Featured Stories
Space Foundation and Charles County Public Schools Partner for Weeklong STEM Experience
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado, Nov. 7 -- Space Foundation issued the following news release:
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Space Foundation and Charles County Public Schools Partner for Weeklong STEM Experience
By Space Foundation Editorial Team
WALDORF, Maryland -- Nov. 5, 2026 -- Space Foundation and Charles County Public Schools are bringing Space in the Community (SITC) back to Waldorf, Maryland, Nov. 16-20, 2026, for a week of space exploration and STEM learning.
Space Foundation's SITC program builds lasting community partnerships that help PreK-12 students become lifelong STEM learners. Through hands-on activities,
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado, Nov. 7 -- Space Foundation issued the following news release:
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Space Foundation and Charles County Public Schools Partner for Weeklong STEM Experience
By Space Foundation Editorial Team
WALDORF, Maryland -- Nov. 5, 2026 -- Space Foundation and Charles County Public Schools are bringing Space in the Community (SITC) back to Waldorf, Maryland, Nov. 16-20, 2026, for a week of space exploration and STEM learning.
Space Foundation's SITC program builds lasting community partnerships that help PreK-12 students become lifelong STEM learners. Through hands-on activities,teacher professional development, and community events, the program connects students and educators with space exploration while supporting local workforce development. Across multiple states, SITC has reached thousands of students, helping prepare the next generation for careers in the space industry.
"Through our partnership with Charles County Public Schools, we have the opportunity to bring the excitement of space exploration directly to students and help them discover how what they are learning in the classroom connects to the world around them and beyond Earth," said Heidi Vasiloff, senior director of Space Foundation Discovery Center. "Our hope is to spark curiosity, inspire students to ask questions and explore new possibilities, and help them see that there is a place for everyone in the future of space exploration. We want every student to recognize that the opportunities ahead of them are limitless."
Throughout the week, Space Foundation educators and former NASA astronaut Mark Polansky will visit middle schools across the district. A veteran of three spaceflights, Polansky served as pilot of STS-98 and commander of STS-116 and STS-127, logging more than 993 hours in space. Before joining NASA in 1992, he served as a U.S. Air Force pilot and test pilot, accumulating more than 5,000 flight hours in more than 30 types of aircraft. During his NASA career, he also trained astronaut crews, supported Space Shuttle launches and landings, and held several leadership roles. Through stories from his career, Polansky will give students insight into the skills needed for space exploration.
Students will also participate in a hands-on, Artemis-themed STEM activity that encourages teamwork, strategic thinking, and problem-solving. Working collaboratively, students will prioritize and pack essential supplies for a lunar mission. They will also explore coding and robotics through interactive activities with Sphero indi robots, developing foundational programming and computational thinking skills. These experiences will connect classroom learning to real-world space exploration.
As part of the program, students will also learn about Space Foundation's National Space Sustainability Competition, which challenges students in grades 6-8 to develop innovative solutions for sustainable living in orbit through sustainable energy. Working in teams, students apply creativity, critical thinking, and STEM concepts to explore the challenges of living and working in space while considering how their ideas could support future space exploration.
"Charles County Public Schools values the longstanding partnership with Space Foundation. We are coming up on 20 years of a successful partnership, which has resulted in professional development opportunities and sessions for hundreds of our teachers in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and math, known as STEM. Our teachers apply what they learn in these sessions to enhance learning for students," said Maria V. Navarro, Ed.D., superintendent of Charles County Public Schools. "I am excited that through our partnership, Space Foundation is once again bringing the Space in the Community outreach program to Charles County so we can expand STEM education further into the community. This year's theme is sustainable energy, and I am excited that students will learn how humans can live and work sustainably beyond Earth."
In addition to school visits, Space Foundation will host a high school peer mentoring event 8:15-11 a.m. Friday, Nov. 20, at the James E. Richmond Science Center in Waldorf. Students will connect with industry professionals to explore career pathways in the space sector.
