Latest news with #Linscott
Voice of America
13-03-2025
- Science
- Voice of America
Researchers Use New Methods to Date Ancient Skeleton
Scientists have dated the ancient skeleton of a child that drew a lot of attention because it appeared to have both human and Neanderthal qualities. The nearly complete skeleton, first discovered 27 years ago in central Portugal, was red in color. Scientists think it may have been wrapped in a painted animal skin before burial. When the remains were discovered, scientists noted that some of the bone structure looked Neanderthal. The researchers suggested that the child's ancestors came from populations in which humans and Neanderthals mated and mixed. The idea was radical at that time. But progress in genetics has since shown those mixed populations existed — and people today still carry Neanderthal genetic material, or DNA. But scientists have had trouble learning when exactly the child lived. They were were not able to use traditional carbon dating on the bones due to corruption of the remains by plants or other sources. Instead, researchers dated some charcoal and animal bones around the skeleton to between 27,700 and 29,700 years ago. However, dating techniques have since improved. Researchers reported recently in the publication Science Advances that they dated the skeleton by measuring part of a protein found mainly in human bones. Examining part of a crushed arm, researchers found that the earlier estimate was close. They report the skeleton is from between 27,700 and 28,600 years ago. Bethan Linscott of the University of Miami is a study writer. Linscott told the Associated Press (AP), 'Being able to successfully date the child felt like giving them back a tiny piece of their story.' She described the research experience as a privilege, meaning an honor. Linscott noted that the first discovery was of more than just a skeleton, but also a burial site of a young child. When dating the bones, she said she could not help but wonder who loved the child, what made them laugh and what their world looked like in the short four years they walked the planet. Paul Pettitt is an archeologist at Durham University in England who was not involved in the study. He told the AP that the study is an example of how dating methods are becoming more effective and helping scientists better understand the past. The study of where humans came from is important 'for the same reason we keep the portraits of our parents and grandparents,' said study writer João Zilhão of the University of Lisbon. 'It's a way of remembering,' the archeologist said. I'm John Russell. Adithi Ramakrishnan reported on this story for the Associated Press. John Russell adapted it for VOA Learning English. ______________________________________________________ Words in This Story radical – adj. very different from the usual or traditional charcoal – n. a dark or black carbon prepared from vegetable or animal substances portrait – n. a picture of a person
Yahoo
28-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Children with disabilities swept up in DEI fight, advocates say
Children with disabilities are getting swept up in the Trump administration's crusade against diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and its push to end the Education Department, advocates say. So far, the Department of Government Efficiency's (DOGE) biggest contract canceled at the Department of Education involved analyzing programs for students with disabilities, and the same DEI programs President Trump is seeking to outlaw often provide accommodations for disabled students. DEI is also sometimes presented as DEIA, with the last letter standing for accessibility. 'The whole reason students with disabilities are able to be in the classroom and get access to an equitable education is because of DEIA efforts,' said Robyn Linscott, director of education and family policy at the Arc of the United States, an advocacy group for individuals with disabilities. 'IDEA [the Individual with Disabilities in Education Act] says that students with disabilities have the right to be in an inclusive classroom to the greatest extent possible,' Linscott added, calling it 'the heart' of the landmark legislation. The latest information given by DOGE shows one of the biggest contracts cancelled at the Education Department was with the American Institutes for Research (AIR) and focused on 'effectiveness of transition supports for youth with disabilities served under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.' AIR told The Hill their group is currently evaluating the Chart My Path for Future Success program that was created to help students with disabilities prepare for future employment and independent living after high school. A lot of the money awarded to this contract went to training staff to implement initiatives that affect more than 1,000 students with disabilities, according to the organization. Districts have lost funding for the 61 positions created to support the programs. The 'first and only study of its kind' study AIR was conducting was intended to see how successful these students were post-high school, hoping to give more information on how to effectively transition students with disabilities to the workforce and higher education. The Education Department has also ended $600 million in 'divisive' teaching training grants that they say targeted DEI, critical race theory and other 'woke' concepts. 'We have had a lot of teachers reaching out to us feeling very afraid because there's already a huge teacher shortage in their district, especially for teachers of students with disabilities, and what would all of these cuts mean?' Linscott said. 