Latest news with #CommonGround
Vox
3 days ago
- Politics
- Vox
A solution to the child care shortage is hiding in plain sight
is a policy correspondent for Vox covering social policy. She focuses on housing, schools, homelessness, child care, and abortion rights, and has been reporting on these issues for more than a decade. Josh Brooks hadn't planned for a career taking care of young children, but in tenth grade he started spending time with his friend's younger brother and discovered that he had a real knack for it. At 18, Brooks took a job at Common Ground, a child care center in northern Virginia, and enjoyed it so much he kept working there throughout college, where he studied psychology. After graduating, though, he felt pressure to get a 'real grown-up job' and applied to work as a government contractor. He maintained spreadsheets all day and was miserable. 'After nine months I realized how ridiculous that notion was, to keep myself from something that I loved,' he said. And so he returned back to Common Ground. Josh Brooks. Brooks, now 28, knows his career path is unusual: In the US, only 3 percent of the preschool workforce, and just 6 percent of the child care workforce, is male. But he works in a progressive part of the country, for an organization that explicitly touts the value of having men in the classroom. Common Ground's executive director, Liz Badley Raubacher, is married to a man who runs another child care center in town. It also helps that he's not the only male teacher on staff. Brooks works alongside Jordon Farrell, 30, who started volunteering at Common Ground to fulfill a high school requirement and, like Brooks, was surprised by how much he liked it. Farrell's been working there for the last seven years. They both teach alongside Zach Davis, 24, who originally went to trade school for hospitality. When the pandemic hit, most hotels shut down and Davis took a role as a recess attendant at a private school, and realized how much he liked working with kids. But when that school also closed due to Covid-19, he stumbled on Common Ground, and has been happily working there ever since. Despite severe worker shortages in child care, most centers across America employ no male teachers. Men tend to steer away from a field that's both low-paying and perceived as overtly feminine. They're also heavily deterred by parental suspicion of inappropriate contact; because most convicted sexual abusers are men, many families perceive any man interested in working with children as a threat. Hiring managers at the centers themselves worry about liability and consumer demand, reacting to fears more than data. Zach Davis, who teaches at Common Ground Childcare. 'I'm not going to say we haven't had those concerns, we've had to navigate those gut reactions with parents,' Raubacher told me. 'We say, 'Listen we understand, it may seem strange until you're here, but we'll help you through it.' We have women doctors, women accountants. And there are a lot of men who really just shine working with younger kids.' Building a stronger pipeline to recruit and retain men in child care could help bring sorely needed talent into the field. Yet unlike in K-12 education, where there have been national efforts to recruit more men, there's been no similar systemic push to alter the gender ratios in the female-dominated child care space. Jordon Farrell teaches 3- and 4-year-olds at Common Ground Childcare. Smaller scale-efforts are starting to emerge, though. In 2023, Hopkins House Early Childhood Learning Institute, a Virginia-based educator training program, hosted a conference to explore the idea. 'Programs are starving for qualified personnel,' J. Glenn Hopkins, the chief executive of Hopkins House, said. 'Looking only at one half of the population is a mistake.' What it's like to be a man working in child care Being the sole man in the classroom hasn't always been easy for Julian LaFerla, even as he felt sure that he brought something distinctive and valuable. LaFerla stumbled into his child care career when he took a college class on early childhood learning. He considered it a quasi-training course for one day becoming a father 'and then I just discovered it felt like a really humane field,' he said. 'You know, the play and the story time, and the snacks, and the singing — it just felt like a nice workplace.' Josh Brooks, the social-emotional teacher, plays guitar and works with children of all ages at Common Ground Childcare. Now 48, LaFerla has spent 12 years working across various preschool, child care, and kindergarten settings in St. Paul, Minnesota — plus another 10 years as a stay-at-home father. But unlike the men at Common Ground in Virginia, LaFerla has never had a male colleague or male mentor, leaving him to navigate complex gender dynamics alone. 'In some circumstances with certain kids, the expectation is I should be more masculine, and with others it's to be less masculine,' he said. 'Compared to my female colleagues, I'm just more engaged in high-energy, rough-and-tumble play — picking kids up, wrestling, letting them climb all over me, that sort of thing.' Nine years into his teaching career, LaFerla decided to pursue a master's in education to better understand his own experiences. Through scouring the literature on men in child care for his thesis, he learned that many of his confusing moments were widely shared: The lack of support from his father for his career choice, the assumption that he could serve as the school's default handyman, and the ongoing tension of when to emphasize gender difference, sameness, or neutrality. Common Ground Childcare explicitly touts the value of having men in the classroom. Researchers find that men often feel that they're scrutinized more closely than their female colleagues. Men sense that they're excluded from tasks like diapering or comforting upset children, yet are then expected to take on the role of disciplinarian when kids misbehave. The biggest hurdle men report, though, is the fear that parents will see them as a threat. Unlike other fields where women dominate — like nursing or even elementary school teaching — working with kids under 5 involves a lot of physical contact. For male workers, routine tasks like helping with bathroom needs or soothing crying children become potential liabilities. 