Category: Featured

Cornell inks $60M deal with Trump administration to restore funding
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Dive Brief:
- Cornell University on Friday struck a deal with the Trump administration, agreeing to pay $60 million and adhere to strict reporting conditions in exchange for having more than $250 million in federal funding reinstated.
- In addition to the financial payments, the Ivy League institution will submit expanded undergraduate admissions data to the federal government, and include the U.S. Department of Justice’s July guidance against diversity, equity and inclusion efforts as “a training resource” for employees. Cornell’s president will provide regular compliance reports to the administration.
- In turn, three federal agencies — the DOJ and U.S. departments of Education and Health and Human Services — agreed to close their civil rights investigations into the New York university. Cornell is the fifth university to publicly strike a deal with the Trump administration to restore federal funding.
Dive Insight:

Cornell President Michael Kotlikoff on Friday said the deal reverses costly federal funding cuts that caused significant disruption to the university.

“The months of stop-work orders, grant terminations, and funding freezes have stalled cutting-edge research, upended lives and careers, and threatened the future of academic programs at Cornell,” he said in a statement.

Under the deal, Cornell will pay the federal government $30 million over three years.

It will pay an additional $30 million over the same period toward agriculture research programs that “directly benefit U.S. farmers through lower costs of production and enhanced efficiency.” Both the agreement and Kotlikoff’s statement emphasized Cornell’s history as a land-grant university.

Kotlikoff noted that the bargain does not require Cornell to admit wrongdoing, and he said it does not turn over the university’s academic freedoms to the federal government.

As part of the deal, the university will report additional admissions data to the Education Department. Once a quarter through 2028, the university will submit undergraduate admissions disaggregated by students’ race, GPA, performance on standardized tests, and major. Much of the criteria align with a Trump administration proposal to dramatically expand the type of admissions data colleges must report.

The university will also use the DOJ’s wide-ranging anti-DEI guidance as a training resource for faculty and staff. The document labels race-based scholarships and student resources dedicated to specific racial or ethnic groups as illegal and warns colleges they could lose federal grant funding over such practices.

Colleges could similarly lose funding if the DOJ decides they are using “facially neutral” criteria as proxies for federally protected characteristics, such as asking job applicants to demonstrate “cultural competence” as a means of assessing someone’s racial or ethnic background.

The U.S. Department of Education released a similar document in February threatening federal funding over DEI practices. At the time, Kotlikoff called diversity a driver of Cornell’s excellence. The Education Department’s guidance has since been struck down as unconstitutional in federal court.

On Friday, Cornell said it will continue to conduct an annual campus climate survey, including on the experience of students with shared Jewish ancestry. Questions will include whether students feel welcome on campus and safe to report antisemitism.

Kotlikoff agreed to provide the Trump administration with quarterly reports demonstrating Cornell’s compliance.

Cornell’s agreement shares some elements with that signed by the University of Virginia last month. The public flagship similarly agreed to comply with the DOJ’s anti-DEI guidance and provide quarterly compliance reports to the Trump administration.

And like Brown University, Cornell agreed to pay money into a cause seemingly unrelated to the charges the Trump administration levied against it — in Brown’s case, $50 million to workforce development organizations in Rhode Island.

“Today’s deal is a positive outcome that illustrates the value of universities working with this administration,” Attorney General Pamela Bondi said in a Friday statement.

U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said the Cornell deal is an example of the Trump administration forcing colleges to refocus “their attention on merit, rigor, and truth seeking — not ideology.”

Kotlikoff instead called the deal a reaffirmation of “principles to which we have already independently and publicly committed” and noted that the university already conducts annual campus climate surveys.

Cornell, he said, “looks forward to resuming the long and fruitful partnership with the federal government.”
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November 7, 2025
Teachers Create Tool to Help NYC Families Find Childcare

Educators tap two tech firms to create NYC Childcare Navigator, a free platform that cuts through the chaos.

A one-stop shop

Frustrated by the maze of agencies, websites, and applications families face to find childcare and possible financial support, New York City teachers said, “Enough!”

The United Federation of Teachers, the union that represents more than 200,000 educators and professionals in New York City, teamed up with two tech firms to build a better approach: NYC Childcare Navigator.

Navigator is a platform that connects New York City families to upwards of 12,000 childcare options across the five boroughs. It offers instant eligibility checks for money-saving programs, step-by-step application support, and the most comprehensive directory of childcare providers in the city — all in one free, easy-to-use website.