The week will conclude with a Community Night that evening from 6 to 8 p.m. at the James E. Richmond Science Center. The event will feature hands-on STEM activities, demonstrations, and a presentation by astronaut Polansky, followed by an opportunity to meet him. Media interested in covering the school visits, peer mentoring event, or Community Night can RSVP to Shelley Mackey with Charles County Public Schools at smackey@ccboe.com.
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About Space Foundation
Space Foundation, a nonpartisan nonprofit, brings together every corner of the global space ecosystem. Through year-round programs and events, including its flagship Space Symposium, Space Foundation convenes leaders from government, industry, finance, and education to exchange ideas, build partnerships, and advance the future of space. As a trusted, neutral expert, Space Foundation turns connections into impact. It reinvests proceeds from its events into STEM education, workforce development, and its Discovery Center. Together, these programs help build the talent and leadership that will power the space economy for generations to come.
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About Charles County Public Schools
Charles County Public Schools provides 27,904 students in grades prekindergarten through 12 with an academically challenging education. Located in Southern Maryland, Charles County Public Schools has 39 schools that offer a technologically advanced, progressive and high-quality education that builds character, equips for leadership and prepares students for life, careers and higher education.
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Original text here: https://www.spacefoundation.org/2026/11/05/space-foundation-and-charles-county-public-schools-partner-for-weeklong-stem-experience/
Jed Foundation: K-12 Navigator Reimagines Access to Student Mental Health Support in Schools
BOSTON, Massachusetts, Nov. 7 -- The Jed Foundation issued the following news release:
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Nov 05, 2026
K-12 Navigator Reimagines Access to Student Mental Health Support in Schools
Guide streamlines the entire process of adopting digital mental health tools for districts
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NEW YORK, NY - Headstream, a SecondMuse initiative aimed at enhancing the mental well-being of adolescents in marginalized communities, today announced the latest version of its K-12 Mental Health Tech Navigator, a free, one-stop resource designed to help school administrators, district leaders, and state agencies navigate
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BOSTON, Massachusetts, Nov. 7 -- The Jed Foundation issued the following news release:
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Nov 05, 2026
K-12 Navigator Reimagines Access to Student Mental Health Support in Schools
Guide streamlines the entire process of adopting digital mental health tools for districts
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NEW YORK, NY - Headstream, a SecondMuse initiative aimed at enhancing the mental well-being of adolescents in marginalized communities, today announced the latest version of its K-12 Mental Health Tech Navigator, a free, one-stop resource designed to help school administrators, district leaders, and state agencies navigatethe process of identifying and implementing digital tools that improve access to mental health support for students.
Fifty-eight percent of schools across the U.S. reported that the number of students seeking school-based mental health services increased year-over-year, and over that same time period, there was a 61% increase in concerns expressed by staff about students exhibiting depression, anxiety, trauma, or emotional dysregulation. Additionally, in a recent study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 29% of students reporting persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness also reported an unmet need for counseling or therapy.
Among the new offerings is AI-Enabled Mental Health Technologies in K-12 Schools, a practical guide developed by The Jed Foundation in collaboration with Headstream to help schools evaluate AI-enabled mental health tools and consider safety, privacy, student well-being, community input, and implementation. Technology is shifting rapidly, and school settings require a different vetting process than traditional office environments. This guide was developed with students' needs and the realities of staff and district leaders in mind.
"Schools are facing unprecedented funding challenges, and our goal is to help relieve that financial strain and help as many districts as possible to augment their in-person staff with digital products that meaningfully expand access to quality care," said David Ball, Head of Well-Being at SecondMuse. "We know that exploring and rolling out new digital health products to students requires care and expertise. The Navigator gives education leaders confidence that they are integrating tools that put the best interests of their students and staff first."
The Navigator was created by Headstream in partnership with The Jed Foundation, Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute, and the National Center for School Mental Health. The Navigator guides leaders through the entire process of adopting digital mental health tools. Its resources cover five key areas: assessing student needs, driving community engagement, easing product assessment, exploring funding sources, and advising on thoughtful implementation. The guide is intentionally comprehensive, knowing the need to reach more students is urgent. Each stage of the process is designed to build on the one before, creating a strong and growing foundation for success.