'We are really concerned about programs that support and train teachers about interacting with students with disabilities, that help to train future teachers as students with disabilities, again, are getting caught up and getting grants removed or schools being fearful of continuing programs' she added. The Trump administration says it has no intention of going after disabled students, and it has stressed its commitment to to IDEA. But same programs that help those students are definitely in the crosshairs, and advocates fear crossfire from other White House initiatives as well. 'We are concerned, because while the administration may not be targeting students with disabilities, students with disabilities have other identities, including transgender, LGBTQ+, all these identities are wrap into all these different students. While they may be focused on woke ideology and DEI, students with disabilities are affected,' said Tim Villegas, director of communications for the Maryland Coalition of Inclusive Education. The Education Department has sent a letter to schools giving them 14 days to get rid of DEI programs before the agency starts investigating, with threats of funding cuttings looming. 'The Dear Colleague letter from the Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights at USED puts both K-12 schools and higher education institutions in a challenging predicament. Many higher education institutions have moved beyond simply providing accommodations to students and really viewed the ADA [Americans with Disabilities Act] as a floor, not a ceiling. In other words, they have integrated meaningful disability inclusion efforts into their DEI approach to make learning environments more accessible for everyone, including those with invisible disabilities,' said Nicole Fuller, policy manager for the National Center for Learning Disabilities. Concerns are particularly high around the idea of closing the Department of Education and how civil rights complaints against schools and potential violations of IDEA or ADA will be handled. The department has put dozens of employees on administrative leave or fired them, some for involvement in a DEI program that was promoted during Trump's first administration. 'Staffing cuts at the U.S. Department of Education — whether through terminating probationary employees or placing staff on administrative leave — directly impact the oversight of IDEA and Section 504,' Fuller said. In 2023, the vast majority of cases handled by the Office of Civil Rights at the department were regarding disability-related complaints. 'Cutting OCR's staff means fewer people to investigate these cases, making it even harder to ensure students with disabilities have their civil rights protected,' Fuller added. Linda McMahon, Trump's pick for Education secretary, said during her confirmation hearing she would be looking to put IDEA under the authority of the Health and Human Services Department if the Education Department was abolished, as both she and Trump hope it will be. 'You have a law that was supposed to be working in tandem with education, with the Education Department, and now it's being possibly moved to Health and Human Services, where the main function of that department is public health. So, I'm concerned that the focus and kind of the view of students with disabilities is that we're really only talking about medical issues,' said Villegas. 'We really should be talking about; how do we educate these learners? The whole purpose of IDEA is to give supports and special education services to students with disabilities […] So, if you separate those, if you separate those departments, then you already have a siloed way of thinking,' he added. Advocates say it is hard to prepare for the next steps when it is uncertain where the administration is going, but that it will be important for parents and administrators to be loud and keep these issues top of mind as changes move forward. 'I think people need to raise their voices to their elected officials, because Congress has permanently authorized many of these laws and the funding that go with them. So, while the administration may cancel some discretionary funding, they cannot change, for example, the funding formulas under IDEA that go to states without Congress's approval,' said Denise Marshall, the CEO of the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates. 'So, I think, again, people need to keep the eye on what's important here, which is the checks and balances in our country and that Trump and his co-president, Elon Musk, cannot change the law by themselves,' she added. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
28-02-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Children with disabilities swept up in DEI fight, advocates say
Children with disabilities are getting swept up in the Trump administration's crusade against diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and its push to end the Education Department, advocates say. So far, the Department of Government Efficiency's (DOGE) biggest contract canceled at the Department of Education involved analyzing programs for students with disabilities, and the same DEI programs President Trump is seeking to outlaw often provide accommodations for disabled students. DEI is also sometimes presented as DEIA, with the last letter standing for accessibility. 'The whole reason students with disabilities are able to be in the classroom and get access to an equitable education is because of DEIA efforts,' said Robyn Linscott, director of education and family policy at the Arc of the United States, an advocacy group for individuals with disabilities. 