently abiding by the rules while awaiting judgment on their applications.
Jonathan R.C. Green, Fife
Dear News Tribune staff,
I wanted to thank you for announcing the May Day march on the first page before it happened. One, so that those unaware of the event could participate, and two, because in these fraught times with the media under pressure to capitulate to an overreaching federal government and many of our rights being trampled, it is vital that our media stand up and help us keep those in power aware of our opinions.
Patricia Flynn, Tacoma
Step into classrooms across the country, and you're likely to hear the question: 'When am I ever going to use this?'
Career and Technical Education (CTE) encourages a mindset shift, prompting students to ask: 'How can I apply this in the real world?' Once seen as a path for only 'other' students, CTE is now recognized as a valuable option for all learners, preparing them for the demands of today's workforce.
In fields like business, healthcare, IT and engineering, students gain hands-on experience through project-based learning that builds the Four C's: communication, collaboration, creativity and critical thinking. Graduates earn more than a diploma — they leave with industry certifications, portfolios and sometimes college credits, equipped for life beyond high school.
Policy support is vital, especially in online learning, where CTE removes geographic and economic barriers.
Carter, a Washington Virtual Academies student and professional disc golf athlete, is graduating in June 2025 with a full-ride college scholarship — proof that CTE turns passion into opportunity and success.
Felicia Kern, Puyallup
I wrote this letter to my neighbor who is flying an American flag with Trump on it: 'I am not the kind of neighbor who likes to pick fights with those who live around me, I am merely telling you what I think, citizen to citizen. I want to tell you how I feel about your American flag, the one that has Donald Trump superimposed over it. What that flag says to me is, 'Trump is America, America is Trump.' If you are tempted to say, 'heck yes,' please consider this… At the infamous 1933 Nuremberg Nazi rally in Germany, one of Adolf Hitler's henchmen stated 'Hitler is Germany, Germany is Hitler!' The issue that I have with your flag is that the flag of the United States is supposed to represent ALL of us, you, me, and yes, even Trump, but not ONLY Trump. If you really truly are a patriot, who believes in what this country is supposed to stand for: a country of the people, by the people, for the people, then you will take down that flag and replace it with a standard stars & stripes, which represents us all.'
Michael Buse, Gig Harbor
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16 minutes ago
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Americans are questioning the value of a college degree. Trump is joining the debate.
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The White House's press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, added onto the president's comments in an interview with Fox News: "Apprenticeships, electricians, plumbers, we need more of those in our country, and less LGBTQ graduate majors from Harvard University. And that's what this administration's position is." Over the past few years, a growing number of Americans have started to question the value of a college degree due to high costs and a tough labor market, making trade schools and apprenticeships a favorable alternative. It marks a shift in the standard American dream, in which a four-year college degree had been viewed as a step to middle-class success. However, Jon Fansmith, assistant vice president of government relations at the American Council on Education, told Business Insider that taking funding away from Harvard and other research institutions isn't the answer to boosting investment in trade schools. "The money that he is talking about withholding from Harvard is money that Congress provided to research agencies to perform advanced scientific and biomedical research," Fansmith said, adding that Harvard earned grant money because "they had the best researchers, the best laboratory facilities, the best understanding of how to advance that science," he continued. "You can't simply take that money and use it for another purpose." Madi Biedermann, deputy assistant secretary for communications at the Department of Education, told BI that "American universities that are committed to their academic mission, protect students on campus, and follow all federal laws will have no problem accessing generous taxpayer support for their programs." 'Two very separate stories' Higher education doesn't have the same draw that it once did. Some Gen Zers previously told BI that despite being taught that college was the primary path to success, they felt they could make a living by directly entering the workforce or going to trade school. Please help BI improve our Business, Tech, and Innovation coverage by sharing a bit about your role — it will help us tailor content that matters most to people like you. What is your job title? (1 of 2) Entry level position Project manager Management Senior management Executive management Student Self-employed Retired Other Continue By providing this information, you agree that Business Insider may use this data to improve your site experience and for targeted advertising. By continuing you agree that you accept the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . That's why Trump's push to invest more in trade schools is important, Fansmith said — they help Americans get a stable career to support themselves and their families, and the federal government can help support those schools by asking Congress to approve more funding, not redirecting the funding unilaterally. "There are two stories here. One is this administration's attack on Harvard, and the other is, what is the role of trade schools, and is there a need for more support for trade schools? And as much as the president's trying to conflate the two, those are two very separate stories," Fansmith said. While Trump's big spending bill proposes some provisions to expand Pell grant eligibility to short-term programs, it does not detail a significant funding increase for trade schools. The Trump administration's rhetorical focus on trade schools isn't new. Before he won the 2024 election, Linda McMahon, now Trump's education secretary, wrote an opinion piece in The Hill advocating for the expansion of Pell Grant eligibility to workforce training programs. "Our educational system must offer clear and viable pathways to the American Dream aside from four-year degrees," she wrote. Trump also signed an executive order on April 23 to strengthen and expand workforce development and apprenticeships programs, which McMahon called a "significant step in ensuring every American can live their American Dream." Congress' role in rethinking education For years, Democratic lawmakers have been pushing for greater access to postsecondary education options, like free community college, and there has been bipartisan agreement on the need to boost apprenticeships and workforce programs without redirecting funding from higher education institutions. Amid the heightened focus on alternatives to a four-year college degree, the New York Federal Reserve said in a recent report that college still pays off; the median worker with a college degree earns about $80,000 a year, compared to $47,000 for a worker with just a high school diploma. Trump hasn't yet implemented his idea to redirect Harvard's federal funding to trade schools, and it's unclear how, or if, he will attempt to follow through. While he has already withheld billions of dollars from Harvard and other schools across the country for failing to meet his administration's political demands, the moves have been met with lawsuits, and Fansmith said it's likely more legal action would ensue should Trump attempt to move around funding without congressional approval. 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Boston Globe
32 minutes ago
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My father helped create public media. He'd say we need it now, more than ever
Now the Trump administration is not only trying to end public media but also attempting to claw back more than $1 billion in public media funds that Congress has already approved. Those who support this move Advertisement But there are problems with that argument. First, commercial media executives understand that attention is currency, and Advertisement Second, paid subscriptions are expensive, and many Americans simply can't afford them. Public media is a bargain by comparison. Third, commercial media companies don't have the incentive to operate in the public's best interest; they do have the incentive to convert eyeballs into revenue sources. For example, in youth programming, the focus is often on the commercials, selling toys and sugary snacks to kids. And content for kids on platforms such as YouTube can range from vapid to dangerous at a time when busy parents often use screen time to supplement entertainment or education. For these parents, it has become exhausting to choose what's OK for their children, and even more exhausting to know which platforms are trustworthy. The truth is, at a time when half of kids don't have access to preschool, federally funded, responsible content is a great investment in the next generation. Lastly, the commercial market has also collapsed for news. According to the Advertisement Access to reliable information is crucial in a democracy. As Bill Moyers once Like libraries and schools, public media offers access to knowledge and critical thinking, which is essential for learning and for democracy. The government should strengthen — not undermine — nonprofit educational media, especially now. I hope that my Dad's call for 'public interest' media prevails, rather than the alternative: an expensive wasteland even more vast — and dangerous — than he could have ever imagined.