"AI is adding another layer of complexity to decisions about digital mental health technologies. School and district leaders need to consider not only whether these tools are effective, but whether they support their students, what safeguards are necessary, and how they fit within a broader system of mental health support," said Jennifer Reed, Senior Director of School and District Programs for The Jed Foundation. "This guide can help leaders navigate those decisions and make choices that reflect the needs of their students and their families, staff, and school communities."
District and school leaders can begin engaging with the Navigator by taking the needs assessment, watching the What to Expect from the K-12 Mental Health Tech Navigator video, or exploring our webinars on the Navigator resources webpage.
Since its inception, Headstream has supported 95 edtech, well-being, and social tech startups, reached over 49M users through startups that participated in the Accelerator and Residency programs, and engaged 140 youth co-creators in its programming. If you are interested in partnering or collaborating with the Headstream community to scale these innovations, please contact us at hello@headstreaminnovation.com.
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About Headstream
Headstream, an innovation program by SecondMuse, exists to improve the mental well-being of adolescents, with a focus on systemically excluded communities including BIPOC, Latino, and LGBTQIA+ individuals. Headstream reshapes how the health, education, and social tech systems prioritize youth mental health. Learn more about our programs at: https://www.headstreaminnovation.com/
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About SecondMuse
SecondMuse is a leading innovation company dedicated to creating economic value through market-driven solutions that advance climate and well-being. We work with clients to fuel sustainable growth while delivering measurable benefits for businesses, communities, and the planet. For over 15 years, we have designed, developed, and implemented programs that support entrepreneurs and financial solutions that open new markets, expand access to capital, and drive economic transformation. Our work spans 190+ countries and territories. Learn more at https://www.secondmuse.com/
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About The Jed Foundation
JED is committed to protecting emotional health and preventing suicide for our nation's teens and young adults. JED partners with high schools, colleges, school districts, and youth-serving community-based organizations to strengthen their mental health, substance misuse, and suicide prevention programs and systems. JED equips teens and young adults with the skills and knowledge to help themselves and each other, and encourages community awareness, understanding, and action for young adult mental health.
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Original text here: https://jedfoundation.org/k-12-tech-navigator-reimagines-access-to-student-mental-health-support-in-schools/
Foundation for Economic Education Issues Commentary: Another Train Crash in Spain Raises Questions About Country's Infrastructure
DETROIT, Michigan, Nov. 7 -- The Foundation for Economic Education issued the following commentary:
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Friday, November 6, 2026
Off the Rails
Mark Nayler
Another train crash in Spain raises questions about the country's infrastructure.
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On October 28, 69 people were killed in a train crash in the Toledo province of central Spain. The collision occurred on the high-speed line connecting Madrid with the southwestern city of Seville, just one month before a general election on November 29. It is the second disaster on the Madrid-Seville corridor this year, after a crash near Cordoba in
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DETROIT, Michigan, Nov. 7 -- The Foundation for Economic Education issued the following commentary:
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Friday, November 6, 2026
Off the Rails
Mark Nayler
Another train crash in Spain raises questions about the country's infrastructure.
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On October 28, 69 people were killed in a train crash in the Toledo province of central Spain. The collision occurred on the high-speed line connecting Madrid with the southwestern city of Seville, just one month before a general election on November 29. It is the second disaster on the Madrid-Seville corridor this year, after a crash near Cordoba inthe south in January killed 46 people. Due to its timing, the Toledo collision is likely to be even more politically contentious than the last, further diminishing Socialist prime minister Pedro Sanchez's chances of reelection. Both tragedies suggest that a once cutting-edge rail network is now showing its age--and that successive Spanish governments have failed to invest in its maintenance.