The union created the tool as a benefit for its own members, but it was so successful that the union opened it up to all New York City residents in October.

“We couldn’t gatekeep something that we knew so many New York City families needed,” said Michael Mulgrew, president of the United Federation of Teachers.

Centralizing tailored childcare

The union partnered with Mirza, a city-based tech firm that builds platforms to connect low-wage workers with local, state, and federal benefits, including for childcare.

“We wanted to get meaningful benefits to parents, but there wasn’t a single place that would allow a parent to see all the options available. That felt like a big missing piece. But it also pointed toward a solution,” said Siran Cao, CEO and Co-Founder of Mirza, who said she was inspired by how her own mother navigated a new country and the impact that a few well-timed bits of financial support had on her own family.

The union then introduced Upfront, a software company that consolidates multiple sources of childcare providers into a single, centralized database. The result: parents using the NYC Childcare Navigator can see every licensed program in NYC (center, home, and school-based), searchable by zip code, child’s age, availability, languages spoken, special needs, and many other filters. For the first time, childcare providers can claim a dedicated page to share current information about their specific childcare services.

“It’s everything in a single location instead of having to make dozens of calls and scour multiple, incomplete websites,” said Levin-Robinson, who said she was motivated by how challenging it was to find care for her own children.

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November 7, 2025
How Educators Seek to Shape AI Use in Classrooms

For educators, using artificial intelligence in the classroom only makes sense if they have a real say in its development.

Building on expert experience

This summer, the American Federation of Teachers and its New York City affiliate, the United Federation of Teachers, announced a $23 million partnership with Microsoft, OpenAI, and Anthropic to establish a first-of-its-kind teacher institute for artificial intelligence: the National Academy for AI Instruction.

“Technology is routinely weaponized against us,” said UFT President Michael Mulgrew. “We were not going to sit by and watch that happen again. This initiative allows us to take control of AI in the education sphere and develop it for and by educators.”

While the physical plant will take 12–18 months to build, the academy has already started hosting its first series of AI workshops, introducing attendees to tools to help teachers plan, manage their workload, and meet student needs more effectively. Teachers received guidance on writing AI prompts and discussed ethics and the responsible use of AI.

“The academy is saying to teachers: You bring expertise to the classroom. You bring high-value pedagogy to the classroom,” said Rob Weil, Chief Executive Officer of the Academy. “We want you to use that pedagogy and expand that pedagogy, and there are resources you can use to make your expertise better. This is not about replacing your expertise; it’s about expanding your expertise.”

AI use influenced by teachers

Workshops this fall will engage educators in 200 New York City schools and then extend to educators in AFT union affiliates across the country. Organizers said the content will deepen as educators gain experience. And while supporting the exploration of AI, the AFT and the UFT were clear that neither organization endorsed specific AI tools or platforms.

Iolani Grullon, a teacher at P.S. 4 in Manhattan who attended two sets of AI workshops this summer, said AI could be “a game changer” for educators.

“This is where things are going,” Grullon said. “If we resist, we’re only going to make our lives harder. We need to be part of the conversation, learn how to use these tools, and influence their next iteration. We are the voice of the classroom. We know what educators and students need. And if these tools can streamline planning and paperwork, it allows for more time to build relationships with students.”

“It does not replace the human component,” Grullon said. “You need to see my face. You need to hear me say, ‘Great job!’ or ‘Let’s try this again’ or ‘Are you OK?’”

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November 7, 2025
Responsible AI Adoption: Empowering Educators While Safeguarding Equity

Artificial intelligence is reshaping classrooms nationwide. Experts share how schools can adopt AI responsibly, ensuring equity, ethics, and human-centered teaching remain at the forefront.

A partner in learning

Artificial intelligence is no longer a distant promise — it’s here, and schools are grappling with how best to use it. For educational leaders, the question is not whether to use AI, but how to adopt it responsibly.

Dr. Joseph Rene Corbeil, Professor of Educational Technology at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, reminds us of Arthur C. Clarke’s famous line: “Any teacher that can be replaced by a machine should be.” To him, AI can ease repetitive tasks like practice feedback, freeing teachers to do what machines cannot — mentor, inspire, and connect.

