9/16/25 - Education, and more on COVID vaccines

Hello!

For today's links we have two pieces on education, and some practical updates on this year's COVID vaccines ...

Programs for Students With Hearing and Vision Loss Harmed by Trump’s Anti-Diversity Push

Jodi S. Cohen and Jennifer Smith Richards, ProPublica - September 10, 2025

"The Education Department also was concerned about other words in the application, said Adrian Klenz, who works with deafblind adults in the state. He said he has talked with state officials about the discontinuation of the grant ... 'I was told that apparently the administration is going through past grants and two words were flagged: One was transition and one was privilege,' Klenz said. 'Transition — transitioning from childhood to adulthood. Privilege came up because a parent wrote a glowing review of staff that said what a privilege it was to work with them.' ProPublica obtained a copy of the grant application and confirmed that those words were included."

Despite claims at some higher purpose behind this rather small but very significant federal funding cut, it sure sounds like the deafblind program got caught in a sort of "find and delete" system that flagged certain keywords – or rather, words that upset conservatives. But I'm also curious – are there any disabled people at all who are part of the Trump "team" in the Education Department? Are there any who have anything like a disability rights perspective, even a rudimentary one? I could imagine a disability activist of some sort, with a conservative orientation, at least trying to save some programs like this that parents of disabled kids rely on and generally like, and that ideologically annoy approximately nobody. On the other hand, I can also imagine such and effort being entirely ignored.

Grouped Alone

Grace Dow, Grace Dow Writes - September 10, 2025

"Students are acutely aware of social hierarchies. Being left out publicly, even subtly, can trigger feelings of shame, anxiety, and worthlessness. These moments linger. They shape how students see themselves and how they engage with learning ... Educators have the power to change this. Assigning groups intentionally, using randomization tools, and setting clear norms for inclusion can transform the classroom experience. Teaching students how to invite others in, how to notice who is being left out, and how to be kind in moments of choice is just as important as teaching math or reading."

Grace describes one of the many "small" humiliations that happen to disabled kids in school. My experiences around this kind of social exclusion by my peers in school may be little more mixed. But I can confirm that Grace has it right. Students are prone to excluding fellow students with disabilities, both intentionally and carelessly. And, teachers really can improve the situation with some simple changes in practice. But given the current climate around any sort of "inclusion" in education, (see above), it's gotten harder to imagine much being done to improve things this way.

Trying to get a COVID vaccine right now? Here's what to know

Rob Stein, Sydney Lupkin, National Public Radio - September 15, 2025

"The vaccine advisory group, scheduled to meet Sept. 18-19, is expected to issue specific recommendations for who should receive the shots, which then need to be accepted by the CDC director. The recommendations have several important effects, including allowing pharmacists in more states to administer the vaccines and making them available for free through the federal Vaccines for Children Program."

I've got my COVID and flu shots scheduled for this Friday, September 19, at one of the regional chain pharmacies in my area. So far the process has been no more difficult than in previous years. But I'm curious to see if everything goes just as smoothly on the day, or if CDC recommendations make it easier or harder for us to protect ourselves.

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