On Feb. 8, 2024, in Oklahoma, Nex Benedict, a 16-year-old nonbinary student tragically passed away. The day before, they had been in a physical altercation with three students in a bathroom. According to their mother, Benedict had been bullied at school over their gender identity. Just months ...
In the state of Utah, we typically talk about WalletHub’s “Best & Worst States for Women’s Equality,” which we have continuously ranked dead last (50th of 50) for nine years running. Although some people dismiss and excuse these rankings away, our own in-depth research in 2021 ...
On Aug. 19, 1977, Time magazine published a cover story, “The American Underclass.” People in this group came from “all races and live in many places,’’ but it mostly consisted of poor “urban blacks.” This minority of “people who are seen to be stuck more or less permanently at ...
“I’ve never had a professor that looks like you.” That’s what a Latina undergraduate student told me on the first day of class. They have lived in Utah all their life. “I’m glad I chose Weber State.” This warmed my heart and reinforced my decision to become a professor, but it ...
Passing the Child Tax Credit (CTC) is one of the most powerful things we can do to strengthen national security. National security requires a strong and functional citizenry, capable of building a strong economy in a thriving nation. What is the link between the CTC and a strong economy? A ...
Bosses, like parents, have the gift of showing up just when their employees are doing something they’d rather not explain. For example, my office recently held a farewell party for my boss, who has moved onward and upward. I thought it would be a nice touch to project an image on the big ...
On Feb. 6 during the House Business and Labor Committee meeting, Rep. Norm Thurston (District 62) diminished the good intentions of fellow Republican Rep. Ray Ward (Bountiful), a physician whose bill would have provided Medicaid coverage for more pregnant women living in poverty. Thurston, an ...
We’ve all heard career politicians fill their campaigns with empty promises only to get elected then go to D.C. to serve their own interests. But I’m no career politician and neither am I interested in going to Washington for any other reason but to fight for Utahns. This is why I’ve ...
Recently, Utah House Speaker Mike Schultz decided to deliver a short lecture about journalism’s role in a democratic republic during a “media availability” with reporters at the Capitol. The exchange shows there is work to be done in helping the public and lawmakers better understand what ...
When you think about great teachers in your life, what do you think of? Their intelligence? Their ability to help you learn? The transformative experiences they created both inside and outside of the classroom? The confidence they gave you to do things you never thought you could do? Their ...
