Is school bus Wi-Fi letting kids get on TikTok as Sen. Ted Cruz claims, or is it a valuable way to extend the classroom and provide students with educational access?
Chris Ellison, director of transportation and fleet services at Reynolds School District in Oregon, shares high-level insights from serving as a delegate to the just-completed 17th National Congress on School Transportation. He discusses the passionate conversations and votes on emerging technology, alternative transportation, safety equipment and more.
Studies have found some evidence of liberal leanings among journalists, but not radical viewpoints.
Harvard’s Nieman Journalism Lab said everyone has a different idea about what constitutes news.
Media Biasrates most media in a range of “strong left, skews left, middle, skews right or strong right.”
Of the remainder, media rated “hyper-partisan right” or “most extreme right” outnumber those rated “hyper-partisan left” or “most extreme left.”
AllSides, which rates online U.S. political content, rates most media as “lean left,” “center” or “lean right.”
A 2022 Syracuse University survey said 52% of 1,600 U.S. journalists identified themselves as independent, 36% Democrat, 3% Republican.
A 2020 study by researchers from three U.S. universities concluded that “a dominant majority of journalists identify as liberals/Democrats,” but exhibit “no bias against conservatives” in what they cover.
The office of U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., didn’t provide evidence to back his May 9 claim that “most” American news media are “radical leftists.”
This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Protesters gather in Kenosha the second night of protests on August 24th, 2020. This was before the clashes with police later that night. (Photo by Isiah Holmes/Wisconsin Examiner)
Imagine you hear about a protest in your community and, curious, you join your neighbors who are marching in the street. Although the protest is loud and slows down traffic, it appears peaceful and non-violent. Then suddenly, someone throws a rock or spray-paints a building, and now you find yourself among those apprehended for felony rioting, regardless of whether you committed an act of vandalism or know who did.
Civil rights advocates fear such a scenario if under a Republican bill that defines a riot as a public disturbance, an act of violence or a “clear and present danger” of property destruction or personal injury involving at least three people. A similar bill was introduced in 2017 by Rep. John Spiros (R-Marshfield). A new version is (AB-88), authored by Rep. Shae Sortwell (R-Two Rivers) and Sen. Dan Feyen (R- Fond du Lac).
People who say their property was damaged or vandalized during what the bill defines as a “riot” would also be able to seek civil damages from people or organizations that “provided material support or resources with the intent that such support or resources would be used to perpetrate the offense,” under the bill. It also prohibits government officials with direct authority over law enforcement agencies from limiting or restricting those agencies’ ability to quell vandalism or rioting, as defined by the bill.
The Wisconsin Examiner’s Criminal Justice Reporting Project shines a light on incarceration, law enforcement and criminal justice issues with support from the Public Welfare Foundation.
Jon McCray Jones, a policy analyst at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Wisconsin is concerned that the bill’s definition of a “riot” is too vague. “Using that definition, a riot could be three teenagers driving around in a car knocking off mail boxes,” McCray Jones told Wisconsin Examiner. “Technically, with this definition, a riot could be a food fight.” The bill’s language concerning people who “urge, promote, organize, encourage, or instigate others to commit a riot” is also vague according to McCray Jones, who says this aspect of the bill would open protest leaders and organizers up to criminal and civil liability, regardless of their involvement in rioting.
Sortwell and Feyen did not respond to requests for comment for this story. In written testimony before the Assembly Committee on Judiciary on May 7, both lawmakers said that riots have become more common in recent years. “We saw the destructive riots a few years ago in several metropolitan areas, including right here in Madison and Kenosha,” said Sortwell, referring to George Floyd-inspired protests and unrest in 2020. “Taking a walk down State Street, one would see busted doors and windows of businesses, products stolen, and a smashed statue of a Civil War hero. Several business owners, employees, and citizens had their lives upended.”
