Beth Fertig

‘It’s discrimination’: US Small Business Administration cuts off loans to immigrant entrepreneurs Green card holders are now ineligible for loans through the SBA as agency carries out Trump’s ‘America First’ agenda

‘It’s discrimination’: US Small Business Administration cuts off loans to immigrant entrepreneurs

www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...

@ninaroberts.bsky.social

Co-op Tech offers free haircuts to students Having hair troubles? Co-op Tech's barber students are looking for practice. On Thursday, Feb. 26, Bronx River students were offered free haircuts of any kind by Co-op tech barber students, who are w...

The Bronx River News reports that students were given free haircuts from Coop Tech barber students who are getting their licenses. One happy recipient said: “They took care of my fade, and most importantly, didn’t push back my hairline.”

bronxrivernews.org/2026/03/co-o...

#EduSky

A New Companion for the Dewey Community In early December, special education teacher Mr. Moody announced the arrival of Finn, a service dog, whose role in the John Dewey community extends far beyond simply being friendly and adorable. Accor...

The Dragon's Den at John Dewey HS reports that the school has a new service dog named Finn to provide social-emotional support for students. One of the most difficult commands for Finn has been “staying focused while sitting still.” Many humans can relate!

jdhsdragonsden.org/6469/feature...

What the Strikes on Iran Could Mean for U.S. Homeland Security | Council on Foreign Relations The longer the war in Iran goes on, the greater the incentive for the Islamic Republic to apply all forms of asymmetric warfare, including retaliation that could affect the U.S. homeland, in hopes of ...

Scary.

"Moreover, the expertise, knowledge, and institutional memory assembled on counterterrorism and homeland security over the past twenty-five years in DHS—and in the FBI and U.S. Intelligence Community—could have been lost in recent workforce cuts."

www.cfr.org/articles/ira...

Administration institutes new oversight plan for robotics team after last season’s ‘Hawk Tuah’ controversy After stating last spring that the “entire culture” of the Townsend Harris robotics team should be subjected to what he called an “autopsy” of its practices and its treatment of female team members, P...

Kudos to The Classic at Townsend Harris HS for this in-depth report on how the school handled some pretty offensive and sexist behavior by the robotics team at an event last year, which led to the resignation of the team's mentors.

thhsclassic.com/27892/news/a...

#EduSky

Black History in Our Backyard After a few years of using Madison Square Park as a means to an end—whether it’s by commuting or going to lunch—it becomes less of a historical landmark and rather...

The 411 Press at Baruch College HS explores the Silent Protest by African Americans that occurred over 100 years ago in nearby Madison Park.

411press.net/2796/showcas...

#EduSky

No Hate, No Fear, ICE Has No Business Here Since the Trump Administration’s harsh crackdown on US immigration, people all over have been protesting against the civil liberties that their agents have been defying.  Children, like Liam Conjeo Ra...

Students from The Clinton School in Manhattan on protesting ICE:

"Walk-outs as activism create such a large wave of mobilization of the younger generation, raising even more awareness to issues at hand.”

theclintonpost.com/1319/news/no...

#EduSky

Labor Secretary’s Top Aides Forced Out

But the Labor Secretary keeps her job?

Labor Secretary’s Top Aides Forced Out www.nytimes.com/2026/03/03/u...

States Move to Limit Access to H.I.V. Treatment

“This is really an economic disaster, a public health disaster, a moral disaster,” said Esteban Wood, director of advocacy and legislative affairs at the advocacy group AIDS Healthcare Foundation.

www.nytimes.com/2026/03/02/h...

So many Trump voters in 2024 said they were tired of endless wars. This is how their president speaks about the casualties of his new war:

“Sadly, there will likely be more before it ends,” he said. “That’s the way it is. Likely be more.”

www.nytimes.com/live/2026/03...

No

This Facebook post is from the U.S. Congressman for Eastern Long Island, Nick LaLota. Get to know his likely Democratic opponent: Chris Gallant, a military pilot who's already come out against this new war. We still have the power to make changes in the midterm elections.

City Officials Warn That Immigration Enforcement May Be Impersonating Housing Inspectors A PSA-style video from the housing department was made in response to a report made by a tenant association.

“We know it can be frightening when someone unexpected shows up at your door, especially with increased immigration enforcement,” a voice in the video narrates on top of images of HPD inspectors. “Here’s how to know it’s really us.”

www.thecity.nyc/2026/02/27/i...