'IDEA [the Individual with Disabilities in Education Act] says that students with disabilities have the right to be in an inclusive classroom to the greatest extent possible,' Linscott added, calling it 'the heart' of the landmark legislation. The latest information given by DOGE shows one of the biggest contracts cancelled at the Education Department was with the American Institutes for Research (AIR) and focused on 'effectiveness of transition supports for youth with disabilities served under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.' AIR told The Hill their group is currently evaluating the Chart My Path for Future Success program that was created to help students with disabilities prepare for future employment and independent living after high school. A lot of the money awarded to this contract went to training staff to implement initiatives that affect more than 1,000 students with disabilities, according to the organization. Districts have lost funding for the 61 positions created to support the programs. The 'first and only study of its kind' study AIR was conducting was intended to see how successful these students were post-high school, hoping to give more information on how to effectively transition students with disabilities to the workforce and higher education. The Education Department has also ended $600 million in 'divisive' teaching training grants that they say targeted DEI, critical race theory and other 'woke' concepts. 'We have had a lot of teachers reaching out to us feeling very afraid because there's already a huge teacher shortage in their district, especially for teachers of students with disabilities, and what would all of these cuts mean?' Linscott said. 'We are really concerned about programs that support and train teachers about interacting with students with disabilities, that help to train future teachers as students with disabilities, again, are getting caught up and getting grants removed or schools being fearful of continuing programs' she added. The Trump administration says it has no intention of going after disabled students, and it has stressed its commitment to to IDEA. But same programs that help those students are definitely in the crosshairs, and advocates fear crossfire from other White House initiatives as well. 'We are concerned, because while the administration may not be targeting students with disabilities, students with disabilities have other identities, including transgender, LGBTQ+, all these identities are wrap into all these different students. While they may be focused on woke ideology and DEI, students with disabilities are affected,' said Tim Villegas, director of communications for the Maryland Coalition of Inclusive Education. The Education Department has sent a letter to schools giving them 14 days to get rid of DEI programs before the agency starts investigating, with threats of funding cuttings looming. 'The Dear Colleague letter from the Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights at USED puts both K-12 schools and higher education institutions in a challenging predicament. Many higher education institutions have moved beyond simply providing accommodations to students and really viewed the ADA [Americans with Disabilities Act] as a floor, not a ceiling. In other words, they have integrated meaningful disability inclusion efforts into their DEI approach to make learning environments more accessible for everyone, including those with invisible disabilities,' said Nicole Fuller, policy manager for the National Center for Learning Disabilities. Concerns are particularly high around the idea of closing the Department of Education and how civil rights complaints against schools and potential violations of IDEA or ADA will be handled. The department has put dozens of employees on administrative leave or fired them, some for involvement in a DEI program that was promoted during Trump's first administration. 'Staffing cuts at the U.S. Department of Education — whether through terminating probationary employees or placing staff on administrative leave — directly impact the oversight of IDEA and Section 504,' Fuller said. In 2023, the vast majority of cases handled by the Office of Civil Rights at the department were regarding disability-related complaints. 'Cutting OCR's staff means fewer people to investigate these cases, making it even harder to ensure students with disabilities have their civil rights protected,' Fuller added. Linda McMahon, Trump's pick for Education secretary, said during her confirmation hearing she would be looking to put IDEA under the authority of the Health and Human Services Department if the Education Department was abolished, as both she and Trump hope it will be. 'You have a law that was supposed to be working in tandem with education, with the Education Department, and now it's being possibly moved to Health and Human Services, where the main function of that department is public health. So, I'm concerned that the focus and kind of the view of students with disabilities is that we're really only talking about medical issues,' said Villegas. 'We really should be talking about; how do we educate these learners? The whole purpose of IDEA is to give supports and special education services to students with disabilities […] So, if you separate those, if you separate those departments, then you already have a siloed way of thinking,' he added. Advocates say it is hard to prepare for the next steps when it is uncertain where the administration is going, but that it will be important for parents and administrators to be loud and keep these issues top of mind as changes move forward. 'I think people need to raise their voices to their elected officials, because Congress has permanently authorized many of these laws and the funding that go with them. So, while the administration may cancel some discretionary funding, they cannot change, for example, the funding formulas under IDEA that go to states without Congress's approval,' said Denise Marshall, the CEO of the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates. 'So, I think, again, people need to keep the eye on what's important here, which is the checks and balances in our country and that Trump and his co-president, Elon Musk, cannot change the law by themselves,' she added.
