Lee V. Gaines

This piece captures the way @heymrsbond.com brings her heart, mind, and soul to every decision she makes in her teaching.

I'm honored to call her colleague and friend, and I'm jealous that @leevgaines.bsky.social got to go spend time in her classroom :)

My last story of the year for @npr.org published this week and it’s a doozy! I explore how & why teachers are using AI text detection software (despite its known flaws), and what can happen to students when these tools are wrong.

Check out the full story here: www.npr.org/2025/12/16/n...

Teachers are using software to see if students used AI. What happens when it's wrong? School districts from Utah to Ohio to Alabama are spending thousands of dollars on these tools, despite research showing the technology is far from reliable.

So glad that I never had to deal with this as a student.

By @leevgaines.bsky.social www.npr.org/2025/12/16/n...

hey it's me!

An AI divide is growing in schools. This camp wants to level the playing field For years, research has shown a digital divide when it comes to schools teaching about new technologies. Educators worry that this could leave some students behind in an AI-powered economy.

Hello! I'm currently working on a series of stories for NPR about AI and education. I'm reporting on equity issues, academic integrity and the future of work -- as well as the risks and benefits this tech poses for children and teens.

First up: www.npr.org/2025/08/19/n...

Amtrak’s Keystone line, connecting NYC, Philly, and Harrisburg, may get axed under SEPTA cuts U.S. Rep. Brendan Boyle said Amtrak's Keystone Service line is at risk because the railroad could lose $71.1 million in annual payments from SEPTA.

"The line, which continues on from Philadelphia to Manhattan, would also mean fewer trains operating from Philadelphia to New York City." www.inquirer.com/politics/sep...

'Why am I so bad?' Indiana schools suspend tens of thousands of students with disabilities Children who receive special education services were suspended more than twice as often from school as compared to their peers during the last academic year.

If you are following along, this is the story @leevgaines.bsky.social and I were working on when we met Amy. (Amy and G are not in it.)

It focuses on how often students with disabilities are suspended.

www.wfyi.org/news/article...

Families say school civil rights investigations have stalled after federal cuts The U.S. Education Department's Office for Civil Rights investigates discrimination in schools. It recently lost more than 40% of its staff.

When @leevgaines.bsky.social and I met Amy and her daughter G, I asked G if there’s anything she doesn’t like at school. Her response was haunting:

"The blue room.... It feels like close spaces, and it's like — it's, like, scary in there."
www.npr.org/2025/04/16/n...

Indiana schools suspended students over 30,000 times for fighting last year Last school year about 72,700 public school students, or nearly 7% of those enrolled, experienced out-of-school suspensions.

U.S. schools have seen a lot of signs that students are struggling post-pandemic, from lower test scores to worse attendance. Here's another red flag: In Indiana, Suspensions rose to the highest rate in a decade. @leevgaines.bsky.social @wfyi.bsky.social www.wfyi.org/news/article...

Being in a hotel room with 2 cats is insane

*some professional news* this Friday is my last day @wfyi.bsky.social

I am so proud of this newsroom. I will miss them greatly.

And we've got a big investigation into student suspensions that should publish soon! Stay tuned.

I'm officially student loan debt-free and I need to tell everyone.

Are pennies worth it? Trump's plan to scrap them didn't come out of nowhere President Trump isn't the first politician to call for the end of the penny — but getting rid of it may not be easy. The value of the 1-cent coin has been debated for decades.

@caity.bsky.social did you hear the news about pennies, tho 👀

Heard this on @npr.org and immediately thought of you

www.npr.org/2025/02/10/n...

Indiana's immigrant students still have a right to a free education. Here's how Legal experts explain what rights immigrant students have and what public K-12 schools must provide to them.

Immigrant students -- no matter their status -- have a right to a public education. A 1982 Supreme Court ruling (Plyler v Doe) established this.

But legal experts I spoke with expect that right to be challenged. And the current Supreme Court could rule differently.

www.wfyi.org/news/article...

Nothing has changed. There have been subsequent legislative attempts to ban NDAs in special education settlements in Indiana. But they've all failed to pass due to pushback from school administrators. And IDK of any other state that has done it.

selling stuff on Facebook Marketplace feels like being stuck in one of the outer circles of Hell.

I fear I may never be able to download TikTok again because I deleted it when it went briefly dark. My internet FOMO is out of control. How will I know what sounds are trending?????

FOREIGN COUNTRIES DO NOT PAY TARIFFS. FOREIGN COUNTRIES DO NOT PAY TARIFFS. FOREIGN COUNTRIES DO NOT PAY TARIFFS.

Peloton: *Cody Rigsby including a Heidi Montag song on his 2000s ride to support Heidi and Spencer Pratt after the LA wildfires*

Me: yk what, hell yeah.

Inside 'Teflon Joe’s': Why your favorite grocery store is not what you think How Trader Joe’s remains a beloved brand despite record product recalls, safety violations, worker misconduct complaints, and an environmental record that belies its reputation.

Everyone should read this fantastic @fastcompany.com investigation of Trader Joe’s by @clintrainey.bsky.social

www.fastcompany.com/91240524/tra...

☹️ TikTok 😔

#indiana #snow #snowday #roads #slick #crash #snowplow #snowplowing #ugh #lol #fyp #fypシ #fypage #fyppppppppppppppppppppppp #capcut #didmybest #notacontentcreator #always #snowmelt #funnymoments #repo... TikTok video by Justin Davidson

This is so accurate.

www.tiktok.com/t/ZP8FynoWf/

Yeah I get that. I was thinking more about workers who carry equipment. It just seems like a lot of people who not elites or upper income are also really upset by this.

This was my initial reaction. But I've heard NYers say this is a terrible idea for the workers who need access to that part of the city. And I started to think it was a regressive tax. Is there a better way to achieve the outcome of funding public transit and reduced congestion?

For an unknown number of years my Dad would give a statue of the Hindu God Ganesha a quarter every time he made a sale (he was an antique dealer).

He died a several weeks ago. Now we’re donating the funds to a local animal shelter. Taking bets on how much these are worth!

Gonna go see Nosferatu & eat sushi. Can’t imagine a better Chrismakkuh plan, tbh.

AMERICAN An evocative photography project by acclaimed Dutch photographer Robin de Puy. This ambitious endeavor sees de Puy journeying across the vast and varied landscapes of the United States, seeking to cap...

When the insta algorithm works and shows you something amazing:

robin-de-puy-american.wetransfer.com

So impressed by photographer Robin de Puy and this project

Indiana high school students offer up ideas to combat climate change In schools nationwide, educators are hoping to empower students with knowledge and inspire them to dream up ways to ensure a better climate future. At a high school in Bloomington, Indiana, students p...

For PBS News Weekend, I visited a classroom in Bloomington, Indiana where students were dreaming up their own engineering solutions to the climate crisis.

www.pbs.org/newshour/sho...

I’ve got a climate change education story airing on @pbsnews.bsky.social tonight!

A teacher in Bloomington, Indiana and several Indiana U profs came up with a climate engineering lesson plan for high schoolers.