Tag: Statement

  • FIRE statement on immigration judge’s ruling that deportation of Mahmoud Khalil can proceed

    FIRE statement on immigration judge’s ruling that deportation of Mahmoud Khalil can proceed

    This afternoon, an immigration judge in Louisiana ruled that Mahmoud Khalil’s deportation could proceed under immigration law. But the fight over the constitutionality of that law continues.

    The Immigration and Nationality Act gives the secretary of state nearly unchecked authority to deport a legal permanent resident on nothing more than his whim if the secretary believes the person poses “serious adverse foreign policy consequences.” 

    Below is FIRE’s statement, attributable to Legal Director Will Creeley:

    Can expressing an opinion that the government doesn’t like justify a green card holder’s arrest, detention, and deportation? That’s what this case comes down to — and it’s a question the courts must answer. The government is holding up a provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act that purports to say “yes.” But the principles enshrined in the First Amendment say “no.”

    Allowing a single government official sweeping and nearly unchecked power to pick and choose individuals to deport based on beliefs alone, without alleging a single crime, crosses a line that should never be crossed in a free society. 

    The only “crime” the government has offered was that Mahmoud Khalil expressed a disfavored political opinion. If that’s a crime in America, every single one of us is guilty.

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  • Teachers need support to understand what’s needed in the UCAS personal statement

    Teachers need support to understand what’s needed in the UCAS personal statement

    Our recent paper found substantial misalignment between state-school teachers and university admissions staff on what makes a high-quality UCAS personal statement.

    In our study, 409 state school teachers were presented with ten paragraphs from UCAS personal statements and asked to select between two pieces of feedback. One ‘correct’ feedback was provided by an admissions tutor, and the one ‘incorrect’ feedback was supplied by another teacher. These paragraphs and feedback were all real-world examples derived from Steven Jones’ (2016) study, used as part of Causeway Education’s pre-training programme for state school teachers.

    We found:

    • There was significant misalignment between teachers and admissions staff. In only 56.5% of cases did teachers select the ‘correct’ feedback response.
    • There are a number of pervasive myths regarding the UCAS personal statement. Teachers had a dual tendency to:
    1. Advise for the incorporation of personal content that aimed to demonstrate a holistic view of the student rather than course-related competencies; and
    2. Suggest reducing content that demonstrated course-related knowledge and skills.

    To give one example, teachers were presented with the paragraph below and asked to choose between two pieces of feedback: (1) Strong reasons backed up by detailed examples; and (2) Too much detail; doesn’t give a sense of the student as an individual. The first of these is from an admissions tutor and the second from a teacher in Jones’ (2016) work.

    My main reason for wanting to study Japanese is because I enjoy studying complex grammar rules to see how languages come together. This is why I chose to undertake Latin at A-Level as I enjoy translating pieces of complex texts. Analysing writers techniques in presenting ideas and characters is also interesting, in particular how Tacitus in Annals I, presents Tiberius as an unsuitable emperor by often comparing him to his father Augustus, an emperor who was deemed ‘an upholder of moral justice’.

    In 58.4% of cases teachers selected the first ‘correct’ answer, and 41.6% selected the ‘incorrect’ second answer.

    These findings should not be interpreted as a criticism of teachers. In the context of studies finding a considerable lack of transparency on how universities use the UCAS personal statement (Fryer et al., 2024), the burden of responsibility for misalignment falls primarily on universities. Without clear and transparent guidance, this misalignment between teachers and admissions staff is inevitable.

    There is an important opportunity to address this situation, as many universities will currently be in the process of updating their public-facing guidance in response to the upcoming UCAS personal statement reform. The shift to three short questions for the 2025-26 application cycle and the corresponding need to update guidance present universities with an opportunity to address and counter the misalignments noted in our paper.

    To support this goal, our paper contains a table of key implications (Table 5, pp.14-15), which can be downloaded directly from this link.

    We hope this is of practical use to admissions staff in updating and developing guidance on the UCAS personal statement. We contend that this new guidance, alongside transparent explanations of how the personal statement is used in selection decisions, is crucial to enable UCAS’s reform to widen participation and address inequalities.

    This blog is based on a paper ‘Investigating the alignment of teachers and admissions professionals on UCAS personal statements’ by Tom Fryer, Anna Burchfiel, Matt Griffin, Sam Holmes and Steven Jones. Due to its time-sensitive nature, the paper has been published as a preprint, and therefore has not yet been subject to peer-review.    

    The table summarising the implications for public-facing guidance is available for download here.  

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  • UC System Freezes Hiring, Bans Diversity Statement Mandates

    UC System Freezes Hiring, Bans Diversity Statement Mandates

    The University of California System’s president announced a systemwide hiring freeze and other “cost-saving measures, such as delaying maintenance and reducing business travel where possible.”

