Student Civil Rights Took Center Stage In 2025. Here’s What’s On The Horizon The 74

Student Civil Rights Took Center Stage In 2025. Here’s What’s On The Horizon The 74
School (in)Security is our biweekly briefing on the latest school safety news, vetted by Mark Keierleber.Subscribe here.
Happy 2026 — and just like that, we’re than a quarter of the way through this century. For news about school safety and students’ civil rights, 2025 was one for the history books — unless, of course, they get banned.
A bid to close the Education Department. Hundreds of thousands of deportations. A free-speech crackdown. And much, much .
With the new year now underway, I figured I’d look back to highlight some of the largest news stories in the School (in)Security universe in 2025 that could see major developments over the next 12 months.
the و of و — – تفاصيل مهمة
Trump’s immigration crackdown breaches the schoolhouse gate
In an unprecedented response to President Donald Trump’s ongoing immigration crackdown and its impact on education, Minneapolis Public Schools shut down all of its schools for two days this week. The announcement came after immigration authorities reportedly tear-gassed students and arrested staff outside a high school. The Department of Homeland Security denied using tear gas.
The encounter occurred just hours after a federal agent shot and killed Renee Nicole Gooda 37-year-old mother of three, who a DHS officer shot dead in her car.
Students, families and K-12 schools throughout the country have felt the significant and far-reaching effects of the administration’s militarized mission on U.S. soil, which has resulted in than half a million deportations.
a و and و of – تفاصيل مهمة
Student enrollment plunged after the Trump administration eliminated a longstanding policy against conducting raids at schools, churches and other “sensitive locations.” In limited but unprecedented ways, immigration agents acted on the policy change. In Florida, the Pinellas County school district applied to assist ICE in arresting immigrants — only to quickly backtrack as controversy ensued.
While agents have conducted “wellness checks” on unaccompanied minors across the country, including through visits to schools, thousands of children have been detained and are reportedly being held “as long as possible to increase the likelihood of deporting them.”
Through it all, school communities across the country have banded together, my colleague Jo Napolitano reported, to send a clear message: “Not on our watch.”
Looking forward:The sheer number of agents deployed to Minneapolis, a reported 2,000and the violence and death that resulted could point to a willingness by the administration to double down on its targeting of cities and schools in the coming year.
the و to و of – تفاصيل مهمة
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DEI became a four-letter word
Following a presidential campaign that centered on anti-immigrant and anti-transgender rhetoric, Trump made good on a promise with an order barring diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in schools. And, about as quickly, federal courts clapped back. In April, federal judges blocked the Education Department’s effort to withhold federal money from schools that didn’t pledge to carry out the Trump administration’s interpretation of anti-discrimination laws.
In December, the Department of Health and Human Services released a set of sweeping regulations designed to block gender-affirming care for minorsa move that advocates warned puts lives at risk. Iowa, meanwhile, became the first state in the country to strip discrimination protections from transgender and nonbinary people.
Perhaps most consequential is the Trump administration’s efforts to decimate the Education Department — and its Office for Civil Rights, where thousands of unresolved investigations alleging discrimination in schools based on race and gender were left to languish.
the و and و to – تفاصيل مهمة
Expect an even smaller federal presence in school civil rights issues moving forward. In December, Attorney General Pam Bondi announced an order rescinding a 50-year-old rule that held schools responsible for neutral policies that negatively affect students of a certain race or nationality.
Looking ahead:The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear oral arguments next week over whether conservative states can ban transgender students from competing on school sports teams that align with their gender identity.
PowerSchool is breached — and millions of documents are leaked
After PowerSchool became the target of a massive cyberattack in late 2024, Massachusetts teenager Matthew Lane was sentenced to prison for carrying out a failed get-rich-quick scheme that led to perhaps the largest student data breach in history. Now that Lane has had his day in court, attention has pivoted back to PowerSchool’s culpability in the breach.
