Education: Interesting Stories from The New York Times

At Brigham Young, a Cost in Reporting a Rape
The university is caught in a debate over the disparate treatment of sexual assault survivors as it tries to uphold a moral code at the heart of its Mormon identity.

Test Scores Show a Decline in Math Among High School Seniors
Average performance dropped in math from 2013 to 2015 but held steady in reading, results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress showed.

Children’s Arrests in Bullying Case Distress Tennessee City
A video shows a group of children taunting and hitting a boy, but the Murfreesboro Police Department began an internal inquiry after parents denounced the detentions.

Wisconsin Prom Shooting Leaves Teenage Suspect Dead and Town Shaken
The police said 18-year-old Jakob Wagner opened fire at Antigo High School, wounding two. Some say the death toll could have been much higher.

The Learning Network: Four Ideas for Teaching and Learning (While a Few of Our Features Are on Vacation)
We’re taking a modified spring break this week but are still offering our Word of the Day, Student Opinion question and News Q’s. What’s Going On in This Picture? and the weekly News Quiz will be back the first week of May.

Harder Words Await Competitors at National Spelling Bee
If you thought spelling “scherenschnitte” was a challenge, wait until you see this year’s Scripps National Spelling Bee.

Bettye Caldwell, Educator Who Helped Pave Way for Head Start, Dies at 91
Dr. Caldwell, a longtime advocate for what she called educare, collaborated on a pilot project that helped prepare poor children for elementary school.

Girl, 16, Dies After Fight in a High School Restroom in Delaware
The girl’s death led to an outpouring of grief, bewilderment and soul-searching on Twitter and Facebook.

The Learning Network: Film Club | ‘Games You Can’t Win’
In this short documentary, a transgender woman, a man with severe mental illness, and the parents of a child with cancer transform their experiences into intensely personal video games.

The Learning Network: Tinkering With Nature: Weighing the Benefits and Risks of Genetically Engineering Animals
In this lesson, students will learn about the process of gene editing in animals and consider the ethical questions inherent in using this new tool.

Recruiting Students Overseas to Fill Seats, Not to Meet Standards
Several companies are using high-pressure tactics, critics say, to persuade international students to enroll in U.S. colleges. Many will need remedial help to succeed.

Greater Competition for College Places Means Higher Anxiety, Too
Although the average acceptance rate at four-year colleges has remained stable, students are expressing their fears of rejection by applying to more institutions.

The Learning Network: Reader Idea | A Home-Schooled Teenager on Learning With The Times
For this Canadian home-schooled student, reading The Times is a “treasure hunt” for finding fascinating things. She provides inspiration for anyone — whether home-schooled, unschooled, traditionally schooled, or out of school — who wants to use The Times to learn.

Retiring: Taking On the Ph.D. Later in Life
As doctoral programs become more flexible and students seek to enhance or change their careers, enrollment of older adults grows.

Race/Related: 272 Slaves Were Sold to Save Georgetown. What Does It Owe Their Descendants?
In 1838, the Jesuit priests who ran the country’s top Catholic university needed money to keep it alive. Now comes the task of making amends.

The Learning Network: What’s Going On in This Picture? | April 18, 2016
On Mondays, we publish a Times photo without a caption, headline or other information about its origins. Join the conversation by commenting on what you see and why. A live discussion is offered that day from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Eastern.

Prep Schools Wrestle With Sex Abuse Accusations Against Teachers
Phillips Exeter Academy said last month that it had forced out one of its most popular teachers for sexual misconduct in 2011, and it announced last week that it had fired a second teacher.

Technophoria: Kahoot App Brings Urgency of a Quiz Show to the Classroom
The learning game, made by a Norwegian start-up, is sweeping American schools. Over a third of elementary and secondary students used it last month.

Provost Resigns Amid Sexual Harassment Case at Berkeley
Claude Steele and other top administrators have been criticized for their handling of a sexual harassment scandal. Mr. Steele will join Berkeley’s faculty.

U.C. Davis Learns Downside of Trying to Scrub Search Results
It often backfires. Now images of students being pepper-sprayed in 2011 are back in the news, and legislators want the chancellor to resign.

The Learning Network: Poetry Pairing | ‘viewfinder’
This Poetry Pairing features Kirby Knowlton’s poem “viewfinder” and a 2014 article, “Tangled Web of Memories Lingers After a Breakup,” by Nick Bilton.

New York to Expand Gifted Offerings as Disparities Remain
The number of students who scored high enough to qualify for the programs rose this year, but there continues to be a divide between richer and poorer districts.

Muslim Students Report Burglaries and Hate Literature at Idaho State
Numerous burglaries are being investigated at the university in Pocatello, where tensions have risen over an influx of Middle Eastern students.

California Appeals Court Reverses Decision to Overturn Teacher Tenure Rules
Judges rule that the state’s job protections for teachers do not deprive poor and minority students of a quality education, or violate their civil rights.

The Learning Network: What’s Going On in This Poem? | ‘Taking It Home to Jerome’
What’s going on in this poem? What do you see, or read, that makes you say that? What more can you find? Join the conversation here.

Social Club at Harvard Rejects Calls to Admit Women, Citing Risk of Sexual Misconduct
The all-male Porcellian Club, founded in 1791 and known for secrecy, drew criticism after its statement on a frequently debated issue at the university.

Teacher Tenure Is Challenged Again in a Minnesota Lawsuit
A group of parents backed by wealthy philanthropists hopes to change state job protections, as well as rules governing layoffs.

The Learning Network: Election 2016 | Comparing the Candidates on the Issues
In this lesson, students research the candidates’ stances on important issues and share their findings with the class. Then, we suggest a variety of activities to bring their research alive, such as holding a mock caucus or candidate debate.

Yale Advances in Shaping Portfolio to Address Climate Change
Yale’s chief investment officer says overseers of its endowment have taken steps to assess companies’ steps in reducing greenhouse emissions.

The Learning Network: Weekly News Quiz | April 5-11, 2016
Take our quiz to see what you know and to learn more, and look for a new edition each Tuesday morning.

Common Application Saturates the College Admissions Market, Critics Say
After a student was accepted to all the Ivy League schools, not everyone was cheering. Some say the Common Application system distorts elite college admissions.

The Learning Network: What’s Going On in This Picture? | April 11, 2016
On Mondays, we publish a Times photo without a caption, headline or other information about its origins. Join the conversation by commenting on what you see and why. A live discussion is offered that day from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Eastern.

White House Letter: Michelle Obama’s Graduation Speeches Show Her Personal Side
The first lady has become more outspoken on issues like race, gender and class, and plans to expand on those themes in commencement addresses in the coming months.