Opinions
Stressed out, burned out and dropping out: Why U.S. teachers are leaving the classroom
Many school districts across the United States are in the midst of a crisis: a teacher shortage. Part of the problem is due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but there are other reasons why teachers are leaving their jobs at higher rates than before. On Aug 29, SciLine interviewed Tuan Nguyen,… Read
GOP's hard-line tactics on migrants refocus midterm debate
They’ve delivered migrants on planes and buses to Washington, D.C., New York City — even Martha’s Vineyard. And the Republican governors of Florida and Texas may be just getting started. Govs. Ron DeSantis of Florida and Greg Abbott of Texas insist such dramatic steps are need to highlight a genuine… Read
Direct democracy can force governments to better represent the people – but it doesn't always work out
In August, a statewide referendum in Kansas saw citizens overwhelmingly reject a plan to insert anti-abortion language into the state’s constitution. It comes as a slew of similar votes on abortion rights are planned in the coming months – putting the issue directly to the people after the Supreme Court… Read
Trump's legal woes mount without protection of presidency
Stark repudiation by federal judges he appointed. Far-reaching fraud allegations by New York’s attorney general. It's been a week of widening legal troubles for Donald Trump, laying bare the challenges piling up as the former president operates without the protections afforded by the White House. The bravado that served him… Read
U.S. becoming a 'developing country' on global rankings that measure democracy, inequality
The United States may regard itself as a “leader of the free world,” but an index of development released in July 2022 places the country much farther down the list. In its global rankings, the United Nations Office of Sustainable Development dropped the U.S. to 41st worldwide, down from its… Read
Biden hints at risky policy shift on Taiwan independence
Overshadowed by U.S. President Joe Biden's headline-grabbing vow that American forces would defend Taiwan against a Chinese attack was his hint at possibly shifting U.S. policy to support the island's right to self-determination. Though the White House has taken pains to say Biden's most explicit statement yet about defending the… Read
Biden warns U.S. democracy threatened, but how can he save it?
President Joe Biden is finding it’s easier to call out attacks on democracy than it is to stop them. His fundamental rationale for running for president was that America’s democratic traditions were in jeopardy. Now, 20 months into his presidency, the dangers are worse, Biden’s warnings are more dire --… Read
Kate's daunting task of following Diana as Princess of Wales
As the new Princess of Wales, Prince William's wife Catherine is inevitably drawing comparisons with her superstar predecessor, William's late mother Diana, whose legacy still frames Britain's view of its royal family. Outside Kensington Palace in London, where Diana continued to live after separating from the new King Charles III… Read
Donor beware: Pause before you give to any cause
The public’s trust in nonprofits declined from 59% in 2020 to 56% in 2022, according to Independent Sector, a coalition of nonprofits, foundations and corporate giving programs that tracks trends in philanthropy. One likely explanation for this erosion of confidence in organizations that are supposed to do good works: news… Read
Charles III faces challenges at home, abroad – and even in defining what it means to be king
Charles III became the King of the United Kingdom on Sept 8, having spent almost all of his 73 years preparing for this role, watching the example of his mother, Elizabeth II. Yet, he faces an uncertain course as monarch. The legacy of Charles’ mother is complex. While her presence… Read