'A lot of men I've spoken to are scared of the prospect of accusations or things being taken the wrong way and that just completely puts them off from wanting to do anything involving children,' Brooks, of Common Ground, told me. Until programs can overcome these cultural barriers and biases, schools and programs will keep struggling to recruit men — and to hold on to the few they do have. And while it's natural to worry about abuse or neglect by anyone, advocates focused on reducing child abuse emphasize that risk should be mitigated through training and rigorous vetting, including criminal background checks, for all staff. Some child care centers incorporate security cameras and windows in interior doors, or have rules about having multiple staff present with children at all times, to help build trust and transparency. Trying to bring men in Over the last decade, some child care advocates have started speaking up about the need to better support men in their industry and address the challenges that LaFerla and others face. 'Men, if they're working in early childhood settings, or even fathers if they come into the building, tend to be uncomfortable because the settings don't make them feel comfortable,' said Hopkins, of Hopkins House. 'It's an unintended consequence — it's not a purposeful decision but [reflects] how child care has evolved.' Jordon Farrell has been at Common Ground Childcare for seven years. Last November, at a second conference hosted by Hopkins House, participants proposed strategies to recruit more men, including targeted scholarships and mentorship programs. Participants also emphasized the need to challenge gender stereotypes through public awareness campaigns and improve pay to attract stronger candidates. Their suggestions are in line with researchers who have been advocating strategies like providing mentorship and direct support to new male teachers from other men. Some studies suggest that men may also be more likely to stay in early childhood settings that actively engage with gender — through measures like anti-bias training, curriculum design, or even parent outreach — than in environments that ignore it altogether. To appeal to men's interest in important work, the group recommended highlighting early childhood education's impact on young minds and communities. Participants suggested emphasizing that teaching and caregiving requires strength, leadership, and creativity, and expanding internship and apprenticeship opportunities to give more men hands-on experience and exposure. Hopkins said he's part of a new group of men working in early childhood education in Washington, DC, and knows a similar program may launch soon in Virginia. He pointed to growing national interest in supporting employment for young men, which may provide an opportunity to leverage those resources for his work. Child care and early learning are also fields less susceptible to automation by artificial intelligence than many traditionally male-dominated jobs — a reality noted by several men I interviewed. 'I hold tight to this job because I feel like child care isn't going anywhere,' Brooks of Common Ground told me. 'People will always need other people to watch their children, no matter what.' 'I hold tight to this job because I feel like child care isn't going anywhere,' Josh Brooks said. 'People will always need other people to watch their children, no matter what.' Davis said the small, everyday moments make his career decision feel simple. 'It's just great working with the kids and watching them grow,' he said. 'Every day I come in and they always say good morning to me, or like, give you a hug or something.' This work was supported by a grant from the Bainum Family Foundation. Vox Media had full discretion over the content of this reporting.
Time of India
29-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Justin Trudeau and Katy Perry seen dining together — here's who the former PM has dated before
Credit: TMZ Former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau recently made headlines not for a policy speech or political statement, but for a quiet dinner with pop icon Katy Perry . As reported by TMZ, the two were seen dining at Montreal's Le Violon on a Monday night, where they reportedly shared lobster and cocktails in a semi-private setting, with security guards watching discreetly through mirrored glass. Perry, who just confirmed her split from actor Orlando Bloom earlier this month, was photographed leaning across the table to speak closely with Trudeau. T he internet did what it does best, speculate. But while the moment has ignited buzz and memes, there's no confirmation from either party that this dinner was romantic in nature. Still, it's not the first time Trudeau's personal life has fueled public curiosity. Sophie Gregoire Trudeau's most well-known, and only confirmed, relationship was with Sophie Grégoire Trudeau. Their marriage, often described as a 'modern political fairytale,' lasted nearly two decades. The pair first met as children in Montreal; Sophie was a friend and classmate of Justin's younger brother, Michel. Years later, in 2003, they reconnected while co-hosting a charity gala. Sparks flew, and they began dating shortly after. Source: X According to Trudeau's 2014 memoir Common Ground, the couple got engaged in 2004 and married the following year in a ceremony held at Montreal's Sainte-Madeleine d'Outremont Church. They went on to have three children: Xavier, Ella-Grace, and Hadrien. Their public appearances often projected unity, with Sophie by Justin's side during political campaigns and international visits. But insiders and longtime watchers weren't entirely surprised when the couple announced their separation in August 2023. In a joint statement, they said the decision came after 'many meaningful and difficult conversations.' Long before their formal separation, the Trudeaus had addressed the pressures of public life on their marriage. In a 2014 interview with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), Trudeau candidly admitted: 'Sophie is still my best friend, my partner, and my love, even though our marriage isn't perfect and we've had challenging ups and downs.' Source: X Despite these acknowledgments, neither Trudeau nor Sophie publicly confirmed any infidelity. Still, gossip persisted, particularly in tabloid outlets like the Daily Mail, which raised questions about possible adultery, though again, without concrete evidence. Even Sophie herself has occasionally alluded to the complexities of their relationship. During a recent panel discussion at SXSW, she made a humorous but pointed comment about their marriage, hinting at the realities behind their public image. In the wake of Trudeau's separation, his name has occasionally been linked to various women in the media and on social platforms. However, none of these rumors, Katy Perry included, have been confirmed, and most lack any credible backing.