The company has faced lawsuits from dozens of students, parents and school districts over allegations it failed to put adequate safeguards in place to protect troves of sensitive student data.
to و in و of – تفاصيل مهمة
In a separate complaint, Texas filed suit against the company, charging it deceived its customers about the strength of its cyber protections.
“If Big Tech thinks they can profit off managing children’s data while cutting corners on security, they are dead wrong,” Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said in a media release. “Parents should never have to worry that the information they provide to enroll their children in school could be stolen and misused.”
The rise of artificial intelligence — and efforts to keep it contained
Kids fell in love with AI-powered chatbots last year. No, really.
As students turned to AI for help with their homework, for fun and to find romantic partnerships, skeptics warned that young people could grow socially and emotionally disconnected from the humans in their lives. Several lawsuits accused chatbots of leading kids down dark paths — even to suicide.
to و in و and – تفاصيل مهمة
On Wednesday, Character.AI and tech giant Google agreed to settle lawsuits filed by parents who said their children harmed themselves after using the startup’s chatbot.
Keep your eyes peeled:Bipartisan legislation proposed late last year could require chatbot users to verify their age — and force teens to break up with their digital companions.
The murder of conservative pundit and operative Charlie Kirk was met with swift backlash as K-12 teachers, professors and college students were disciplined for social media posts celebrating his death. As the Trump administration vowed vengeance on Kirk’s critics, First Amendment protections for students were left on even shakier ground.
Meanwhile, in Texas, Gov. Greg Abbot announced an initiative to launch Turning Point USA chapters at all high schools in the state — and warned educators of “meaningful disciplinary action” if they didn’t fall in line.
and و to و in – تفاصيل مهمة
Add to the mix federal efforts to silence pro-Palestinian college student activists. In September, a federal judge ruled a Trump administration effort to arrest and deport international students based on their pro-Palestinian advocacy was a blatant First Amendment violation.
What happens next will play out in the courts:On Tuesday, the American Federation of Teachers filed a federal First Amendment lawsuit against the Texas Education Agency alleging it violated the free speech rights of educators in the wake of Kirk’s death.
Emotional Support
Sinead contemplates what’s to come in 2026 from her perch.
Did you use this article in your work?
the و in و of – تفاصيل مهمة
We’d love to hear how The 74’s reporting is helping educators, researchers, and policymakers.Tell us how
Disclaimer: This news article has been republished exactly as it appeared on its original source, without any modification. We do not take any responsibility for its content, which remains solely the responsibility of the original publisher.
Author:Mark Keierleber
Published on:2026-01-10 15:30:00
Source: www.the74million.org
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Hereu2019s Whatu2019s on the Horizon The 74″,”keywords”:[],”url”:”https://uaetodaynews.com/1000283789/”,”description”:”School (in)Security is our biweekly briefing on the latest school safety news, vetted by Mark Keierleber. Subscribe here. Happy 2026 u2014 and just like that, weu2019re more than a quarter of the way through”,”copyrightYear”:”2026″,”articleSection”:”Education”,”articleBody”:”nnntttttnntttttnntttttnntttttnn n n n n nSchool (in)Security is our biweekly briefing on the latest school safety news, vetted by Mark Keierleber. Subscribe here.nnnnHappy 2026 u2014 and just like that, weu2019re more than a quarter of the way through this century. For news about school safety and studentsu2019 civil rights, 2025 was one for the history books u2014 unless, of course, they get banned. nnnnA bid to close the Education Department. Hundreds of thousands of deportations. A free-speech crackdown. And much, much more. nnnnWith the new year now underway, I figured Iu2019d look back to highlight some of the largest news stories in the School (in)Security universe in 2025 that could see major developments over the next 12 months. nnnnnnnnTrumpu2019s immigration crackdown breaches the schoolhouse gatennnnIn an unprecedented response to President Donald Trumpu2019s ongoing immigration crackdown and its impact on education, Minneapolis