The funding crisis stems largely from the end of the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funds, which pumped billions of federal dollars into school districts during the Covid pandemic. As of September 2024, those funds have dried up.

When "keeping bad things out" becomes the overarching goal, we often miss a critical point: real safety is not just about avoiding something negative; it is about building something positive.

The Justice Department is suing Maine, alleging the state violated Title IX by allowing transgender girls to compete in girls' sports, which it says discriminates against female athletes. The lawsuit follows a Trump administration executive order and escalating tensions with Gov. Janet Mills, who vowed to fight the mandate in court.