The Brief: In poll, most Texans say “bathroom bill” isn’t an important issue

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Sen. Lois Kolkhorst R-Brenham give the media an update on SB6 The Texas Privacy Act also known as the "bathroom bill" on Feb. 6, 2017 The state's top leaders have remained silent on whether they'll provide more resources for victims - or more funding for the crippled child welfare system that's supposed to protect vulnerable kids. The Affordable Care Act is unpopular, but Texans don't want to get rid of it until they know what's going to replace it.

Obama’s lethal deportation machine: Trump’s…

On Jan. 18, Barack Obama used his final press conference as president to pledge to the public that he will speak up if the administration of Donald Trump crosses a line, whether that's imposing "systematic discrimination" or silencing the press. "There's a difference between that normal functioning of politics and certain issues or certain moments where I think our core values may be at stake," Obama told journalists assembled in the White House briefing room.

Romee Strijd wears super short skirt out at fashion week

The Supper Bowl! The Trumps, the Japanese prime minister and his wife are joined by New England Patriots owner for dinner at Mar-a-Lago after the First Family fly to Florida on Air Force One 'I love all my moms': Hundreds of polygamists led by the 'Sister Wives' family descend on the steps of Utah Capitol to demand the legal right to plural marriage 'He's gone.

Betsy DeVos confirmed as Education secretary

Democrats said she had no experience as an educator, administrator or even as a parent or student in public schools. Betsy DeVos confirmed Education secretary; Pence casts deciding vote Democrats said she had no experience as an educator, administrator or even as a parent or student in public schools.

Religion like a pair of shoes

WHILE I tried to make sense of Apostle Suleiman Johnson's unguarded utterances which hardly reflects the tenets of the gospel he sought to defend, I was further mortified by the executive bill signed by President Trump that temporarily bans travels into the United States from seven countries; Iran, Sudan, Syria, Yemen, Libya, Iraq and Somalia. The ban however comes with a somewhat divisive caveat which gives non-Muslims a preference and stereotypes all Muslims.

School choice advocates see ally in GOP Gov. Sununu

Advocates of school choice see an ally in Gov. Chris Sununu, New Hampshire's first Republican governor in a dozen years. Sununu has opined on the need for parents to have more choice, nominated a businessman who homeschooled his kids to lead the education department, and supports legislation that would allow some towns to use taxpayer dollars for private school tuition.

Rex Smith: Free speech, pulpit speech and tax laws

Each school day when I was a little boy began with the Pledge of Allegiance, followed immediately by all the students bowing their heads and reciting the Lord's Prayer. There came a bit of stumbling between the children taught to forgive "trespasses" and those who were forgiving "debts" - which I saw as the big gap separating Methodists from Presbyterians - but everybody eventually rounded up to a fine unison "amen," good American children saluting their God and their country.

Extracurricular activities in youth tied to social engagement later in life

People tend to become less involved with community work and social groups as they age, but those who were most active in their high school years are the most likely to stay engaged as they age, researchers say. Youth may be an important time for people to develop a sense of themselves as contributing to society, and this identity may last throughout life, the study team writes in The Journals of Gerontology: Social Science.

Trump and Congress have a lot of power to make changes in D.C. schools

A student walks past a colorful mural at Luke C. Moore Academy High School in Washington, D.C., in Dec. 2016. D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser had just a few minutes to speak to hundreds of thousands of people at the Women's March on Washington.

What taxpayers should know about the public cost of school choice

School choice proponents often attack their critics by saying that anyone who doesn't support choice programs - charter schools, voucher programs, tax scholarship credits - love the status quo and don't care that children are trapped in failing traditional public schools. *There are some perfectly awful publicly funded traditional public schools and some severely troubled districts, especially in America's cities.

Speaker Ryan: – Every Parent Should Have The Chance To Choose a Decent School’

At a rally to celebrate National School Choice Week, House Speaker Paul Ryan said every parent should have the right to send their children to the school of their choice. "Every parent should have the chance to choose a decent school for your child," Ryan said, surrounded by children from Sacred Heart Catholic School in D.C. who carried signs emblazoned with messages such as "Put Kids First" and "Got Choice?" Ryan praised President Donald Trump's pick for Education Secretary, Betsy DeVos, and said the scholarship program to allow low-income children in the District of Columbia to attend private and religious schools, which was ended by President Barack Obama, would be expanded by the Republican-led Congress.