Feyen said that “peaceful protests are a cornerstone of our public discourse and will always be protected under the First Amendment, but a line needs to be drawn when those protests go from being peaceful to being destructive and violent.” Although the bill does not mention specific protests, Feyen wrote, “stricter penalties are needed to deter protesters from crossing that line from protest to property destruction, vandalism, arson, and physical violence.”
Although scenes of burning buildings and looted stores received a lot of news coverage in 2020, studies suggest that at least 96% of Black Lives Matter protests during the movement’s peak in May and June of 2020 were peaceful. Reports by TMJ4 found that 74.3% of the nearly 200 people who’d been placed on an intelligence list by police in Milwaukee county that year had never been charged with a misdemeanor or felony. Some reports, however, using data derived from insurance claims, estimate that as much as $2 billion in damage nationally occurred due to protests in 2020.
Some residents of Kenosha – a city referenced by the bill’s authors – recall how months of non-violent protest in Kenosha after Floyd’s death were overshadowed by the unrest that occurred in August 2020. The shooting of Jacob Blake by Kenosha officer Rusten Sheskey, which paralyzed Blake, led to days of protest and unrest, millions of dollars worth of property destruction, and ended when then-17-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse fatally shot two people and wounded another, in what a jury later ruled was an act of self-defense.
Kenosha law enforcement form up with riot shields, long rifles, and armored vehicles during unrest in the city in August 2020 after the police shooting of Jacob Blake. (Photo by Isiah Holmes/Wisconsin Examiner)
During committee hearings on May 7, Sortwell said that the bill seeks to punish not only people who commit vandalism but also “those people who put together the riot.”
Several groups have either lobbied or spoken out against the bill. The Wisconsin Civil Justice Council submitted written testimony opposing the bill on the behalf of “16 business associations working together on civil liability matters.” The council said that the bill would allow for civil compensation for emotional distress stemming from property destruction, noting that emotional damages are generally limited. AB-88 would also allow for any civil compensation to include attorneys’ fees, which would be another departure from current law, the council wrote. Others spoke against the bill in person on May 7, pointing to the bill’s broad language and the chilling effect it could have on political movements.
“This bill is just a blatant attempt to stop people from protesting,” said McCray Jones. “This is a way to silence organizers from fighting for political change and threatening the status quo in power.” Organizers could potentially be sued for anything that happens at a protest, or even just for transporting someone to a protest that later turns into a riot, as defined under the bill.
What counts as urging or promoting a riot is broad enough to include common protest chants, like “no justice, no peace,” McCray Jones said. “And if you have ambitious or politically motivated district attorneys…politically motivated prosecutors, the vagueness of this bill could be weaponized … free speech now gets criminally turned into inciting a riot.”
McCray Jones added that he wonders what a police figure like former Milwaukee PD Chief Harold Breier — notorious for targeting and surveilling Black, brown and LGBTQ communities — would have been able to accomplish had such a law been at his disposal.
Protesters march toward Wauwatosa in 2020. (Photo by Isiah Holmes/Wisconsin Examiner)
As police departments develop their social media surveillance capabilities, it’s possible under the bill that making posts encouraging people to attend a protest could be seen as an attempt to “urge, promote, organize, encourage, or instigate” a riot under the bill. After the protests of 2020, some agencies that monitored protesters enacted new intelligence-gathering policies to help prevent broad, ideology-based surveillance.
“I think that right now this moment gives us a very opportune chance to highlight the importance of protecting the privacy of protesters here in Wisconsin,” McCray Jones told Wisconsin Examiner. McCray Jones said he hopes debate about the bill will become “a jumping off point to talk about not just data privacy for protesters, not just privacy from law enforcement for marginalized communities, but what does it look like to re-think our position on surveillance in the midst of this regime in D.C. that is blatantly ignoring due process, the rule of law, and civil rights.”
Andy Kaufman came on the comedy scene in the mid-1970s and befuddled his audience from the beginning. Alex Braverman was intrigued by Kaufman's cagy artistry, so he created the documentary, "Thank You Very Much," as an homage to Kaufman's brilliant career.
