Each week, AAE brings its members a round-up of what’s happening in education. From big, eye-catching headlines to the stories most papers overlook, we find the news our members really want to see. This week: charter pushback, vaping, 9/11's anniversary, and more.

Democratic Pushback Against Charters: Last night was the third Democratic presidential primary debate, and the candidates were asked about their views on education. Unsurprisingly, many took this opportunity to criticize charter schools. The national teachers’ unions have been markedly anti-union, leaving candidates with the feeling that they must push back against charter school expansion in order to win the powerful teachers’ union endorsement. This push back happen in a bubble. The trend among Democrats at all levels has been to try and stop charter growth. In California, this has manifested itself in a bill that places many new regulations on charters and that many charter school advocates view as near-catastrophic. In Pennsylvania, the governor has said that reforming charter schools is one of his top priorities. Not everyone was critical of charters, however. Presidential candidate Cory Booker touted his expansion of successful charter schools in Newark and candidate Andrew Yang said that he was pro-good schools.

Schools Crack Down on Vaping: As illnesses related to vaping increase across the country, parents are desperate to protect their teens, and many are pointing the finger at school districts, saying that schools should do more to prevent school vaping. In response, many school districts are taking steps to cut down on the practice, sometimes going to drastic measures. Some districts have installed vape detectors, or sensor devices that can tell when a student is attempting to vape in a bathroom. One district has even removed stall doors in their bathrooms after a student passed out while vaping in the bathroom. Goddard Public Schools in Kansas, however, is trying a different tactic by taking the fight directly to the manufacturers. The district is suing companies that make and sell vaping products because of the harm that it does to the district’s students.

9/11 in Schools: This week marked the 18^th anniversary of 9/11 and schools across the country to paused in remembrance. As the students who were alive and remember the terrorist threat graduate, schools have had to shift how they deal with the day. Instead of helping students process emotions, schools are now having to teach 9/11 as history. This year, HBO produced a documentary to help teachers brooch the subject in the classroom. New York has also changed state law to make sure that the anniversary doesn’t pass by without reflection. Meanwhile, the year has also brought attention to the students who were in school in downtown Manhattan on the date. New reporting is looking at the health issues that those students are suffering, and a separate documentary was produced that looks at the events of that day through the eyes of people who were high school students at the time.

Happening Elsewhere:

Newsom Signs Bill Banning School Suspensions for ‘Willful Defiance’

Utah Supreme Court rules partisan elections for State School Board constitutional

Ransomware Cyberattack Strikes Montgomery County School District

School bus driver dead, eight children injured in Mississippi rollover

Boyle Heights Parents Wonder Why It Took 2 Weeks to Find Out a Boy Was Shot at School

Denver Teacher Gives Birth on Sidewalk Outside School: 'We Should Call 911. I Think The Baby's Coming'

Outraged parents slam schools for unreported threats of violence

High School Students Who Don’t Date Less Depressed Than Their Classmates Who Do, Study Says

To Prevent School Shootings, Districts Are Surveilling Students' Online Lives

How the nation’s growing racial diversity is changing our schools

New law requires Illinois schools teach contributions of gay, transgender people

PARCC to be eliminated in New Jersey by 2022-23 school year

School officials in Ohio already cite problems with state report cards due this week

The Disappearing Schools of Puerto Rico

The 'naturally disappointing' results of new Wyoming study: Native American students face greater discipline

Atlanta school board will not renew superintendent's contract

All Boston Kindergartners to receive $50 savings accounts at start of school year

Education Department reaches agreement with Chicago schools after sexual misconduct investigation

Florida school finds bearded dragon in student’s backpack

University of Tennessee gives scholarship to bullied student who designed homemade school shirt

What’s going on where you are?

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