NYC students to spend about 20 fewer days in school than national peers. Learning likely suffers. It adds up: On top of the snow day and several professional development days keeping kids home from school, NYC’s shorter school day means kids in the five boroughs are in class less than national cou...

NYC students are meeting the state's minimum requirements for time spent in class but it's still less than in other places. Is it time to rethink this policy? www.chalkbeat.org/newyork/2026...

MTA flips the bird at Old Man Winter, bucking previous policy to shut service for snow Previous MTA leaders were quick to close aboveground subway service during major snowstorms. In two major winter storms this year, current MTA Chair Janno Lieber opted to keep things moving.

Talk about a snowpiercer! The MTA kept more trains running above ground during this week's blizzard than in the past. This marks a deliberate policy change.

gothamist.com/news/mta-fli...

Mental Health in Schools: From Silence to Support For years, mental health was something students had struggled with by themselves silently. Now, as more students openly discuss stress, anxiety, and emotional well-being, schools are recognizing a gro...

The Edison Light reports on how students at Thomas A. Edison CTE High School in Queens can get mental health support.

theedisonlight.com/51159/genera...

#EduSky

imo the threat posed by CBS News and CNN getting absorbed by pro-regime billionaires isn't that they're going to produce right-wing slop that convinces people to be right-wing, it's the dismantling of newsrooms capable of doing investigative reporting on the administration. Fewer eyes on the street.

Our student journalists are amazing. They are so overwhelmed with just getting through high school. We're incredibly proud of them, and they deserve to be taken seriously and given all the "freedoms" granted to professional journalists.

Oppose Nomination of Casey Means for Surgeon General The Senate HELP Committee is scheduled to hold a hearing on the nomination of Casey Means to serve as U.S. Surgeon General on Wednesday, February 25th. While we were hoping this nomination was dead, i...

If you are opposed to having yet another charlatan in the U.S. government and do not want Casey Means to be confirmed, you can join @defendpublichealth.bsky.social in opposing her by taking a couple of minutes to send a letter to your elected representatives.

Mamdani’s Child Care Czar on NYC’s First-of-it’s-Kind, Universal 2-K Rollout Newly appointed Emmy Liss wants to fight for a societal shift, where early education is no longer seen as a privilege, but rather a public good.

“In the same way that we think about public education being available to every New Yorker, child care should be no different."

www.the74million.org/zero2eight/m...

U.S. Department of Homeland Security agents detained a Columbia University student inside a school residential building Thursday morning, apparently misrepresenting themselves to get inside, according to the school’s acting president.

gothamist.com/news/columbi...

Unions, NYCLU slam bills that would grant police more power over protests at schools The City Council heard testimony on Wednesday about the bill, which is part of a package that would also restrict protests at houses of worship.

Will this legislation discourage protests outside schools or draw lines of protection? www.chalkbeat.org/newyork/2026...

Our student journalists were very engaged by the mayoral election and remain deeply interested in the new administration. We at @presspassnyc.bsky.social hope @mayor.nyc.gov and the new @nycschools.bsky.social Chancellor will hold a press conference this semester with NYC public school reporters!

“Trust Yourself, Not Your Doctor.”

That’s the person who’s about to become surgeon general. And she never finished her medical training.

www.nytimes.com/2026/02/25/w...

Five Tips to Finish Senior Year Strong! Senior year is exciting, but it can also be stressful. It is your last year of high school, so many things are important.  With only a few months left to go, here is some timely advice for my fellow t...

Student news publications can provide VERY important information for high school teens. Even a relatively new publication can try something like this: tips for how to finish your senior year.

tcanews.org/5339/news/fi...

#EduSky

Peter Attia Leaves CBS News Amid Epstein Files Fallout

Well, this guy’s finally out of CBS news

www.nytimes.com/2026/02/23/w...

The reason we're here is that tens of millions of people will punch a hole in a wall if they hear someone used food stamps to buy soda but they're fine if the right-wing podcaster turned fbi director uses his taxpayer funded private jet to go party whenever he feels like it bsky.app/profile/thed...

Pretty amazing that comms person at FBI called my @ms.now colleague @kendilanian-nbc.bsky.social a liar and demand a correction only for Kash to post a photo from the locker room

I don't know the right answer here. But teachers can play a very important role in alerting authorities of abuse. The authorities then need to act on those tips. I will never forget the horrifying death of Elisa Izquierdo in the 1990s. www.nytimes.com/1995/12/24/n...

A Child Misses 3 Weeks of School. Should Protective Services Step In?

A Child Misses 3 Weeks of School. Should Protective Services Step In? www.nytimes.com/2026/02/19/n...