    “Because every UC location is different, these plans will vary,” president Michael V. Drake said in a Wednesday letter to the campuses of one of the country’s largest higher education systems. He said “every action that impacts our University and our workforce will only be taken after serious and deliberative consideration.”

    Drake pointed to a “substantial cut” to the system in the California state budget atop the Trump administration’s disruptive national reduction in support for postsecondary education. He said the administration’s executive orders and proposed policies “threaten funding for lifesaving research, patient care and education support.”

    “The Chancellors and I are preparing for significant financial challenges ahead,” Drake wrote.

    Whenever hiring does resume, UC universities and their components will no longer be able to require that applicants submit diversity statements. Janet Reilly, chair of the UC Board of Regents, said in a separate statement Wednesday that the board directed the system to eliminate such mandates.

    “While the University has no systemwide policies requiring the submission of diversity statements as part of employment applications, some programs and departments have used this practice,” Reilly said.

    Paulette Granberry Russell, president and chief executive officer of the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education, told Inside Higher Ed that, “while I think diversity statements added value on the front end of a search,” it’s far more important to have a structured approach to faculty hiring. She said this approach should eliminate biases and consideration of “non–job-related criteria,” such as accents or lack of eye contact, from the process.

    Diversity statements, she said, are “not the defining factor in whether or not somebody’s going to be successful” if they earn the position.

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  • Statement on President Trump’s Truth Social post threatening funding cuts for ‘illegal protests’

    Statement on President Trump’s Truth Social post threatening funding cuts for ‘illegal protests’

    President Trump posted a message on Truth Social this morning that put social media and college campuses on high alert. He wrote:

    Colleges can and should respond to unlawful conduct, but the president does not have unilateral authority to revoke federal funds, even for colleges that allow “illegal” protests. 

    If a college runs afoul of anti-discrimination laws like Title VI or Title IX, the government may ultimately deny the institution federal funding by taking it to federal court, or via notice to Congress and an administrative hearing. It is not simply a discretionary decision that the president can make.  

    President Trump also lacks the authority to expel individual students, who are entitled to due process on public college campuses and, almost universally, on private campuses as well.

    Today’s message will cast an impermissible chill on student protests about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Paired with President Trump’s 2019 executive order adopting an unconstitutional definition of anti-Semitism, and his January order threatening to deport international students for engaging in protected expression, students will rationally fear punishment for wholly protected political speech.

    As FIRE knows too well from our work defending student and faculty rights under the Obama and Biden administrations, threatening schools with the loss of federal funding will result in a crackdown on lawful speech. Schools will censor first and ask questions later. 

    Even the most controversial political speech is protected by the First Amendment. As the  Supreme Court reminds us, in America, we don’t use the law to punish those with whom we disagree. Instead, “[a]s a Nation we have chosen a different course—to protect even hurtful speech on public issues to ensure that we do not stifle public debate.” 

    Misconduct or criminality — like true threats, vandalism, or discriminatory harassment, properly defined — is not protected by the First Amendment. In fact, discouraging and punishing such behavior is often vital to ensuring that others are able to peacefully make their voices heard. 

    However, students who engage in misconduct must still receive due process — whether through a campus or criminal tribunal. This requires fair, consistent application of existing law or policy, in a manner that respects students’ rights.

    President Trump needs to stand by his past promise to be a champion for free expression. That means doing so for all views — including those his administration dislikes.

     

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  • FIRE Statement on City of Clarksdale v. Delta Press Publishing Company (Clarksdale Press Register)

    FIRE Statement on City of Clarksdale v. Delta Press Publishing Company (Clarksdale Press Register)

    Below is a statement from FIRE attorney Adam Steinbaugh on the restraining order against the Clarksdale Press Register:

    The city of Clarksdale, Mississippi, thinks it knows better than the Founders. Clarksdale asked a court to order a local newspaper to remove an editorial asking why the city was not being more transparent about a proposed tax increase. As a result of the city’s lawsuit, a court ordered the Clarksdale Press Register to delete the online editorial. 

    That’s unconstitutional. In the United States, the government can’t determine what opinions may be shared in the public square. A free society does not permit governments to sue newspapers for publishing editorials. 

    The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting First Amendment rights, is exploring all options to aid The Press Register in defending these core expressive rights.

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  • FIRE statement on White House denying AP Oval Office access

    FIRE statement on White House denying AP Oval Office access

    Punishing journalists for not adopting state-mandated terminology is an alarming attack on press freedom.

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  • 25 Analytical Thesis Statement Examples (2025)

    25 Analytical Thesis Statement Examples (2025)

    An analytical thesis statement is designed to present interpretation and analysis, not a subjective argument. This makes it different from an argumentative thesis statement.

