• Study links Chicago school closures to rise in neighborhood shootings

    Emmet Elementary School was one of 50 schools that closed in 2013 as part of a cost-saving measure. It re-opened in 2025 as a community center. Photo by Josh Kalov, CC BY 2.0 Thirteen years after Chicago closed 50 public schools, researchers found that shootings rose in the areas surrounding the vacant school buildings.  An…

  • Why school cell phone bans belong on the public health beat

    The debate over banning cell phones in schools is often framed as a classroom management issue — a tug-of-war between distracted students and frustrated teachers, or between anxious parents and wary administrators.   However, journalists should also examine whether “bell-to-bell” phone restrictions designed to improve student well-being could unintentionally exacerbate disparities in health, education and opportunity.…

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