Jewish Learning

Faith Organizations Urge Lawmakers to Take a Stand on LGBT Discrimination

June 23, 2015
Currently, federal law explicitly protects students from discrimination based on race, color, national origin, sex, and disability. However, no federal law explicitly protects students from discrimination based on their actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity or their association with lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people. The Student Non-Discrimination Act (H.R. 846/S. 439) would address this issue by explicitly prohibiting public schools from discriminating against any student based on the categories above.
Jewish Learning

Taking Congress to School: Funding American Indian Schools

June 10, 2015
As the school year starts to close across the country, one of the Department of Defense’s Crossroads Elementary in Virginia will use the summer to prep for its first full year of school. With features like geothermal heating and a rooftop garden, Crossroads is one of 134 schools being rebuilt as part of a 10-year, $5 billion plan through the Department of Defense. This state-of-the-art facility stands in marked contrast to many schools under the direction of the Bureau of Indian Education, which is also federally funded. Whereas the Department of Defense is receiving $5 billion over 10 years for construction projects, the Bureau of Indian Education received just 2% of that total, $39 million over four years, even though it operates almost the same number of schools.
Jewish Learning

Restarting the Scroll for Education for Women and Girls Around the World

October 17, 2014
Last Saturday, October 11, was International Day of the Girl. Just two years ago, the UN established this commemorative day to raise awareness about all issues concerning gender inequality for young women and children around the world. The day is used as an opportunity for activist groups to come together with the goal of highlighting, discussing, and taking action to advance rights and opportunities for girls everywhere.
Jewish Learning

This School Year Not Another Shooting

September 10, 2014
The beginning of the school year for me has always been filled with the comfort of the early September winds and the coming High Holy Days. With the first day of classes brings with it new teachers, classrooms, and friends. Dipping apples in honey, smelling the musty reticence of the shofar, and walking along the beach throwing breadcrumbs give me the sense of clean slate, a new start and a new year.
Jewish Learning