Both the Socialists and conservative Popular Party (PP) halted their campaign activities on the day of the collision, which occurred just before 9 AM near the village of Urda, about 90 miles south of Madrid. Hostilities between Sanchez and PP leader Alberto Nunez Feijoo were suspended, while both leaders visited the crash site and expressed solidarity with the victims' families. Sanchez announced that his government was working to ensure that such a catastrophe "never happens again"--a promise he also made after the crash near Adamuz in January (alongside an admission that Spain's railway safety protocols were "not infallible"). Both he and Feijoo are locked in a battle for first place on November 29, with most polls putting the PP a few points ahead of the Socialists.
Only Vox, a party to the right of the PP that's currently placed third in the polls, refused to halt campaigning. Just a few hours after the collision, its leader Santiago Abascal gave a wild speech in the northern city of Santander, expressing his "absolute rage" at a government that he described as a "criminal organization" (a reference to the corruption scandals surrounding Sanchez's inner circle, one of which centers on the now-jailed former Transport Minister). Abascal assured his listeners that Sanchez would "use the pain and mourning" to "silence the people's protests." If that was the prime minister's plan, it didn't work: demonstrators clashed with police outside the Ministry of Transport on the night of October 28, demanding that both Sanchez and Transport Minister Oscar Puente resign.
Unlike the January crash, which was attributed to a faulty section of track, last month's disaster seems to have been caused by a combination of technological failure and human misjudgment. A glitch in the computer system halted several trains along a 60-kilometer (37-mile) stretch of track, after which Spain's state railway administrator Adif took manual control. As heard on audio files leaked to Spanish media, a Madrid-based controller then instructed the driver of a train from public operator Renfe to proceed southbound "at normal speed," despite a red light. These recordings also reveal that the driver of a privately-operated Iryo service, also headed for Seville, told the same controller several minutes before the crash that she was stalled and couldn't restart her train. But no one told the Renfe driver to brake, and 25 kilometers (15 miles) down the line, his train slammed into the Iryo's stationary rear carriages at an estimated speed of between 160 and 200 kilometers (94 and 124 miles) per hour.
Puente, desperate to deflect blame from the government, called the controller's decision to green-light the Renfe train "inexplicable." This outraged CSIF, one of Spain's main public sector unions: "We demand that the government respect the investigation and presumption of innocence for the head of traffic at Adif," it said in a post on X. CSIF joined the calls for Puente's resignation, claiming that it was unfair to blame one person before the complex nexus of causal factors has been examined.
The Adif controller's decision does need to be explained--but the underlying problems here, as in January, are with the state of Spain's high-speed railways, especially the 35-year-old Madrid-Seville line (the first to be opened in 1992). SEMAF, Spain's main train drivers' union, has repeatedly raised concerns about the deterioration of the country's high-speed infrastructure, describing "severe wear and tear" in a letter to Adif last August--but to no avail. The union went ahead with a strike last Thursday, which was planned before the previous day's crash, and has called for two more on November 10 and 12.
Adding to the October 28 tragedy (and making things even worse for Sanchez) is that the driver of the Renfe train killed on impact was himself a left-wing activist, who had criticized the government's level of investment in railway infrastructure.
A member of Izquierda Espanola ("Spanish Left"), Antonio Acedo, 36, helped launch the party's transport platform. According to party leader Guillermo del Valle, Acedo echoed SEMAF's concerns by highlighting "overcrowding of passengers following a failed liberalization, the glaring lack of funding for maintenance, and years of neglect that have resulted in a disastrous deterioration of railway infrastructure." Lawyer Paula Fraga, an associate of Acedo's in Izquierda Espanola, told El Mundo that he was "very worried" after January's crash, "saying that if things didn't change, we were doomed to repeat the same mistakes. And look, it's happened to him. It's unbelievable."
Sanchez has one fact to cling onto--namely, that his government has invested much more in railways than its conservative PP predecessor. But of the Euros1.5 billion annual average spent on high-speed tracks under Sanchez, most is channeled into new projects. Between 2018 (the year he took power) and 2022, only about 16% went to maintenance, compared to between 34% and 39% in France, Germany, and Italy. As one EU rail expert recently told Politico: "Maintenance is vital--but also politically invisible." The Madrid-Seville line has recently received a Euros700 million renovation, but not along its entire length, as Puente himself admitted after the Adamuz crash.