Public Schools shut down all of its schools for two days this week. The announcement came after immigration authorities reportedly tear-gassed students and arrested staff outside a high school. The Department of Homeland Security denied using tear gas.The encounter occurred just hours after a federal agent shot and killed Renee Nicole Gooda 37-year-old mother of three, who a DHS officer shot dead in her car.nnnnRelatedMinneapolis Schools Shut Down for 2 Days in Wake of ICE Clashes, Fatal ShootingnnnnStudents, families and K-12 schools throughout the country have felt the significant and far-reaching effects of the administrationu2019s militarized mission on U.S. soil, which has resulted in more than half a million deportations.nnnnStudent enrollment plunged after the Trump administration eliminated a longstanding policy against conducting raids at schools, churches and other u201csensitive locations.u201d In limited but unprecedented ways, immigration agents acted on the policy change. In Florida, the Pinellas County school district applied to assist ICE in arresting immigrants u2014 only to quickly backtrack as controversy ensued. nnnnWhile agents have conducted u201cwellness checksu201d on unaccompanied minors across the country, including through visits to schools, thousands of children have been detained and are reportedly being held u201cas long as possible to increase the likelihood of deporting them.u201dnnnnThrough it all, school communities across the country have banded together, my colleague Jo Napolitano reported, to send a clear message: u201cNot on our watch.u201dnnnnLooking forward: The sheer number of agents deployed to Minneapolis, a reported 2,000and the violence and death that resulted could point to a willingness by the administration to double down on its targeting of cities and schools in the coming year.nnnnnn Sign-up for the School (in)Security newsletter.n Get the most critical news and information about students’ rights, safety and well-being delivered straight to your inbox.n nnnnnnnnDEI became a four-letter wordnnnnFollowing a presidential campaign that centered on anti-immigrant and anti-transgender rhetoric, Trump made good on a promise with an order barring diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in schools. And, about as quickly, federal courts clapped back. In April, federal judges blocked the Education Departmentu2019s effort to withhold federal money from schools that didnu2019t pledge to carry out the Trump administrationu2019s interpretation of anti-discrimination laws. nnnnIn December, the Department of Health and Human Services released a set of sweeping regulations designed to block gender-affirming care for minorsa move that advocates warned puts lives at risk. Iowa, meanwhile, became the first state in the country to strip discrimination protections from transgender and nonbinary people.nnnnPerhaps most consequential is the Trump administrationu2019s efforts to decimate the Education Department u2014 and its Office for Civil Rights, where thousands of unresolved investigations alleging discrimination in schools based on race and gender were left to languish.nnnnExpect an even smaller federal presence in school civil rights issues moving forward. In December, Attorney General Pam Bondi announced an order rescinding a 50-year-old rule that held schools responsible for neutral policies that negatively affect students of a certain race or nationality.nnnnLooking ahead: The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear oral arguments next week over whether conservative states can ban transgender students from competing on school sports teams that align with their gender identity.nnnnnnnnPowerSchool is breached u2014 and millions of documents are leakednnnnAfter PowerSchool became the target of a massive cyberattack in late 2024, Massachusetts teenager Matthew Lane was sentenced to prison for carrying out a failed get-rich-quick scheme that led to perhaps the largest student data breach in history. Now that Lane has had his day in court, attention has pivoted back to PowerSchoolu2019s culpability in the breach. nnnnThe company has faced lawsuits from dozens of students, parents and school districts over allegations it failed to put adequate safeguards in place to protect troves of sensitive student data.nnnnIn a separate complaint, Texas filed suit against the company, charging it deceived its customers about the strength of its cyber protections. nnnnu201cIf Big Tech thinks they can profit off managing childrenu2019s data while cutting corners on security, they