His colleague, Dr. Maria Elena Corbeil, emphasizes that responsible adoption must be “curious and intentional.” She encourages faculty to experiment openly with AI alongside students, showing that technology is a partner in learning, not a shortcut.

But both caution against widening divides. “If left unchecked, AI could create a two-tiered system where those who can afford premium tools gain an advantage,” Rene warns. Maria Elena points to unequal access to devices, internet, and faculty support as critical barriers.

AI use shaped by classroom realities

For Yanbei Chen, a Ph.D. student at Syracuse University, responsible adoption must also account for culture, language, and diverse learning needs. In her courses, students use AI image generators to visualize inclusive classrooms — an exercise that enhanced creativity while sparking dialogue about equity and accessibility.

Equity also drives the work of Dr. Veronika Abramenka-Lachheb, Assistant Professor at Boise State University and Director of the LENS Lab. She argues that responsible adoption begins with respect for learner privacy, autonomy, and agency. Her call to action for schools is to create values-based guidelines rooted in classroom realities, not one-size-fits-all policies.

Qiu (Stephen) Wang, Professor of Measurement and Research Methodology at the University of South Florida, likens AI to “handing scissors to a kindergartner.” Useful, yes — but only with oversight. In his graduate classes, students use AI for brainstorming, then critique its outputs against pedagogy, learning both creativity and skepticism.

Across perspectives, one theme stands out: AI should amplify human teaching, not replace it. Responsible adoption means prioritizing equity, ethics, and transparency, ensuring technology empowers every learner while keeping human judgment at the heart of education.

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November 7, 2025
Protecting Schools in the Digital Age: Beyond Firewalls and Filters

In today’s connected world, school safety extends far beyond hallways. Experts highlight how to protect students through cybersecurity, digital literacy, and trust-centered policies.

Safety starts with digital literacy

For schools today, safety means more than locked doors. In an era where student data is currency and misinformation spreads at viral speed, digital security has become just as critical as physical protection.

Megan Derrick, Ph.D. candidate at the University of South Florida and instructional designer at Hillsborough College, identifies “two big red flags: data privacy and misinformation. Hackers love student data, and AI makes fake news spread faster than a viral TikTok.” For her, protecting schools requires both strong cybersecurity systems and teaching students to be critical consumers of information.

But safety isn’t only technical. “True protection is both technical and human,” says Yanbei Chen, a doctoral researcher at Syracuse University. Her work emphasizes combining infrastructure with education in digital citizenship, so students and teachers feel safe engaging with technology.

Both Derrick and Chen agree that digital literacy should be integrated across subjects, not siloed into a single workshop. “Students should know how to fact-check a source and avoid clicking on emails that promise free AirPods,” Derrick says. Chen adds that administrators and teachers can model responsible online behavior, weave discussions of privacy and bias into lessons, and provide opportunities for students to practice safe decision-making.

Safety ensures trust and resilience

Balancing safety with openness remains a key challenge. Derrick emphasizes the role of transparency: “Policies should not feel like surveillance. They should feel supportive.” When students and teachers understand the reasons behind safeguards, collaborative and creative learning can thrive within secure boundaries.

Looking ahead, emerging technologies and stronger policies offer hope. Transparent data practices, inclusive design, and human-centered AI can help schools build environments that are both innovative and resilient.

As Chen puts it, “Digital literacy and cybersecurity are not just technical skills — they’re part of preparing students to be thoughtful, ethical participants in a digital society.”

In short, protecting schools in the digital age means equipping students and educators not only to avoid risks but to thrive. That requires blending strong safeguards with a culture of trust, transparency, and resilience.

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November 7, 2025
Cornell Settles With the Trump Administration

Cornell University has reached a deal with the Trump administration to pay the government a $30 million settlement—and invest another $30 million in agricultural research—in exchange for having its frozen federal research funding restored.

The agreement, announced Friday, makes Cornell the latest institution to strike a deal with the federal government in an effort to settle investigations into alleged civil rights violations. The settlement follows similar arrangements at the University of Pennsylvania, Columbia University, Brown University and the University of Virginia. Concessions varied by university, with Columbia making the biggest payout at $221 million.

Collectively, those institutions were targeted for a range of alleged violations, including allowing transgender athletes to compete on women’s sports teams, failing to police campus antisemitism amid pro-Palestinian protests and operating supposedly illegal diversity, equity and inclusion practices as the Trump administration cracked down on DEI initiatives.

