Fed Steps in to Help Bullied Victims
The U.S. Department of Education recently told schools that it expects them to crack down on bullies. If schools fail to do so, they could lose federal aid. Department officials hope schools will use federal civil rights laws—laws that protect folks from discrimination based on race, religion, gender or sexual preference—to stop bullying. “We’ve got to dispel the myth that bullying is just a normal rite of passage or an inevitable part of growing up. It’s not,” said President Barack Obama. “We have an obligation to ensure that our schools are safe for all of our kids. Every single young person deserves the opportunity to learn, grow and achieve [his or her] potential, without having to worry about the constant threat of harassment.” (Department of Education, L.A. Times)

Poor Screening Techniques
Preschool-age children are watching entirely much too television, according to a new study. The average preschooler spends more than four hours in front of a screen during the course of an average day—more than twice the two-hour daily limit recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Kids who stay at home with a parent or another guardian watch, on average, more than five hours of television. “When children are at home, whether with parents or another caregiver, it’s easier to turn the television on,” Dr. Pooja Tandon of the Seattle Children’s Research Institute said. “Many of those settings are not regulated or licensed; many tend to be less structured.” (LiveScience)

Actual Cost of College Going…Down?
College tuition has gone up drastically in the past five years: 24 percent at four-year public universities, 17 percent at private colleges and universities and 11 percent at two-year schools. Including room and board, the average student going to a public, in-state school is on the hook for $16,140 a year. While costs have skyrocketed, so has financial aid. Last school year, students collected $28 billion in Pell Grants—$10 billion more than the previous year. When inflation is factored into the equation, many students actually are paying less than they would’ve five years ago. While low-income students have been helped through these Pell Grants, others have been left out in the cold. “When states cut funding for higher education, tuitions go up to make up for the difference,” said Terry Hartle, senior vice president of the American Council on Education. “The good news is that Pell Grants will cushion the increases for low-income students, but if you’re not eligible for financial aid, it’s a problem, because very few families are seeing their income go up 8 percent this year.” (New York Times)

Quote: “Almost a million people every year die from malaria, and of that number 85 percent die under the age of Justin Bieber. With your help, by buying a malaria net for just $1, we can help, by the end of the year, to get these kids to Bieber. Next year we’ll go Jonas Brothers; after that, Twilight kids; but baby steps, baby steps. Let’s get them to Bieber.”—singer/songwriter John Mayer, in a public service announcement for Malaria No More, encouraging people to help the organization buy malaria nets in third-world countries. (MTV)