Latest news with #NewYorkCitySchools
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Principal revives NYC middle school with podcasting curriculum
(NewsNation) — Two years ago, New York City's P.S. 224 was set to be closed. But principal Uche Njoku revived the school by attracting students with an original curriculum focused on new media, such as podcasting. 'I was asking myself, why are the kids more engaged in their cell phones than with us as teachers in the classroom? Social media. So, I decided to take what has been the bane of our existence to be something productive,' Njoku told NewsNation. The students now produce 'The Best Middle School Podcast' out of their media hub. In the time since the podcast began, the school has adopted full-fledged media classes. Njoku said incorporating podcasting, graphic design and filmmaking into students' education has them 'hooked.' Education Department says 60 universities under investigation for antisemitism 'Whenever we get the chance to meet new people, it's kind of like a learning experience because then they tell us more about their background and where they came from,' student Maryoli Roque said on 'Morning in America.' Roque — one of the podcast's hosts — said working on the program has 'created an environment for us to learn more but also do something that we like.' Her favorite guest to speak with was Meisha Ross Porter, who served as New York City Schools chancellor in 2021. 'Being able to talk to a female who also grew up in the area is kind of, like, important to me,' Roque said. Education secretary: Mass layoffs first step toward total shutdown Njoku hopes to see immersive media studies appear in more schools nationwide because he believes education should meet children where they're at technologically or risk losing their interest altogether. 'It's very important that we stop teaching 'yesterday,'' Njoku said. 'Technology is here, and it's not just about putting laptops with kids, it's about actually engaging in the medium.' He previously told NewsNation local affiliate PIX11 that the school's next goal is to convert an upstairs classroom into a TV studio. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
24-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
NYC schools chancellor affirms support for trans, other LGBTQ kids in face of Trump policies
As the Trump administration continues to target transgender and other LGBTQ students, New York City Schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos penned a letter Monday assuring families that local protections are still in place. The city's public school system allows transgender students to change their name and gender on school records, regardless of legal documentation, according to the regulations linked in the memo. Public school students may also participate in competitive sports and gym classes aligned with their gender identity. 'Our policies remain in effect, and in fact, we have strengthened them in recent years, including updating our guidelines on gender inclusion,' read the letter going home Monday in children's backpacks across the five boroughs. 'I'm proud that at New York City Public Schools, we have robust curricula, resources, and programs to support students who identify as LGBTQ+ and to increase representation and inclusivity within our schools.' During his first month in office, President Trump signed a series of executive orders, from declaring there are only two sexes on federal documents to excluding transgender students from girls sports, which Trump's allies have pushed as an issue of fairness. Yet another order threatens to pull federal funding from any school found to be teaching 'gender ideology.' In the midst of those changes, scores of parents called on Aviles-Ramos to issue some kind of acknowledgement of the rhetoric and the reversal of years of precedent at the federal level. While the chancellor showed her support for LGBTQ students at an annual Gender and Sexuality Alliance (GSA) Summit and local town halls, no systemwide communication went out to all families. Earlier this month, at a sprawling protest to support transgender youth in Union Square where organizers estimated the crowd reached 7,000 people, multiple parents expressed disappointment in the school system's silence. 'I'm disappointed that we haven't heard more supportive statements from our leadership at the DOE,' Brooklyn mom Hallie said on Feb. 8. 'I think pretty much everyone agrees that [Mayor] Adams is under Trump's thumb right now, and we can't count on him to look out for anyone but himself.' Adams, who said he is refraining from publicly criticizing Trump and dealing with him one-on-one instead, directed his commissioners in a closed-door meeting to follow his lead, including Aviles-Ramos. The mayor has denied any quid pro quo with the Trump administration in exchange for dismissing his federal corruption case. The schools chancellor's letter on Monday pointed to a few resources, including GSA student clubs, classroom resources featuring the voices of LGBTQ+ people, and mental health support. Aviles-Ramos did not mention Trump by name or any of his specific policies. For some parents, the direct communication did not go far enough. 'I think this is still too little too late. It would be great if they could actually address the orange elephant in the room,' said Gavin Healy, a progressive member of a Manhattan education council, in an apparent reference to Trump. Last school year, the panel — Community Education Council 2 — passed a resolution calling on the school system to reconsider its gender inclusive policy in school sports. Then-Schools Chancellor David Banks forcefully condemned the measure, which was nonbinding. Healy, who voted against the resolution and has since been supporting a push to rescind it, described the absence of an explicit mention of sports as 'concerning.' 'The chancellor's letter still leaves that line of attack open,' he said, 'and that's alarming.'