Now the university will see roughly $250 million in frozen federal research funding immediately restored. The federal government will also close ongoing civil rights investigations into Cornell.

While some institutions, including Columbia, have given tremendous deference to the federal government and agreed to sweeping changes across admissions, hiring and academic programs, the deal at Cornell appears to be relatively constrained, despite the $30 million payout.

Under the agreement, Cornell must share anonymized admissions data broken down by race, GPA and standardized test scores with the federal government through 2028; conduct annual campus climate surveys; and ensure compliance with various federal laws. Cornell also agreed to share as a training resource with faculty and staff a July memo from U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi barring the use of race in hiring, admissions practices and scholarship programs. And in addition to paying the federal government $30 million over three years, Cornell will invest $30 million “in research programs that will directly benefit U.S. farmers through lower costs of production and enhanced efficiency, including but not limited to programs that incorporate [artificial intelligence] and robotics,” according to a copy of the agreement.

Cornell leaders cast the deal as a positive for the university.

“I am pleased that our good faith discussions with the White House, Department of Justice, and Department of Education have concluded with an agreement that acknowledges the government’s commitment to enforce existing anti-discrimination law, while protecting our academic freedom and institutional independence,” Cornell president Michael Kotlikoff said in a statement shared with Inside Higher Ed. “These discussions have now yielded a result that will enable us to return to our teaching and research in restored partnership with federal agencies.”

Education Secretary Linda McMahon also celebrated the deal in a post on X.

“The Trump Administration has secured another transformative commitment from an Ivy League institution to end divisive DEI policies. Thanks to this deal with Cornell and the ongoing work of DOJ, HHS, and the team at ED, U.S. universities are refocusing their attention on merit, rigor, and truth-seeking—not ideology. These reforms are a huge win in the fight to restore excellence to American higher education and make our schools the greatest in the world,” she wrote.

Some outside observers, however, excoriated the settlement as capitulation to authoritarianism.

“The Trump administration’s corrupt extortion of higher ed institutions must end. Americans want an education system that serves the public good, not a dangerously narrow far right ideology that serves billionaires,” American Association of University Professors President Todd Wolfson said in a statement, which also urged colleges to fight intrusion by the federal government.

This is a breaking news story and will be updated.

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November 7, 2025
Congress Accuses GMU President of Lying About DEI Efforts

House Republicans have accused George Mason University President Gregory Washington of lying to Congress about diversity practices at his institution, ratcheting up pressure on the president to step down.

The Republican-led House Judiciary Committee alleged in a report released Thursday night that Washington made “multiple false statements to Congress” in testimony about diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts at GMU. The public university has been under fire for months over allegedly illegal DEI practices as the Trump administration has sought to crack down on such initiatives, claiming they are discriminatory and violate federal civil rights law. The Judiciary Committee report also alleged that the university “likely violated federal civil rights law by discriminating based on race in its hiring practices to advance Dr. Washington’s diversity, equity, and inclusion initiative.”

Washington has denied breaking the law through efforts to diversify GMU’s faculty and staff, telling Congress that the university did not practice illegal discrimination under his leadership.

The report is the latest salvo from Republicans who have launched federal investigations into GMU over its hiring policies, including demands that the embattled president apologize for allegedly discriminatory practices, which he has refused to do as he denies any wrongdoing.

What’s in the Report

The House Judiciary Committee’s report zoomed in on an effort by GMU, launched shortly after Washington took office in July 2020, to diversify employee ranks. The Anti-Racism and Inclusive Excellence initiative the president introduced aimed to make faculty and staff “mirror student Demographics” at GMU, which is among the most diverse institutions in the country. As part of that effort, GMU tasked schools and departments with hiring more underrepresented individuals.

But in Congressional testimony, Washington denied the initiative was a strict mandate.

“These are overall goals and they’re aspirational in focus,” Washington said, according to a transcript of his Sept. 17 interview released by the House Judiciary Committee Thursday.

Though the Anti-Racism and Inclusive Excellence initiative stemmed from his office, Washington told Congress that faculty in each department developed plans for their unit. He also cast the creation of such plans as optional, telling Congress “if units did not want to develop a plan, they did not have to.”

But the House Judiciary Committee claimed Washington lied about that.