While navigating funding and economic uncertainties, transportation leaders may find value in creating opportunities through strategic collaboration.
If transportation projects on their own are not likely to win support in your upcoming budget cycle, they may have a path forward when aligned with other district objectives in comprehensive facility modernization programs. Such programs can bundle multiple projects into one initiative — addressing aging systems and facilities, reducing costs, and making other improvements that matter to superintendents, chief business officers, and facilities directors alike.
In this webinar, you will learn how districtwide, multi-measured facility improvement programs can capture incentive funding while generating energy and operational cost savings. These incentives and savings can help fund transportation upgrades like EV charging, school bus Wi-Fi, and other fleet improvements. Innovative programs can also create STEM engagement opportunities for students and teachers.
In this webinar, you will learn about:
Updates on school transportation funding
Strategies for aligning goals across departments and leadership roles from a superintendent’s perspective
Case studies featuring districts that developed comprehensive modernization programs to enhance learning environments, generate cost savings, and fund transportation upgrades
Brought to you by ENGIE North America
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Presenters:
Marcus Gilmore
Senior Advisor, Clean Mobility Strategy
ENGIE North America
Marcus Gilmore has over a decade of experience in the clean energy sector, leading impactful sustainability initiatives for corporations, cities, and governments. At ENGIE, he works with organizations to develop and implement strategies for transitioning to zero-emission vehicle fleets and other clean energy solutions. Previously, Gilmore led multiple state and utility market transformation programs accelerating electric vehicle adoption, charging infrastructure deployment, and medium/heavy-duty vehicle fleet electrification. He holds an MS in PR and Corporate Communications from NYU and an MSc in Major Program Management from the University of Oxford.
Michael Decker
Senior Business Development Manager
ENGIE North America
Michael Decker has nearly 30 years of experience as an administrator in Michigan public schools, culminating in his 9-year term as Superintendent of St. Charles Community Schools. He brings this wealth of practical insight to ENGIE, as he helps both schools and local government agencies find more efficient ways to meet their infrastructure needs. He holds an MA in Secondary Education from Central Michigan University and a BA in Business Administration in Marketing and Management from Northwood University.
Fresh from covering the 17th National Congress on School Transportation, Taylor joins Ryan and Tony to discuss conversations and takeaways on the school bus safety recommendations that will make it into the National School Transportation Specifications and Procedures Manual.
Upcoming STN EXPO West and TSD Conference sessions will discuss tariffs and manufacturing developments, safety in and around the bus, and pertinent updates for transporters of students with disabilities.
David Johnson, executive director for the Iowa Pupil Transportation Association, joins us to share his perspectives and some local flavor as well.
Chronic absenteeism in schools remains above pre-pandemic levels nationwide. Recent reports show that a primary way to improve attendance is to ensure students have reliable school transportation.
During the presentation, Detroit Public Schools Community District will share how they have leveraged innovative technology and multi-modal transportation plans to address chronic absenteeism while delivering cost savings and driving operational excellence for their district.
This webinar will highlight:
The realities of chronic absenteeism across the country and actionable insights for attendees to bring back to their districts.
How districts can diversify their transportation mix to include buses, vans and small vehicles.
Ways DPSCD improved their attendance rates, while improving their daily operations.
With the school year quickly approaching, this webinar will help provide a framework for attendees to close out the year strong and set transportation and operations teams up for success next school year.
Brought to you by HopSkipDrive
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Speakers:
Aaron Walter Executive Director of Transportation
Detroit Public Schools Community District
Joe Brumfield
VP Business Development
HopSkipDrive
Tony, Ryan and Taylor recap the conversations, updates and new technology showcased at the ACT Expo in Anaheim, California last week, including: how AI and automation can assist the industry, developments in clean energy choices, tariff impact on manufacturing, the dismantling of Lion Electric, and more.
