Schools Host Respectful Talk About Teaching Culture and History

A group called Courageous Conversations About Our Schools worked with Braver Angels to host a big online discussion about ethnic studies in high schools. Nearly 300 people joined from across the country - teachers, parents, students, school board members, and community members. They talked about whether high schools should teach required courses about different cultures and ethnic groups. The discussion focused on California's new rule that all high school students must pass an ethnic studies course by 2030. Eight panelists shared different views - some supported the classes while others had concerns. They used a 'fishbowl' format where panelists talked while the audience listened and asked questions. The conversation was respectful even though people had strong feelings on both sides. After the event, 88% of people said they would recommend it to others. The organizers believe schools and communities work better when people with different views can listen to each other and have healthy disagreements with respect. Two panelists who disagreed even agreed to continue talking after the main event. The full recording is available online with different chapters covering various parts of the discussion.

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The Bigger WeStudent Reporters Bridge Divides Through Collaborative News StoriesNews Ambassadors connects student journalists from different political and geographic areas to work together on news stories. Students from places like rural Missouri and New York City partner up to report on community problems and solutions. The program teaches special reporting methods that focus on finding common ground instead of creating more division. Student reporters learn 'Solutions Journalism' - covering how communities solve problems rather than just reporting on what's wrong. They also learn 'Complicating the Narratives' - a way to report on controversial topics that helps people understand different viewpoints. The program pairs journalism schools with public radio stations across the country. Students get training, mentorship, and editing help from their professors. The best stories are broadcast in both partner locations, so communities with different political views can hear each other's perspectives. The program also trains radio stations to do 'Community-Responsive Reporting' - getting story ideas directly from community members, especially in rural and urban areas that don't get enough news coverage. This helps fill gaps in local news while giving student reporters real-world experience. The goal is to help Americans better understand each other across political divides and strengthen democracy through better journalism.

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FamiliesEducation Tech Company Allelo Makes Top 200 in Big ContestAllelo, an education technology company from Pittsburgh, was chosen as one of 200 finalists in a major startup contest called the GSV Cup. This contest is the world's biggest competition for education technology companies, with over $1 million in prizes. Allelo beat out more than 750 other companies from around the world to make it to this level. The company creates tools that help students have better online discussions and conversations in their classes. Teachers can use Allelo's artificial intelligence features to see how well students participate and stay on topic during online discussions. The company was started by engineering students from Carnegie Mellon University. Now they will compete at a big education conference in San Diego for the chance to win cash prizes and investment money. The contest shows how technology is changing education, especially after the pandemic made online learning more important. More than half of the winning companies have female founders, and many are led by people of color, showing growing diversity in the tech industry.