“Documents and testimony obtained by the Committee … show that Dr. Washington and his deputies actively sought to punish schools that did not comply with his racial discrimination mandates,” the committee report states. “A senior GMU official told the Committee that GMU financially punished any school that resisted Dr. Washington’s unconstitutional initiative.”

Congress pointed to testimony from Ken Randall, the dean of George Mason University’s Antonin Scalia Law School, as evidence that Washington lied about the plan being optional.

“You’d get fired if you didn’t have a plan,” Randall said, according to an interview transcript.

Washington also denied the administration formally reviewed plans to diversify faculty hiring. Republicans accused him of lying about that, too, pointing to internal remarks from then-vice president of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Sharnnia Artis (who now has a different title), in which she said the DEI team “consistently reviewed, monitored, and supported” such plans.

“Again, the evidence contradicts Dr. Washington’s testimony,” the report states.

However, Douglas Gansler, a lawyer representing the GMU president sharply disrupted claims that his client lied to Congress, which he accused of carrying out a “political lynching” in an emailed statement to Inside Higher Ed.

“The political theater of the politicians accusing Dr. Washington of misrepresenting anything to them is unadulterated nonsense. Dr. Washington has never discriminated against anybody for any reason and did not utter one syllable of anything not verifiably completely true,” Gansler wrote.

What Happens Next

The GMU Board of Visitors has said little in the immediate aftermath of the report.

“Today, the Board of Visitors received an interim staff report from the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on the Judiciary. We are reviewing the report and consulting with University counsel and counsel for Dr. Washington,” board members wrote in a brief statement. “The Board remains focused on serving our students, faculty and the Commonwealth, ensuring full compliance with federal law and positioning GMU for continued excellence.”

While the board is reviewing the report, it appears unlikely members would be able to take action against Washington. GMU’s board, which is stocked with GOP donors and political figures appointed by Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin, is currently without a quorum after Virginia Democrats blocked multiple appointments in recent months. Now a legal battle over those blocked appointments is slowly winding its way through the judicial system. While the Virginia Supreme Court heard arguments in the case last month, it has yet to issue a ruling on the matter. In the meantime, with only six of its 16 seats filled, GMU’s board is hobbled.

Youngkin’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Inside Higher Ed.

The George Mason chapter of the American Association of University Professors offered a fiery defense of Washington, arguing in a statement the committee was carrying out a politically motivated attack designed to erode institutional autonomy and impose partisan control over the public university.

“The Committee’s unfounded accusations, dependence on clearly compromised sources, and selective presentation of ‘evidence’ represent an unprecedented abuse of congressional power—designed not to find the truth, but to silence leadership that refuses to yield to political pressure,” the GMU-AAUP chapter wrote in an emailed statement to Inside Higher Ed.

GMU students, employees and community members rallied in support of president Gregory Washington earlier this year, amid concerns the board would fire him.

With Washington under pressure from Congress, state and national Democrats have rallied to his defense, accusing the GOP of waging an ideological war on universities and hypocrisy by focusing on the GMU president’s alleged dishonesty while federal officials brazenly lie in court.

“In Donald Trump’s Gangster State, they pick the target first and figure out the charges later,” House Judiciary Democrats wrote on X. “Today’s target: GMU President Gregory Washington. The Trump Education Department failed to find evidence of employment discrimination at GMU. So [House Judiciary committee] Chairman [Jim] Jordan opened his own investigation. When that one only confirmed Dr. Washington followed Virginia law, Jordan pivoted and conjured up an absurd and convoluted criminal referral based on an alleged lie that takes 8 pages to explain.”

Representative James Walkinshaw—a Democrat in Virginia’s 11th district, which includes GMU—called Washington “an exemplary leader” in a biting statement posted on Bluesky.

“Make no mistake, this is an attack on free speech and academic freedom,” Walkinshaw wrote. “It’s cancel culture at its worst and the American people are tired of right-wing snowflakes like Jim Jordan trying to silence anyone who doesn’t bend the knee to their bizarre MAGA ideology.”

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November 7, 2025
Anti-SLAPP laws protect Davids from being silenced by Goliaths

The First Amendment was born out of colonial attempts to silence the press with libel laws. Yet more than two centuries later, the wealthy and powerful still use the legal system to bully critics into submission through meritless defamation lawsuits — also known as strategic lawsuits against public participation, or SLAPPs.