    To demonstrate how to write an analytical thesis statement, consider these two statements and how they differ:

    • Analytical: The rise of social media addiction is influenced by dopamine-driven feedback loops, algorithmic personalization, and social validation, which collectively shape user behavior and mental health outcomes.
    • Argumentative: Social media platforms should be required to regulate algorithmic engagement features, as they exploit psychological vulnerabilities, contribute to declining mental health, and disproportionately affect young users.

    Notice how the argumentative thesis statement presents a forceful point of view, while the analytical statement presents an interpretation only, stopping short of suggestions or argumentative language.

    In this article, I will present a range of analytical thesis statements in a template format so you can select one and insert your topic’s information. So, all you need to do is select one that looks good for you!

    Analytical Thesis Statement Examples

    Template 1:
    The concept of ____ is impacted by ____, ____, and ____ in ____.

    Example:
    The concept of social mobility is impacted by education, economic policies, and cultural capital in modern societies.

    Template 2:
    By examining ____, ____, and ____, it becomes clear that ____ plays a crucial role in ____.

    Example:
    By examining urban planning, public transportation, and economic development, it becomes clear that infrastructure plays a crucial role in social equity.

    Template 3:
    An analysis of ____ reveals how ____, ____, and ____ contribute to ____.

    Example:
    An analysis of misinformation reveals how cognitive biases, media algorithms, and political polarization contribute to the spread of false narratives.

    Template 4:
    The evolution of ____ in ____ is shaped by ____, ____, and ____.

    Example:
    The evolution of feminist movements in Western society is shaped by legal changes, cultural shifts, and media representation.

    Template 5:
    Through an examination of ____, it becomes evident that ____, ____, and ____ shape ____.

    Example:
    Through an examination of prison reform, it becomes evident that rehabilitation programs, sentencing policies, and racial disparities shape recidivism rates.

    Template 6:
    The portrayal of ____ in ____ demonstrates the impact of ____, ____, and ____.

    Example:
    The portrayal of mental illness in film demonstrates the impact of stigma, public perception, and healthcare accessibility.

    Template 7:
    By deconstructing ____, one can see how ____, ____, and ____ influence ____.

    Example:
    By deconstructing global trade agreements, one can see how economic dependency, labor exploitation, and diplomatic relations influence international markets.

    Template 8:
    Examining ____ through the lens of ____, ____, and ____ reveals its significance in ____.

    Example:
    Examining voting behavior through the lens of social identity, economic status, and media influence reveals its significance in shaping election outcomes.

    Template 9:
    The contrast between ____ and ____ in ____ reveals the deeper meaning behind ____.

    Example:
    The contrast between individualistic and collectivist cultures in decision-making reveals the deeper meaning behind social responsibility and personal autonomy.

    Template 10:
    The recurring pattern of ____ in ____ emphasizes the importance of ____, ____, and ____.

    Example:
    The recurring pattern of financial crises in capitalist economies emphasizes the importance of government regulation, market stability, and corporate accountability.

    Template 11:
    The development of ____ in ____ illustrates how ____, ____, and ____ shape ____.

    Example:
    The development of mass surveillance in modern governments illustrates how technology, security concerns, and privacy debates shape civil liberties.

    Template 12:
    Through the use of ____, ____, and ____, ____ conveys the theme of ____.

    Example:
    Through the use of propaganda, historical narratives, and educational systems, nationalist movements convey the theme of cultural superiority.

    Template 13:
    An analysis of ____ reveals how ____, ____, and ____ contribute to ____.

    Example:
    An analysis of poverty reveals how systemic inequality, labor market trends, and government policy contribute to socioeconomic stratification.

    Template 14:
    The structure of ____ in ____ reinforces the themes of ____, ____, and ____.

    Example:
    The structure of healthcare systems in different countries reinforces the themes of accessibility, cost, and quality of care.

    Template 15:
    The historical context of ____ shapes its representation in ____ through ____, ____, and ____.

    Example:
    The historical context of colonialism shapes its representation in modern political relations through economic dependency, territorial disputes, and cultural influences.

    Template 16:
    The relationship between ____ and ____ is defined by ____, ____, and ____.

    Example:
    The relationship between crime rates and economic instability is defined by unemployment, social services, and law enforcement policies.

    Template 17:
    The depiction of ____ in ____ serves as a reflection of ____, ____, and ____.

    Example:
    The depiction of gender roles in advertising serves as a reflection of societal norms, consumer behavior, and corporate interests.

    Template 18:
    Through an exploration of ____, ____, and ____, ____ exposes the complexity of ____.

    Example:
    Through an exploration of migration patterns, government policies, and economic opportunities, global labor markets expose the complexity of immigration trends.

