MCAS scores decline despite post-pandemic predictions
The state education department reported an overall 4% drop in passing rates of the 10th grade MCAS Tuesday, Sept. 24, leaving voters with more information to consider for the ballot choice as election day approaches.
In the state of Massachusetts, students in grades three through eight and grade 10 must complete the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System exam in the spring of every year, which includes a standardized mathematics and English test.
In grades fifth, eighth and 10th, a third exam on science, technology and engineering is also administered.
The tests have no effect on the students’ yearly grade, but a passing score is required in grade 10 in order to graduate high school, a rule that will be challenged by voters Nov. 5 as the ballot allows the public to vote against the continuation of MCAS testing.
The pandemic created a significant drop in test scores as expected, with “meeting expectation or higher” rates in English dropping from 56% in 2019 to 51% in 2020. Similarly in math, 2019 had just under half of students in Massachusetts meeting or exceeding expectations, but by 2021 that statistic dropped to a third.
The predictions were for school systems to bounce back and increase passing rates, yet in 2024 the English percentage was at a declining 42% with a slight resurgence in math at 44%, giving voters lots to think about.
California lawsuit claims ExxonMobil lied to consumers for decades
The state of California opened a lawsuit against multinational oil and gas company ExxonMobil Monday, Sept. 23, after being caught in a near half century lie regarding their recycling rates.
ExxonMobil, one of the largest producers of plastic in the world and the biggest direct descendants of John D. Rockefeller’s Standard Oil, fought back against claims.
In an email from an ExxonMobil spokesperson, Lauren Kight stated that California representatives were aware of their flawed recycling system for decades and should not be putting the blame on the plastic producers despite public misconception on where their plastic was ending up.
Eight other states and the U.S. Capitol of Washington D.C. have been found in similar situations in recent years, suing mass oil companies over their role in climate change, and this is also not California’s first time trying to bring justice for misinformation in their state as well.
This particular case started over two years ago back in April of 2022 when an investigation was launched on the fossil fuel industry, leaving state officials without surprise on the suits opening.
Conveniently, this all occurred the day after Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom added California to the list of statewide bans of plastic bags alongside 12 others.
With a rate of 9% of all plastic ever produced being recycled, companies like ExxonMobil are only setting the U.S. and the world farther back in the journey for a cleaner planet.
Man charged for attempted Trump assassination
Late Tuesday Sept. 24, Ryan Routh was charged for former President Donald Trump’s latest assassination attempt.
On Sept. 15, at Trump’s Florida golf club, shots were fired by the Secret Service after discovering Routh with a rifle and a scope directed at Trump. Routh was able to flee the scene in a vehicle, but was later taken into custody by law enforcement.
Initially being held on weapons charges, the indictment released by a Miami grand jury added assaulting a federal officer, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence and attempted assassination to Routh’s charges.
His expected arraignment is scheduled for next week.
According to NPR, investigators discovered that Routh had been in Florida a month prior to the assassination attempt and had been seen loitering at Trump International Golf Club along with his house in Palm Beach, Florida.
Routh is also said to have been in possession of a list that included Trump’s whereabouts and expected whereabouts from August to October.
Prior to the hearing, a civilian contacted local law enforcement and said that Routh had given them a box containing multiple letters from Routh.
“This was an assassination attempt on Donald Trump but I am so sorry I failed you. I tried my best and gave it all the gumption I could muster,” one of the letters said.
Along with the letter, the box from the civilian witness contained “ammunition, a metal pipe, building materials, tools, phones and various letters.”
In a statement on Monday, Trump expressed his frustrations with the charges against Routh.
“The Kamala Harris/Joe Biden Department of Justice and FBI are mishandling and downplaying the second assassination attempt on my life since July. The charges brought against the maniac assassin are a slap on the wrist,” said Trump.
Israeli attacks target Lebanon
More than 490 people were killed and 1,645 were wounded in Lebanon Sept. 23 in the deadliest Israeli strike since the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war, according to The Associated Press.
Rocket bombardments continued Sept. 24 according to both Israel and Hezbollah, bringing the death toll to over 560. Israel reportedly killed a top Hezbollah commander Tuesday and more than 300 projectiles were launched from Lebanon to northern Israel.
The Israeli military warned those in southern and eastern Lebanon to evacuate, causing major blockages on highways out of the areas, making it near-impossible for many to evacuate. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged civilians to “take the warning seriously” in a recorded message.
The air attack came a week after exploding pagers used by Hezbollah killed nine and injured thousands in Lebanon and Syria Sept. 18, according to The AP. Twenty people were killed and more than 450 were injured a day later in Beirut when walkie-talkies detonated.
The Israeli military’s top general said Sept. 25 they are preparing for a “possible ground incursion into Lebanon”, as reported by CNN.
The Pentagon announced Sept. 23 that the U.S. will send additional troops to the Middle East, adding to the current 40,000 troops. President Joe Biden shared his commitment to preventing a border war between Israel and Hezbollah to the U.N. General Assembly Sept. 24, saying “full-scale war is not in anyone’s interest.” Several world leaders have echoed Biden’s sentiment for de-escalation.