One recent example comes from Seymour, Indiana, where attorney Brett Hays sued local resident Anthony Couch over things Couch said on his Facebook page, Seymour Immigration. The page calls itself a “media/news company” and says it aims to “show the destruction of Seymour IN brought on by the illegal immigration problem in Seymour IN and the nation.”

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Couch wrote that Hays “is making a killing on representing illegal immigrant crimes” and quoted Hays’ website, which stated, “Even undocumented individuals have rights which they can and should exercise,” offering to help them understand those rights. In a separate post that didn’t mention Hays, Couch wrote, “Notice most if not all are listed as WYTE….this is how they keep the immigrant crime numbers down.” Hays says Couch’s posts, which accuse him of professional “misconduct and unfitness,” are false and damaging — so he’s suing Couch for defamation and wants a judge to make him take down the posts.

But those posts are actually a textbook example of protected opinion. Hays doesn’t deny that he defends people accused of crimes or that his website offers help to undocumented immigrants. Couch’s take, that Hays is “making a killing,” is just an opinion and a common figure of speech, not a factual claim that can be proven true or false. The First Amendment protects this kind of criticism, regardless of whether it is fair, eloquent, or well-reasoned.

The court sided with Couch for now, denying Hays’ request for an emergency order that would’ve forced Couch to delete his Facebook posts. In its decision, the Court said Couch never claimed “that Hays committed any act of incompetence as an attorney,” and that the phrase “making a killing” is “at worst hyperbole or a snide comment.” The court also noted that the other statement Hays complained about didn’t even mention him by name, and appeared to be a complaint about the legal system in general. In response to Hays’ lawsuit, Couch filed an anti-SLAPP motion — a move to dismiss lawsuits meant to silence speech — which the court hasn’t yet ruled on.

SLAPPs like this are filed fairly routinely. FIRE has defended multiple speakers against SLAPPs and SLAPP threats. One of our clients, Iowa pollster J. Ann Selzer, was sued by President Donald Trump for “election interference” and violations of the Iowa Consumer Fraud Act after her 2024 pre-election poll showed Kamala Harris leading Trump by three points — despite Trump ultimately carrying the state by more than 13. In fact, a federal court just dismissed a copycat lawsuit filed against Selzer by a subscriber to The Des Moines Register, styled as a class action, which FIRE also defended.

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To combat this weaponization of the courts, often by those with significant power and resources, many states have enacted anti-SLAPP laws. These laws protect journalists, news organizations, and ordinary citizens who publicly voice their opinions, expediting the dismissal of meritless defamation lawsuits before they drain defendants’ time and money. As of now, 38 states plus Washington, D.C. have anti-SLAPP laws on the books.

The strength of anti-SLAPP protections varies by state, but most follow the same two-step process. First, the individual being sued files a motion to strike the SLAPP, arguing that the case targets their speech on an issue of public concern. If they can show that, the burden flips: the plaintiff then has to prove their lawsuit actually has merit.

Think of it as an expedited mini-trial that lets judges quickly toss out frivolous claims and spares defendants the time and court costs of full-blown litigation. If the plaintiff can’t make their case, the lawsuit gets tossed — and in many states, the plaintiff has to pay the defendant’s legal fees. That fee-shifting rule discourages people from filing bogus suits and encourages lawyers to take on free speech cases for clients who otherwise would not be able to afford defending themselves.

While the Selzer case is high-profile given the parties involved, SLAPPs involving everyday Americans like Anthony Couch are all too common — and far less visible. Thankfully, Indiana not only has an anti-SLAPP law on the books, but one robust enough to earn a B+ rating from the Institute for Free Speech. Under that law, discovery is paused once the defendant files an anti-SLAPP motion, and successful defendants can recover attorney’s fees. However, if the anti-SLAPP motion is deemed frivolous, the defendant must pay the plaintiff’s attorney’s fees instead.

The anti-SLAPP hearing in Couch’s case has been set for Feb. 20. Indiana’s strong anti-SLAPP protections give defendants like Couch a fighting chance to avoid costly, drawn-out litigation and hold would-be censors accountable for misusing the judicial process to suppress criticism. The fee-shifting provision may also encourage local attorneys to represent Couch, who is currently defending himself, and other unjustly targeted speakers.

The Seymour Immigration page remains active, and Couch does not seem deterred by the lawsuit, likely buoyed by the protections Indiana law affords. But without those safeguards, his story might not be one of defiance, but of silence.

