Midwest
Milwaukee Public Schools reportedly distributes 'de-center Whiteness' memo to teachers
Milwaukee Public Schools is apparently working to “de-center” and “dismantle” Whiteness in the classroom.
The Young America’s Foundation published an exclusive report on a 33-page memo titled “Educational Community and District Climate” from the school district that is meant to explain the “best practices addressing discipline disproportionality through a positive educational community.” A significant approach in the memo discussed “anti-racism” with a note on “Understanding Whiteness.”
“Whiteness is everywhere around us. Educational practices have been rooted in Whiteness and coming from a lens of Whiteness for years. Educators should reflect on which elements of Whiteness they see in education, which they participate in, and which elements they can work to dismantle,” the memo read.
The memo also listed videos to help faculty “continue [their] journey along the development” of understanding Whiteness. Among them included a discussion by author Robin DiAngelo and a video titled “Whiteness: WTF?”
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Milwaukee Public Schools include K-12 education. (iStock)
Another section of the memo was devoted to achieving “equity” in the schools, defined as “an allocation of district resources, supports, and opportunities that is based on the needs of students and staff.”
“Achieving equity may require an unequal distribution of resources and services in order to ensure that all children have an equal opportunity to a free and appropriate public education,” the memo explained. “The strengths of students, staff, families, and community members shall be illuminated to eliminate implicit and explicit deficit thinking.”
The memo also implored staff members to “create space to have brave conversations about race” to “understand that race plays a role throughout society and education.” It warned faculty to move beyond beliefs such as “I treat everyone equally” and “I don’t see race.”
A section on “anti-racism” also recommended definitions from author and critical race theory advocate Ibram X. Kendi.
The memo included guides on how to promote “anti-racism.” (Superior Court of California)
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It was unclear in the report how widely the report was distributed among 156 schools in the district. However, Milwaukee Public Schools includes K-12 education.
Fox News Digital reached out to Milwaukee Public Schools for a comment but has yet to receive a response.
In 2021, a group of Minnesota principals and vice principals signed a letter pledging to push the goal of “de-centering Whiteness” and “dismantling the practices that reinforce White academic superiority.” The letter also suggested that practices such as standardized testing enforced “an Americanized version of a caste system in our schools.”
The phrase “de-center Whiteness” more recently appeared in a November Forbes article titled “3 Ways To Decenter Whiteness In Your Workplace.”
“Because White-centering is often left unexamined and unchecked, equity and justice have continued to evade organizations,” the piece read.
The Minnesota Public Schools memo allegedly acknowledged, “Achieving equity may require an unequal distribution of resources and services in order to ensure that all children have an equal opportunity to a free and appropriate public education.” (Photo By Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post via Getty Images)
In a statement to Fox News Digital, Jasmyn Jordan, national chairwoman of Young Americans for Freedom, said, “What Milwaukee Public Schools are promoting is yet another example of a concentrated effort to eliminate a merit-based system and replace it with one that is focused on race. DEI is fundamentally against everything the left claims to stand for – it is the opposite of racial equality and inclusion.”
“As a student, I’ve seen DEI do more harm than good. Instead, the focus should be on achievement, character, and hard work.”
Read the full article from Here
While almost all sports betting is now legal and easy in Illinois, wagering on home-state Illini basketball to win the NCAA Final Four is illegal. And that is no doubt surprising and frustrating a lot of Illinois basketball fans as they go to their favorite online betting site, only to find that they can’t bet on their own team here.
U of I may be a winner on the court this season, but they are losing on the wagering front in Illinois.
On the popular gambling site Draft Kings, there is a harsh reality for Illini fans: the school doesn’t exist as a betting option in the Final Four. U of I’s Saturday game against Connecticut is missing and off limits under an Illinois law that prohibits gambling on all in-state NCAA universities.
Right now, there are only three choices to bet on for the National Championship, and Illinois is M-I-A.
When sports betting was made legal in 2020, the Illinois General Assembly in Springfield passed a specific cut-out for in-state teams: all NCAA schools – any game, championship or not – is banned for you to bet on. And in the last six years, sports betting here has generated more than $59 million, and is increasing each year.
“We have definitely seen an increase in people coming in to treatment,” said Anita Pindiur, executive director of the Illinois Council on Problem Gambling. “We have seen about a 30 to 35% increase in young adult males, 18 to 35,” Pindiur said.