The Toledo tragedy has also refocused attention on railway signaling and safety systems, part of a wider issue across the EU. Neither of the trains involved were using the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS), a more sophisticated replacement of the German-made LZB system that apparently failed on the morning of October 28 (although it has yet to be ascertained whether the new system could have prevented the collision). The Madrid-Seville line is currently being upgraded to ERTMS, but progress is far behind schedule, as it is across the EU as a whole. By the end of 2024, ERTMS signaling technology was active on only about 10% of Europe's rail network.
In the run-up to the Spanish election, though, voters are likely to remain fixed on the domestic situation. Sanchez has been in power for almost a decade--plenty of time, one might have thought, to improve a railway network fast approaching its 40th birthday. Yet he is merely the most recent Spanish prime minister to have prioritized, along with the EU, building new lines over the maintenance of existing ones. Hopefully, Spain's next government won't make the same mistake.
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Mark Nayler
Mark Nayler is a freelance journalist and critic based in Malaga, Spain. He writes regularly for The Spectator and Times Literary Supplement and is working on a biography of the philosopher Bryan Magee, due to be published by Bloomsbury (London) in 2028.
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Original text here: https://fee.org/articles/off-the-rails/
Seven Ramona Nonprofits Receive $35,000 for Health, Arts and Community Programs
SAN DIEGO, California, Nov. 6 -- The San Diego Foundation posted the following news release:
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Seven Ramona Nonprofits Receive $35,000 for Health, Arts and Community Programs
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November 6, 2026 - Ramona, CA - Older adults in Ramona can access affordable meals delivered to their homes, young people can explore their creativity through visual arts programs, and children in foster care can receive dedicated advocacy thanks to $35,000 in grants awarded to seven nonprofit organizations by Ramona Community Foundation (RCF), a regional affiliate of San Diego Foundation (SDF).
The grants also
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SAN DIEGO, California, Nov. 6 -- The San Diego Foundation posted the following news release:
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Seven Ramona Nonprofits Receive $35,000 for Health, Arts and Community Programs
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November 6, 2026 - Ramona, CA - Older adults in Ramona can access affordable meals delivered to their homes, young people can explore their creativity through visual arts programs, and children in foster care can receive dedicated advocacy thanks to $35,000 in grants awarded to seven nonprofit organizations by Ramona Community Foundation (RCF), a regional affiliate of San Diego Foundation (SDF).
The grants alsosupport access to medical and dental care, free clothing and other essential items, and animal-assisted therapy for children and adults. Recipients were recognized Nov. 5 during RCF's annual grants celebration at Ramona Town Hall.
Photos from the event are available here.
The seven organizations receiving grants are:
* Archie's Pantry, $5,000: To support a free community thrift store where neighbors can find what they need and pay what they can.
* The Art Center of Ramona: Second Saturday, $7,500: To offer free community art classes and creative workshops through the Art Center of Ramona.
* ArtReach San Diego, $3,700: To engage young people in visual arts activities that encourage creative expression and community connection.
* Hearts and Hooves Therapy Inc., $4,000: To provide animal-assisted therapy for children and adults through on-site and off-site visits with miniature horses and other farm animals.
* Ramona Senior Center, $5,800: To provide low-cost meals served at the center or delivered to residents' homes, along with organized activities for older adults.
* TrueCare, $4,000: To support access to healthcare services, including primary care, pediatric care and dental care, for Ramona residents.
* Voices for Children, $5,000: To advocate for Ramona children in foster care, working to ensure their needs are represented.
"Ramona Community Foundation was built on the belief that local people know their community best," said Paul Zawilenski, a founding member of Ramona Community Foundation. "What means the most is seeing that vision continue year after year, with neighbors coming together to invest in the community we love and the organizations that make Ramona such a special place to call home."