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Acrobat battle comes to Gloucestershire in satirical circus spectacle
A HIGH-energy satirical circus show is coming to Gloucestershire. Showdown, produced by Upswing, will be performed at Gloucester Guildhall from Thursday, June 27 to Saturday, June 29, with a Saturday matinee at 2.30pm. The show follows on from Upswing's mockumentary Common Ground, available on YouTube, which went behind the scenes of the fictional search for a Global Majority star to rebrand circus for the 21st Century. It sees six acrobats race to become 'the new face of the circus' whilst asking questions about media, identity, tokenism and the obsession with winning. Throughout the show, the audience is invited to vote for the winner, with each round delving further into the contestants' ambition and seeing just how much they will sacrifice to come out on top. Upswing artistic director Vicki Dela Amedume said: "We're excited to finally bring Showdown to the UK. "This production has been a labour of love for the company and, to us, it represents more than just a performance—it's a testament to the unique possibilities that arise when circus and theatre collide. "It promises to be a fresh, dynamic experience: a great night out filled with incredible circus, but one that will also provoke as much thought as it does gasps. "Through conversations with Athena Kugblenu and other global majority creatives, I have become really interested in how the conversation around diversity has shifted in recent years. "I'm interested in the games we play and what we are willing to sacrifice to get the rewards we hope for and in the dynamics of power. "Ultimately, we want the audience to leave our show feeling elated, hopeful and ready to change the world." Jaide Annalise, Rebecca Solomon, Shane Hampden, Loris Di Via, Kussyl Amara, Gracie Hill and Rhys Hollis will make up the cast of performers for the show. The show, suitable for ages 12 and over, will begin at 7.30pm each day. Tickets for the show can be bought from the Gloucester Guildhall website.
Chicago Tribune
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
Renee Ferguson, longtime investigative reporter for WMAQ-Ch. 5, dies
Renee Ferguson spent more than 25 years as a reporter on two Chicago television stations, and she made history as the first Black woman to work as an investigative reporter on TV in Chicago. During her career, Ferguson, who also cofounded the Chicago chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists, established herself as one of Chicago's premier investigative reporters, winning seven Chicago Emmy awards plus an Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University Award for investigative reporting. 'Renee had this incredible ability to convince the powers that be in the newsroom to give her these really interesting assignments,' said former WBBM-Channel 2 director of community affairs Monroe Anderson, a longtime friend. 'She knew how to work things out. She was really talented. And she was a good reporter.' Ferguson, 75, died Friday while in home hospice care, said WMAQ-Channel 5 news anchor and reporter Marion Brooks, a close friend. She had been a longtime Chicago resident. An Oklahoma native, Ferguson graduated in 1967 from Douglass High School in Oklahoma City. She then earned a bachelor's degree in journalism from Indiana University in 1971. 'Renee and I were the only two Black students in the journalism department at Indiana University (at that time),' Anderson recalled. After college, Ferguson worked as a writer for the Indianapolis Star before taking a job at a TV station, WLWI-TV, in Indianapolis in 1972. She spent five years at the station, which in 1976 took on the call letters WTHR-TV, and worked alongside a young, wisecracking weather forecaster named David Letterman, who would go on to national fame. In 1977, Ferguson joined WBBM-Channel 2 as a reporter. While at the station, she drew national headlines for an investigative piece she reported that debunked the highly acclaimed Westside Preparatory School founder and teacher Marva Collins. By the late 1970s, Collins had become nationally recognized for her work, and Ferguson's report threw cold water on that national praise, accusing the educator of lacking the background and temperament to teach and also alleging that Collins had not gotten the results she had said she was getting, and that she had used high-pressure techniques to collect tuition payments. While at CBS 2, Ferguson also began hosting the public affairs talk show 'Common Ground' in 1981. 'Renee always thought of herself as the voice of the voiceless,' said retired WMAQ-Channel 5 vice president of news and station manager Frank Whittaker, who first worked with Ferguson at Channel 2. 