    Template 19:
    A close examination of ____ reveals how ____, ____, and ____ contribute to ____.

    Example:
    A close examination of environmental degradation reveals how industrialization, policy failures, and consumer behavior contribute to climate change.

    Template 20:
    By analyzing ____, one can better understand the role of ____, ____, and ____ in ____.

    Example:
    By analyzing online activism, one can better understand the role of digital platforms, political engagement, and social movements in shaping public discourse.

    Template 21:
    The conflict between ____ and ____ in ____ demonstrates the tension created by ____, ____, and ____.

    Example:
    The conflict between privacy and national security in modern democracies demonstrates the tension created by surveillance laws, terrorism threats, and civil rights concerns.

    Template 22:
    The portrayal of ____ in ____ illustrates the complexities of ____, ____, and ____.

    Example:
    The portrayal of wealth distribution in capitalist societies illustrates the complexities of income inequality, taxation policies, and social mobility.

    Template 23:
    The transformation of ____ in ____ illustrates the impact of ____, ____, and ____ on ____.

    Example:
    The transformation of education systems in response to digital learning illustrates the impact of technology, accessibility, and curriculum design on student outcomes.

    Template 24:
    The recurring pattern of ____ in ____ emphasizes the importance of ____, ____, and ____.

    Example:
    The recurring pattern of political polarization in democratic elections emphasizes the importance of media bias, ideological division, and voter engagement.

    Template 25:
    The contrast between ____ and ____ in ____ reveals the deeper meaning behind ____.

    Example:
    The contrast between economic protectionism and free trade policies in global markets reveals the deeper meaning behind national interests and economic interdependence.


    Chris

    Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]

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  • Statement: Trump restores crucial due process rights for America’s college students

    Statement: Trump restores crucial due process rights for America’s college students

    The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights announced today it agrees with a federal court ruling that appropriately found the Biden-era Title IX rules to unconstitutionally restrict student First Amendment rights.  

    Those rules, effective in August 2024, infringed on constitutionally protected speech related to sex and gender. They also rolled back crucial due process rights for those accused of sexual misconduct on campus, increasing the likelihood that colleges would arrive at unreliable conclusions during those proceedings. OCR announced it will instead enforce the 2020 rules adopted during the first Trump administration which carefully considered the rights of complainants and respondents alike, while providing robust free speech and due process protections. 

    The following can be attributed to Tyler Coward, FIRE lead counsel for government affairs:

    The return to the 2020 rules ensures that all students — whether they are the accused or the accuser — will receive fair treatment and important procedural safeguards. That includes the right of both parties to have lawyers present during hearings, the right for both attorneys to cross-examine the other party and witnesses, and the right to receive all of the evidence in the institution’s possession. Colleges are also required to adopt a speech-protective definition of sexual harassment that enables schools to punish genuine harassment instead of merely unpopular speech. 

    Restoring the Trump administration’s rules means that students can once again feel secure that their rights to due process and free speech will be respected while ensuring administrators have the tools they need to punish those who engage in sexual misconduct and harassment.

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  • FIRE statement on reports of forthcoming executive order on student visas and campus protests

    FIRE statement on reports of forthcoming executive order on student visas and campus protests

    President Donald Trump is expected to sign an executive order today threatening action against international students in the United States for their involvement in campus protests related to Israel and Hamas. 

    Per reports, President Trump promises to “quickly cancel the student visas of all Hamas sympathizers on college campuses, which have been infested with radicalism like never before,” and to deport students who joined “pro-jihadist protests.” 

    The revocation of student visas should not be used to punish and filter out ideas disfavored by the federal government. The strength of our nation’s system of higher education derives from the exchange of the widest range of views, even unpopular or dissenting ones.

    Students who commit crimes — including vandalism, threats, or violence — must face consequences, and those consequences may include the loss of a visa. But if today’s executive order reaches beyond illegal activity to instead punish students for protest or expression otherwise protected by the First Amendment, it must be withdrawn.

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  • FIRE statement on Supreme Court’s ruling in TikTok v. Garland

    FIRE statement on Supreme Court’s ruling in TikTok v. Garland

    The Supreme Court today ruled that a federal law compelling TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, to sell the social media platform or cease operations in the United States does not violate the First Amendment. The law functionally requires TikTok to shut down its operations by Jan. 19 absent some other accommodation.

    FIRE issued the following statement:

    Our unique national commitment to freedom of expression requires more caution than today’s ruling delivers. The unprecedented ban of a communication platform used by 170 million Americans demands strict judicial scrutiny, not the rushed and highly deferential review the Supreme Court instead conducted. 

    The Court explicitly notes the “inherent narrowness” of today’s decision. FIRE will hold it to that promise, and fight to contain the threat the ruling poses to our First Amendment rights. 

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