Since beginning its grantmaking, RCF has awarded more than $590,000 to 53 nonprofit programs. To learn more or become an RCF member, visit the Ramona Community Foundation website.
RCF is part of the SDF Regional Affiliates program, which brings together local leaders and donors to build community endowments, support nonprofit organizations and strengthen philanthropy throughout San Diego County.
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Original text here: https://www.sdfoundation.org/news-events/sdf-news/seven-ramona-nonprofits-receive-35000-for-health-arts-and-community-programs/
Menhaden Fishery Falls Far Short of Chesapeake Bay Catch Limit
ANNAPOLIS, Maryland, Nov. 6 -- The Chesapeake Bay Foundation posted the following news release:
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Menhaden Fishery Falls Far Short of Chesapeake Bay Catch Limit
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Data raise questions about menhaden population ahead of key commission decision
As the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) weighs new limits for the industrial menhaden harvest in the Chesapeake Bay, the reduction fishery industry's haul for the 2025 season came in well below limits set for both the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Coast, according to data released this week. This warning sign stokes further concerns
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ANNAPOLIS, Maryland, Nov. 6 -- The Chesapeake Bay Foundation posted the following news release:
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Menhaden Fishery Falls Far Short of Chesapeake Bay Catch Limit
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Data raise questions about menhaden population ahead of key commission decision
As the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) weighs new limits for the industrial menhaden harvest in the Chesapeake Bay, the reduction fishery industry's haul for the 2025 season came in well below limits set for both the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Coast, according to data released this week. This warning sign stokes further concernsabout menhaden availability up and down the coast.
The data from the ASMFC shows the reduction fishery industry caught fewer than 35,000 metric tons (mt) of menhaden in 2025 inside the Chesapeake Bay--well below the current Bay cap of 51,000 mt. And the total menhaden reduction harvest in 2025 was estimated at fewer than 95,000 mt--or about 60 percent of the industry's allowed quota.
These results mean that the most technologically advanced fishing fleet on the East Coast couldn't find enough menhaden to catch its limit. In addition to starving osprey chicks and plummeting bait catches by fishermen, it's yet another red flag for a declining menhaden population--and evidence that commissioners must take action now.
When looking at the entire Atlantic Coast, the 2025 commercial menhaden harvest was fewer than 147,000 mt, or 63 percent of the coastwide quota. Therefore, the ASMFC's decision last year to lower the coastwide quota 20 percent, to 186,400 mt in 2026, likely had no impact on protecting more menhaden.
The ASMFC is scheduled to vote on new limits on the menhaden harvest in the Bay and the entire Atlantic Coast at the commission's annual meeting next week.
Public comments submitted on the proposal, known as Draft Addendum II, were overwhelmingly in favor of options that strengthen menhaden protections in the Bay and respond to intensifying warning signs and science-based ecological concerns, according to a public comment summary released by the ASMFC.
The Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) supports the strongest options on the table, which include cutting the Chesapeake Bay Reduction Fishery Cap in half, linking the Cap to the coastwide catch limit, and creating three quota periods to better spread the harvest out throughout the season.
Menhaden are a key fish in marine food chains, feeding osprey, striped bass, and other wildlife. The menhaden reduction fishery is an industrial operation concentrated in the Virginia waters in and around the Chesapeake Bay, where industrial fishing vessels catch more than 100 million pounds of the fish each year with limited scientific understanding of the potential ecological and economic impacts.
Chesapeake Bay Foundation Forage Campaign Manager Will Poston issued the following statement:
"When the Chesapeake Bay's most advanced industrial fishing fleet can't catch its limit, it's clear menhaden are in trouble.
"Industry scare tactics claiming new catch limits will lead to layoffs ring hollow when they're only catching 60 percent of their quota.
"Meanwhile, alarm bells in the Bay are getting louder. Osprey chicks are starving at unprecedented rates and bait fishermen and Bay watermen are struggling to find menhaden. It's time for the ASMFC to cut the menhaden harvest cap inside the Bay."
