All posts by nedhamson

Activist, writer, researcher, addicted to sharing information and facts.

Tennessee: Parents Complain about Cancellation of “Inclusive” Mothers Day Event

Diane Ravitch's blog

Parents in Chattanooga, Tennessee, complained to the district school board about its cancellation of a Mothers Day event that was intended to be inclusive. The school board reacted to a complaint by a member of the censorious rightwing Moms for Liberty.

Alternet reported:

Parents in Chattanooga, Tennessee boldly confronted the Hamilton County School Board and its Superintendent Justin Robertson “for caving to Moms (Against) Liberty-led bullying and canceling a librarian’s Mother’s Day lesson inclusive to kids without moms,” The Tennessee Holler tweeted on Sunday.

Moms for Liberty (which the paper dinged as “against”) is a right-wing organization that campaigns against social progress and civil rights. Media Matters for America pointed out in November 2021 that the non-profit has deep connections to the Republican Party and “has county-specific chapters across the country that target local school board meetings, school board members, administrators, and teachers.” Moms for Liberty also promoted “stripping districts…

View original post 143 more words

CDC warns of possible mpox resurgence | CIDRAP

The CDC warned of a possible resurgence in the spring and summer as people gather for festivals and other events.

It also warned that Jynneos vaccination gaps raise the risk of mpox resurgence. It said though 1.2 million doses have been given, only 23% of the at-risk population has been fully immunized.

Source: CDC warns of possible mpox resurgence | CIDRAP

IRS Weighs Creating a Government-Run Tax-Prep Option – Slashdot

Democrats and consumer advocates have been pushing for the Internal Revenue Service to offer free online tax filing on its website, particularly for people with straightforward returns. Their core argument: Tax-preparation companies charge middle-income Americans for what advocates think should be a free public service.

The companies, meanwhile, are boosting lobbying spending and leaning on lawmakers to fight a change that could shrink their revenue, and they are emphasizing free options already available for taxpayers. They see the changes under consideration as a first step toward an even bigger threat in which the IRS could use information it gets from employers and other sources to prepare a first draft of taxpayers’ returns for them. The IRS is due to release a report this week on a possible Direct File system — think TurboTax but on the agency’s website — and the Biden administration will then decide whether to pursue it.

Source: IRS Weighs Creating a Government-Run Tax-Prep Option – Slashdot