are dead wrong,u201d Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said in a media release. u201cParents should never have to worry that the information they provide to enroll their children in school could be stolen and misused.u201dnnnnThe rise of artificial intelligence u2014 and efforts to keep it containednnnnKids fell in love with AI-powered chatbots last year. No, really. As students turned to AI for help with their homework, for fun and to find romantic partnerships, skeptics warned that young people could grow socially and emotionally disconnected from the humans in their lives. Several lawsuits accused chatbots of leading kids down dark paths u2014 even to suicide.nnnnOn Wednesday, Character.AI and tech giant Google agreed to settle lawsuits filed by parents who said their children harmed themselves after using the startupu2019s chatbot. nnnnKeep your eyes peeled: Bipartisan legislation proposed late last year could require chatbot users to verify their age u2014 and force teens to break up with their digital companions.nnnnnnnnThe murder of conservative pundit and operative Charlie Kirk was met with swift backlash as K-12 teachers, professors and college students were disciplined for social media posts celebrating his death. As the Trump administration vowed vengeance on Kirku2019s critics, First Amendment protections for students were left on even shakier ground.nnnnMeanwhile, in Texas, Gov. Greg Abbot announced an initiative to launch Turning Point USA chapters at all high schools in the state u2014 and warned educators of u201cmeaningful disciplinary actionu201d if they didnu2019t fall in line.nnnnAdd to the mix federal efforts to silence pro-Palestinian college student activists. In September, a federal judge ruled a Trump administration effort to arrest and deport international students based on their pro-Palestinian advocacy was a blatant First Amendment violation.nnnnWhat happens next will play out in the courts: On Tuesday, the American Federation of Teachers filed a federal First Amendment lawsuit against the Texas Education Agencyu00a0alleging it violated the free speech rights of educators in the wake of Kirku2019s death.nnnnnnnnEmotional SupportnnnnnnnnSinead contemplates whatu2019s to come in 2026 from her perch.nn n n n Did you use this article in your work?
nWeu2019d love to hear how The 74u2019s reporting is helping educators, researchers, and policymakers. Tell us hown n n !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s){if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod?n n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)};if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version=’2.0′;n.queue=();t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0;n t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)(0);s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)}(window,n document,’script’,’https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/fbevents.js’);n fbq(‘init’, ‘626037510879173’); // 626037510879173n fbq(‘track’, ‘PageView’);n rnrnrnrnrnDisclaimer: This news article has been republished exactly as it appeared on its original source, without any modification. rnWe do not take any responsibility for its content, which remains solely the responsibility of the original publisher.rnrnrnrnrnrnAuthor: Mark KeierleberrnPublished on: 2026-01-10 15:30:00rnSource: www.the74million.orgrnrn”,”publisher”:{“@id”:”#Publisher”,”@type”:”Organization”,”name”:”uaetodaynews”,”logo”:{“@type”:”ImageObject”,”url”:”https://uaetodaynews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/images-e1759081190269.png”},”sameAs”:[“https://www.facebook.com/uaetodaynewscom”,”https://www.pinterest.com/uaetodaynews/”,”https://www.instagram.com/uaetoday_news_com/”]},”sourceOrganization”:{“@id”:”#Publisher”},”copyrightHolder”:{“@id”:”#Publisher”},”mainEntityOfPage”:{“@type”:”WebPage”,”@id”:”https://uaetodaynews.com/1000283789/”,”breadcrumb”:{“@id”:”#Breadcrumb”}},”author”:{“@type”:”Person”,”name”:”uaetodaynews”,”url”:”https://uaetodaynews.com/author/arabsongmedia-net/”},”image”:{“@type”:”ImageObject”,”url”:”https://uaetodaynews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/school_insecurity_newsletter_gray-825×495.jpg”,”width”:1200,”height”:495}}
Disclaimer: This news article has been republished exactly as it appeared on its original source, without any modification.
We do not take any responsibility for its content, which remains solely the responsibility of the original publisher.
Author: uaetodaynews
Published on: 2026-01-11 19:25:00
Source: uaetodaynews.com