American Bird Conservancy Vice President of Advocacy and Threats Brian Brooks issued the following statement:
"Alarm bells in the Bay are ringing. The commercial fishery can't find menhaden. Osprey chicks are starving because their parents can't find menhaden. Bait fishermen and Bay watermen are struggling to find menhaden. It's time for the ASMFC to cut the menhaden harvest cap inside the Bay in half."
The Nature Conservancy Mid-Atlantic Seascape Director Kate Wilke issued the following statement:
"As a Fisheries Scientist, I have serious concerns that the size of the menhaden population has been overestimated and that fishing rates are too high. The recent news that only 63% of last year's catch limits were harvested is another warning sign. Fishermen are good at catching fish--if they're not finding them, managers should pay attention and reduce the catch limits."
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Original text here: https://www.cbf.org/news/menhaden-fishery-falls-far-short-of-chesapeake-bay-catch-limit/
Fla. School District Ends School-Sponsored Religion After FFRF Intervention
MADISON, Wisconsin, Nov. 6 -- The Freedom From Religion Foundation issued the following news release:
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November 5, 2026
Fla. school district ends school-sponsored religion after FFRF intervention
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is applauding the Gadsden County School District for ending school-sponsored religion after the state/church watchdog raised multiple constitutional concerns.
FFRF contacted the district after learning of several instances of school-sponsored prayer at Gadsden County High School's 2026 graduation.
At the May 22 graduation ceremony, Assistant Principal Jonathan
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MADISON, Wisconsin, Nov. 6 -- The Freedom From Religion Foundation issued the following news release:
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November 5, 2026
Fla. school district ends school-sponsored religion after FFRF intervention
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is applauding the Gadsden County School District for ending school-sponsored religion after the state/church watchdog raised multiple constitutional concerns.
FFRF contacted the district after learning of several instances of school-sponsored prayer at Gadsden County High School's 2026 graduation.
At the May 22 graduation ceremony, Assistant Principal JonathanWilson led the assembled students, families and staff in an explicitly Christian prayer. Wilson asked the audience to bow their heads before reciting a scripted prayer addressed to "most gracious Heavenly Father." The invocation was also included in the school's printed graduation program.
Two days earlier, Gadsden County High School's Class Night and Awards ceremony similarly included a prayer. A staff member introduced a student, who then asked the audience to bow their heads and delivered a prepared prayer addressed to "Dear Heavenly Father." The circumstances suggested that school officials had approved and arranged the prayer in advance.
FFRF also brought up a May 17 baccalaureate service held in the Gadsden County High School gymnasium. Principal Pamela Jones attended, students wore their graduation caps and gowns, and the school had advertised baccalaureate services on its official social media in prior years. FFRF pointed out that public schools may make facilities available to private religious groups on the same terms as other private organizations, but schools themselves may not organize or sponsor religious baccalaureate services.
"Gadsden County High School's inclusion of school-sponsored prayer at graduation and the awards night directly violates students' First Amendment rights," FFRF Staff Attorney Sammi Lawrence wrote to the district. "The school cannot avoid a constitutional violation by assigning students to give prayers and it certainly cannot have an administrator lead students, families and staff in prayer."
Thankfully, the district responded positively by providing extensive assurances that it will not repeat the violations, promising to review future ceremony planning for constitutional compliance.
Superintendent Elijah Key informed FFRF that school-sponsored graduations, awards ceremonies and other official events "shall not include school-sponsored prayer, invocation, benediction or other religious exercises." He additionally pledged that district employees will not arrange for students, employees, clergy or others to deliver prayers during official events. Regarding baccalaureate services, Key assured FFRF that any privately sponsored religious activity will not be "presented, promoted, organized, sponsored, or conducted as an official activity" of the district or Gadsden County High School.
Key emphasized that the corrective measures will not interfere with genuinely private religious expression.
"The district's objective is not to restrict the private religious expression of students, employees, parents, or community members," he wrote. "Rather, the district must ensure that it does not use its authority or resources to sponsor or facilitate religious exercises as part of official school activities."