'She would take on stories that nobody else would take on because she believed in what people were telling her and what she believed was the truth and she was going to be their voice.' In 1983, Ferguson left Channel 2 to become an Atlanta-based network correspondent for CBS News. WMAQ-Channel 5 hired Ferguson as an investigative reporter in 1987, bringing her back to Chicago. 'She really was so authentic and people trusted her and she had this uncanny ability to create a space that made people really open up to her. She had that sort of Oprah-esque vibe where people would just share with her,' Brooks said. 'She also had great instincts — she knew when to follow the trail.' One of Ferguson's early reports was 'Project Africa,' which was the product of an idea Ferguson had with a Near West Side elementary school principal in which they would bring nine children from Chicago's toughest streets to Africa for two weeks. The project required students wanting to take the trip to commit themselves to extra attendance both before and after school to study French, photography and West African culture. 'We did play tourist some of the time when we were in the cities, but by far the most moving times were when we visited the villages,' Ferguson told the Tribune's Rick Kogan in 1989. 'The native kids greeted the Chicago kids as if they were visiting royalty. It was an extremely special time for all the children. And I could see the Chicago kids getting more and more relaxed. They started out kind of shy, but as the trip progressed they began to feel surer of themselves. This is the sort of experience that will change them forever.' In 1993, Ferguson visited strife-torn South Africa while on a prestigious William Benton Foundation Fellowship through the University of Chicago. She returned to NBC 5 afterward and covered the landmark 1994 elections in South Africa for the station. Later work included reports on strip searches of Black women at O'Hare International Airport, which in 1999 won Ferguson and her producer, Sarah Stolper, the Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University Award for investigative reporting. 'That was amazing work,' Brooks said. In 1996, a young Chicago man, Tyrone Hood, was convicted of murder and armed robbery in the 1993 slaying of an Illinois Institute of Technology basketball star. Hood insisted that he had nothing to do with it, and Ferguson concluded that Hood was innocent and that another man had been the murderer. Ferguson reported numerous stories about the case, all with Whittaker's support. She continued that advocacy even after retiring, and eventually then-Gov. Pat Quinn commuted Hood's lengthy prison sentence. 'Her work was able to get him out of prison,' Whittaker said. 'She just really believed in helping when people reached out, and she had a true soul for it. It was ingrained in her.' In the early 2000s, one of Ferguson's investigative interns at Channel 5 was a Harvard University undergraduate named Pete Buttigieg. During Buttigieg's internship, Ferguson and her husband housed the future U.S. Transportation Secretary and South Bend, Ind. mayor in their home. 'She was very proud that she was a mentor to Mayor Pete,' Anderson said. Ferguson later was awarded a Nieman Fellowship at Harvard University in 2007. Ferguson retired from NBC 5 in 2008 and soon began working as a spokeswoman for former U.S. Sen. Carol Moseley-Braun during Moseley-Braun's unsuccessful 2011 bid to become Chicago mayor. She later served as a press secretary for U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush. Ferguson's husband of 34 years, Ken Smikle, died in 2018. She is survived by a son, Jason Smikle. Services are pending.
CBS News
02-06-2025
- General
- CBS News
Human trafficking ring busted in Oakland County, 3 arrested, police say
Three people have been taken into custody in a suspected human trafficking and money laundering operation involving several locations in Southeast Michigan, according to a report from the West Bloomfield Police Department. The sixth-month investigation by the South Oakland Narcotics Intelligence Consortium (SONIC) wrapped up Wednesday. The sites involved several massage parlor sites operating in Novi, Farmington and Livonia. "The investigation revealed that female victims were allegedly being coerced into performing commercial sex acts under the pretense of operating as legitimate massage services," the police department report said. "Detectives determined that the women, many of which had been transported from out of state, were allegedly being forced to work under exploitative conditions." As a result of the investigation, SONIC detectives identified three people believed to be responsible for managing and profiting from the criminal enterprise. Those three have since been taken into custody. The investigation was conducted through the coordination of the Novi Police Department, West Bloomfield Police Department, Farmington Hills Police Department, Farmington Hills Police Directed Patrol Unit, Shelby Township Police Department, Common Ground, Care House of Oakland County and the Oakland County Prosecutor's Office.