FIRE defends the individual rights of all Americans to free speech and free thought — no matter their views. FIRE’s proven approach to advocacy has vindicated the rights of thousands of Americans through targeted media campaigns, correspondence with officials, open records requests, litigation, and other advocacy tactics. If you think your rights have been violated, submit your case to FIRE today.

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November 7, 2025
Queen Elizabeth’s school to open in August 2026

The new campus, Queen Elizabeth’s School in Dubai, will bring over 450 years of British academic heritage to the UAE, offering students access to the National Curriculum for England under the same standards that have made the Barnet school a consistent “outstanding” performer and a leader in UK education.

Developed in partnership with GEDU Global Education, the project recently received initial approval from Dubai’s Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), making a historic move, as it is the first UK state grammar school to establish an international branch.

“This landmark approval allows us to accelerate our vision to deliver world-leading K-12 education to students from across the UAE,” said Caroline Pendleton-Nash, CEO of Queen Elizabeth’s Global Schools.

“The Dubai branch campus will remain faithful to the mission, ethos, tradition, and exacting academic standards of Queen Elizabeth’s School, Barnet, while embracing Dubai’s spirit of innovation and ambition,” she said.

She added: “In uniting the heritage of one of the UK’s most distinguished schools with the vision of Dubai, we aspire to set a new global benchmark for educational excellence.”

Opening initially from nursery to year 8, the Dubai campus will then expand in phases to include sixth form. The school’s location in Dubai Sports City provides access to exceptional athletic facilities, ensuring that sport and wellbeing remain integral.

We are also excited by the potential for international collaboration, which, in time, will build a global network of Elizabethans for the benefit of our new students as well as those within the state sector in Barnet
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Neil Enright, headmaster of Queen Elizabeth’s School, Barnet, emphasised the school’s commitment to fostering opportunity and leadership, saying: “We are delighted to have received this encouragement from the KHDA to offer a rounded and enriching QE education to children in the UAE, spreading opportunity and supporting students to become the leaders of their generation.”

“We are also excited by the potential for international collaboration, which, in time, will build a global network of Elizabethans for the benefit of our new students as well as those within the state sector in Barnet,” he said.

“[That prior interest] confirmed to us the strength of our brand and the strength of a rounded but highly academic education. So the senior staff and governors here have been looking at this move for quite a long time,” he said.

This time, though, working with GEDU, the school was confident it was the right move. “They’re educationalists, they are experienced at partnering with a number of universities in other parts of the world…we felt a real alignment of values with them,” said Enright.

Dan Clark has been appointed as the school’s founding principal, having been deputy head of the elite Marlborough College since 2020.

“Throughout my career in outstanding schools, I’ve seen how powerful education can be,” said Clark.

“It challenges pupils to think deeply, act responsibly and believe in their own capacity to achieve.”

“These values are fundamental to the QE approach. As founding principal of QE Dubai Sports City, I’m excited to establish a community that will produce confident, able and responsible young people who are ready to shape the future.”

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November 7, 2025
Billions of Aid Dollars Go to High-Income Students

A new report from the Century Foundation found that state and institutional grant aid too often flows to higher-income students who don’t need it, while low-income students continue to struggle with unmet need.

The analysis, released Thursday, shows that more than half of students from the top income quartile, 56 percent, receive grants that surpass their financial need, compared to a mere 0.2 percent of students from the bottom income quartile. That means that top income quartile students were 280 times more likely to receive grants that exceeded their level of need than their lowest income peers. The share of white students that receive grants beyond their needs (19 percent) far exceeds the share of Black of Hispanic students who receive such grants (5 percent).

Part of the issue is that the share of state grants that are merit-based jumped 17 percentage points between 1982 and now, according to the report. Over all, about 10 percent of grant aid—at least $10 billion annually in state and institutional aid—exceeds students’ financial need.

The analysis also found that state grants disproportionately go to students at highly selective public colleges versus students at open-admission public four-year institutions—$3,693 and $842 on average, respectively. And at four-year public colleges over all, students with an Expected Family Contribution of zero were less likely than students with higher EFCs to receive aid from their institution.

“What people think about as a pillar of the financial aid system in higher education has become a windfall for wealthy students that leaves working families paying the bill for tuition increases,” Peter Granville, the report’s author and a fellow at the Century Foundation, said in a news release.

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November 7, 2025