Education

The fantastic college-admissions scandal calls to mind one of the most famous sayings in American life: "We have met the enemy and he is us." Its wise author, the great cartoonist Walt Kelly (he created Pogo) would have gotten a kick out of explanations for the alleged fraud, which have become an exercise in turning away from the mirror and blaming someone or something else.

The admissions bribery scheme revealed this week in a federal indictment has prompted lawmakers in Washington to consider policies that could curtail the influence of wealth in college admissions.

PAPER had the chance to head down to Washington DC for a media mixer with Democratic members of the House of Representatives hosted by Congresswoman Maxine Waters. While there, we spoke to numerous congresspeople — including several freshmen representatives — about their top policy priorities in this new, divided government.

Salem teacher Jamie Keene went to urgent care early this year after one of her fourth-grade students caused her to pull a muscle in her back.

With 33 students in her class at Schirle Elementary, Keene said one regularly hits her, pulls her hair and twists her arms when he gets overstimulated in class. He'd benefit from more individual attention and a smaller class, she said.

The Democratic majority on the U.S. House of Representatives' education and labor committee has created a new subcommittee on civil rights and human services, which also will include a focus on equal employment opportunities, nutrition programs and the Older Americans Act.