For U of I this is a total ban that even includes the trendy “prop” bets, where you concoct your own proposition wager on anything. For instance, betting that the long-banned Chief Illiniwek will make a return at the Final Four. Prop bets involving anything Illini are no-go.
But apparently, those customary friendly bets between state governors are exempt from the Illinois ban. Gov. JB Pritzker – who said he was recently lucky to win 1.4 million dollars in a Vegas blackjack game – on Monday said he has some kind of interstate sports bet brewing with Connecticut’s Democratic Gov. Ned LaMont.
“I already got a call from the governor of Connecticut, because we’re playing against the University of Connecticut on Saturday. And he wants to make a bet…a public…so you’ll be hearing about that,” Gov. Pritzker said.
Gov. Lamont’s spokesman told NBC Chicago the wager details are now being finalized, and Pritzker’s office told us there would be an announcement with details on Tuesday.
Illinois is now the nation’s second-biggest legal sports betting market and is not alone with this regulation. Several other states have similar local school laws.
We asked U of I officials about the ban on local college bets here. A university spokesperson told us: they aren’t involved in any efforts to change the law or those restrictions. There is one legal workaround: drive to Indiana, Iowa, Wisconsin or Michigan and go to a casino sportsbook there to place a bet on the Illini.
For anyone who needs help due to gambling abuse, the Illinois Council on Problem Gambling hotline is 1-800-GAMBLER and it is staffed 24/7 with experts who speak numerous languages. There are also problem gambling resources available at the Illinois helpline: Areyoureallywinning.com
Indiana Governor Mike Braun will join locked-out union members at the BP Whiting refinery on Tuesday morning.
Union leaders said that Braun will meet with workers picketing outside the company’s main offices in the 2800 block of Indianapolis Boulevard.
This comes after hundreds of workers were locked out of the BP refinery on March 19 after contract negotiations failed to produce a deal ahead of a midnight deadline. Since then, workers have been walking the picket lines.
Union leaders said negotiations have stalled for months, and are accusing BP of rejecting their proposals on jobs, pay, and safety. Union members said they are prepared to stay out on the picket lines 24/7 until there is movement at the bargaining table.
BP said it has made a comprehensive offer, and plans to continue operating the refinery with trained staff, adding that it does not expect disruptions to production.
The Whiting refinery is BP’s largest refinery in the world, producing 440,000 barrels a day. It is located less than 20 miles from downtown Chicago.
Braun is expected to join the union members around 9:15 p.m.
The video above is from a previous report.
The Iowa Boys Tennis Coaches have released team rankings for the start of the 2026 season in Iowa boys high school tennis.
Starting off the year in the No. 1 spots will be Waukee Northwest in Class 2A and Cedar Rapids Xavier in Class 1A.
Iowa City West, Johnston, Pleasant Valley and Linn-Mar round out the Top 5 in 2A while Dubuque Wahlert Catholic, Sergeant Bluff-Luton, Decorah and Waverly-Shell Rock complete the 1A Top 5 behind Cedar Rapids Xavier.
Both Waukee Northwest and Cedar Rapids Xavier claimed the team state titles a year ago. The Wolves earned 5-0 wins over both Dowling Catholic and Iowa City West before besting Cedar Rapids Prairie in the finals, 5-1.
Cedar Rapids Xavier silenced Boone and Decorah, earning a 5-3 victory over Dubuque Wahlert Catholic in the championship match.
State Team Tennis Makes Change For 2026
New for 2026 Iowa boys tennis season will be substate team tennis, as the Top 32 teams from each classification advance to participate. Previously, all teams started play in team state just like individual state qualifiers.
Eight substates with up to four teams each will compete. There will be one host site for each substate for the semifinal round and the substate final.
Here are the Iowa boys high school tennis team rankings from the Iowa Boys Tennis Coaches.
Iowa Boys High School Tennis Team Rankings
Class 2A
- Waukee Northwest
- Iowa City West
- Johnston
- Pleasant Valley
- Linn-Mar
- Ames
- Dowling Catholic
- Cedar Rapids Prairie
- Cedar Rapids Washington
- West Des Moines Valley
Class 1A
- Cedar Rapids Xavier
- Dubuque Wahlert Catholic
- Sergeant Bluff-Luton
- Decorah
- Waverly-Shell Rock
- Pella
- Central DeWitt
- Boone
- Ballard
- Shenandoah
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