The Department of Education’s move to reclassify nursing graduate programs as academic rather than professional degrees is raising concerns about access and equity. Perinatal nurse Keira Wise said the change could deter students from marginalized communities, while public defense attorney Lauren Corbin warned it may deepen financial barriers that already limit Black students pursuing advanced professional training.
Category: U.S. Government
Posted inNational News
Statue of Barbara Rose Johns, Virginia civil rights activist, replaces Robert E. Lee statue in the U.S. Capitol
Virginia officially replaced its statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee in the U.S. Capitol with a statue honoring Barbara Rose Johns, the teenage civil rights activist whose 1951 student-led protest against segregated schools helped spark the legal fight that culminated in Brown v. Board of Education. The dedication marked a historic moment, recognizing Johns as one of only four Black women represented by statues in the Capitol and symbolizing a broader shift away from honoring Confederate figures toward celebrating champions of justice and equality.
Posted inPOLITICS
Nearly 100 former lawmakers call on House to ban stock trading by members of Congress
Ninety ex-lawmakers have come together to form a bipartisan group aimed at passing the Restore Trust in Congress Act to curb conflicts of interest. In a letter, the former legislators argue that Congress must prioritize integrity amid repeated STOCK Act violations.
Posted inNational News
November jobs report shows rising unemployment and worsening outlook for Black workers
BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — The rise in unemployment has been uneven, with Black workers experiencing some of the most severe impacts. Black men ages 20 and older saw their unemployment rate jump from 6.6 percent in September to 7.5 percent in November. Black women ages 20 and older recorded an unemployment rate of 7.1 percent in November, slightly lower than September’s 7.5 percent but still higher than any other racial or ethnic group.
Posted inNational News
Anxiety grows in Trinidad and Tobago as U.S.-Venezuela conflict escalates
As U.S.-Venezuela tensions escalate, Trinidad and Tobago has been drawn into the conflict, with citizens worried that their country’s alignment with Washington could put them in harm’s way. Two Trinidadians were reportedly killed in one of the U.S. strikes, and locals fear the fallout could affect the nation socially, economically and politically.
Posted inHealth
Higher cost, worse coverage: Affordable Care Act enrollees say expiring subsidies will hit them hard
As COVID-era Affordable Care Act subsidies are set to expire, enrollees across the country say they are bracing for sharply higher premiums, higher deductibles and tougher choices. With Congress failing to extend the tax credits, some families plan to downgrade coverage or drop insurance entirely, warning the loss will strain household budgets and heighten financial and health risks.
Posted inINTERNATIONAL
Trinidad and Tobago will open Caribbean nation’s airports to US military as Venezuela tensions grow
By Anselm GibbsThe Associated Press PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad (AP) — The government of Trinidad and Tobago said Dec. 15 that it would allow the U.S. military to access its airports in coming weeks as tensions build between the United States and Venezuela. The announcement comes after the U.S. military recently installed a radar system at the […]
Posted inEducation
Education Dept. scrambles as civil rights backlog explodes
The U.S. Department of Education is urgently recalling hundreds of Office for Civil Rights employees—fired during a March reduction-in-force—to return on Dec. 15 as unresolved civil rights complaints soar past 25,000. The sudden move follows months of staffing turmoil, ongoing litigation, and a near-collapse of OCR’s capacity, leaving students and families facing long delays in discrimination investigations.
Posted inPOLITICS
Justice Department again fails to re-indict New York Attorney General Letitia James, AP source says
A second grand jury in a week has declined to re-indict New York Attorney General Letitia James, dealing another major setback to the Justice Department’s efforts to revive a case championed by the 47th president. The repeated rejections underscore growing public skepticism toward the administration’s push to prosecute political opponents after a judge previously dismissed the charges over an illegal appointment of the prosecuting U.S. attorney.
Posted inNational News
Federal judge issues order to prohibit immigration officials from detaining Kilmar Abrego Garcia
By Michael KunzelmanThe Associated Press BALTIMORE (AP) — A federal judge blocked U.S. immigration authorities on Dec. 12 from re-detaining Kilmar Abrego Garcia, saying she feared they might take him into custody again just hours after she had ordered his release from a detention center. The order came as Abrego Garcia appeared at a scheduled […]
Posted inNational News
Dr. Rod Paige, the first African American to serve as secretary of education, dies at 92
The AFRO sends condolences to the family and all those who knew and loved Dr. Rod Paige, the first Black leader to serve as the secretary of education. Paige died at 92 years old on Dec. 9.
Posted inNational News
Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett is running for the US Senate in Texas. Allred to seek House seat
Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett has launched a bid for the U.S. Senate in Texas, entering a high-profile primary as Democrats look for long-shot gains in 2026 while former Rep. Colin Allred shifts his plans to seek a return to the U.S. House. Crockett, known for her outspoken style, faces state Rep. James Talarico in a race that comes as Republicans battle in a contentious primary to defend Sen. John Cornyn’s seat.