FFRF welcomes Gadsden County's comprehensive response and its commitment to reinforcing these constitutional requirements with administrators throughout the district.
"This is the result we want to see," says FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor. "Thirteen years of secular schooling should not culminate in a school-sponsored religious celebration. That's up to individual students and families. Graduation should celebrate individual students and their achievements, not somebody else's personal religious beliefs."
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The Freedom From Religion Foundation is a U.S.-based nonprofit dedicated to defending the constitutional principle of separation between state and church and educating the public on matters relating to nontheism. With 40,000 members and several chapters across the country, including close to 2,000 members and a chapter in Florida, FFRF is the largest association of freethinkers (atheists, agnostics and humanists) in North America. For more information, visit ffrf.org.
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Original text here: https://ffrf.org/news/releases/fla-school-district-ends-school-sponsored-religion-after-ffrf-intervention/
[Category: Religion]
Australia and The Asia Foundation Advance Cambodia's Knowledge Future
SAN FRANCISCO, California, Nov. 6 -- The Asia Foundation issued the following news:
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Australia and The Asia Foundation Advance Cambodia's Knowledge Future
Nov 4, 2026
Today, Australia and The Asia Foundation convened the National Policy Forum 2026 in Phnom Penh, bringing together more than 100 participants from government, research institutions, universities, civil society, the private sector, development partners and communities to discuss how Cambodia can sustain a strong and connected knowledge ecosystem toward 2030.
Under the theme "Cambodia's Knowledge Future: Sustaining Evidence,
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SAN FRANCISCO, California, Nov. 6 -- The Asia Foundation issued the following news:
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Australia and The Asia Foundation Advance Cambodia's Knowledge Future
Nov 4, 2026
Today, Australia and The Asia Foundation convened the National Policy Forum 2026 in Phnom Penh, bringing together more than 100 participants from government, research institutions, universities, civil society, the private sector, development partners and communities to discuss how Cambodia can sustain a strong and connected knowledge ecosystem toward 2030.
Under the theme "Cambodia's Knowledge Future: Sustaining Evidence,Talent and the Knowledge-Policy Partnership Toward 2030," the Forum focused on how Cambodia can continue to strengthen evidence-informed policymaking as the donor funding landscape shifts.
Delivering the keynote address, H.E. Dr. HANG Chuon Naron, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Youth and Sport, said, Cambodia's knowledge sector will be critical to the country's next stage of development, and its future will depend on investing in people, research skills and institutional capabilities.
Australian Ambassador to the Kingdom of Cambodia H.E. Derek Yip said, "Australia's investment in Cambodia's knowledge sector has been an investment in people, institutions and partnerships that will continue strengthening evidence-informed policymaking into the future beyond any single program."
The Asia Foundation's Country Representative, Ms Meloney C. Lindberg, said, "Cambodia's knowledge sector has come a long way, and this Forum shows what is possible when government, researchers and communities work from the same evidence."
The Forum featured plenary discussions on connecting evidence demand with evidence use and financing Cambodia's knowledge future, followed by Knowledge Sector Labs where participants explored practical ways forward. Discussions identified priorities for a Cambodia Knowledge Sector Agenda toward 2030 and options for a mechanism to sustain collaboration between the knowledge sector and government.
The National Policy Forum is an initiative of Ponlok Chomnes II: Data and Dialogue for Development in Cambodia, funded by the Australian Government and implemented by The Asia Foundation. The program strengthens Cambodia's knowledge sector by connecting policymakers, researchers and communities. With the program set to conclude in mid-2027 and Cambodia preparing for Least Developed Country graduation, this year's Forum was a valuable opportunity to discuss how the successes and functions of the program can be institutionalised by partners and how a strong knowledge sector will be critical to inform policymakers' decisions on the country's long-term development.
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Original text here: https://asiafoundation.org/australia-and-the-asia-foundation-advance-cambodias-knowledge-future/