James Holtz, regional sales manager at RIDE Mobility, talked with STN publisher and president Tony Corpin at the Advanced Clean Transportation Expo conference about the company’s focus on innovation and safety with their new school bus models.
Tony Corpin sat down with First Student CEO John Kenning at the Advanced Clean Transportation Expo to discuss the company’s innovative offerings, the launch of the HALO technology platform and more! Watch the full interview.
Editor in Chief Ryan Gray caught up with Bryan Wilson, the general manager of eMobility at Accelera by Cummins at the Advanced Clean Transportation Expo. Watch for more on the technology announcements from the conference that directly impact school transportation.
At the Advanced Clean Transportation Expo, STN publisher and president Tony Corpin talked with Gaurav Sharda, chief technology officer at Beacon Mobility about the trends he’s seeing as a transportation contractor and exciting new technology releases.
Live at the Advanced Clean Transportation Expo, Tony Corpin, president and publisher of STN, discussed the new features of the Thomas Built Buses Jouley Gen 2 model with powertrain and technology sales manager, Mark Childers.
Get updates on the EPA Clean School Bus Program and dive into the State of Sustainable Fleets Report.
Gaurav Sharda, chief technology officer at Beacon Mobility, discusses how an improved relationship between IT and student transportation improves efficiency, safety and service for families.
The seatbelt debate is reignited after a fatal South Carolina school bus crash. Learn more about safety equipment and procedures being considered by the National Congress on School Transportation and stay tuned for onsite coverage from its 17th meeting as well as the upcoming Advanced Clean Transportation (ACT) Expo.
Amazement Artist, Hall of Fame speaker and professional magician Jon Petz discusses creating significance in simple moments for a more engaged workforce, which he will expand upon in his upcoming keynote at STN EXPO West and the Transportation Director Summit in Reno this July.
UW-Madison professor Douglas McLeod has studied media coverage of protests for years. He says the success of protest movements can hinge on how they are portrayed in the news.
Breakdowns of the federal Driving Forward Act’s impact on school bus driver training, new student transportation topics being covered by the National Congress on School Transportation writing committee, and doing what’s best for the children.
Monique Jackson, area manager for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools in North Carolina, discusses her passion for education access, her children’s book “Gus, the Talking Safety Bus,” and teaching students school bus safety.
In this webinar, you will learn about the latest innovations in radio communications and dispatching solutions for K-12 student transportation.
Whether you are deploying a new radio and GPS location tracking system or looking to add range and capacity to your existing system, this webinar will help you determine the best solutions for your school or district transportation. We will present an overview of current two-way radio systems and standards that use licensed UHF and VHF frequencies, and nationwide 4G/5G/LTE Push-to-Talk over Cellular (PoC). Here are some of the valuable takeaways from this complete guide to radio communications webinar:
How to choose the best radio system for your specific coverage and call capacity requirements
How to migrate from analog to digital for improved performance
How to extend the range and expand the capacity of your radio system
How to add wide area coverage with PoC radios for buses and dispatching to your existing school’s radio system
This webinar is brought to you by Hytera.
REGISTER BELOW:
Presenters:
Ty Estes
Marketing Director
Hytera
Ty Estes is the Marketing Director for Hytera US Inc, where he oversees promotion of the company’s radio communication products. Estes has over twenty years of experience in marketing wireless communications and network technologies, and he has chaired committees in telecommunications trade associations and authored several technical papers. Estes has a bachelor’s degree in English from California State University, Long Beach.
Julie Ann Baker
PoC Product Manager
Hytera
Julie Ann Baker is the Hytera US Inc. Push-to-Talk over Cellular (PoC) Product Marketing Manager. In this role, she is responsible for product planning and marketing, gathering and prioritizing product and customer requirements, and analyzing and understanding how PoC product line meets the needs of a variety of vertical markets. Baker has worked in high-tech for Intel Corporation, Microchip Technologies, and Hytera US. Julie Ann has a BSEE and MBA.
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, Hall of Fame speaker and professional magician Jon Petz discusses creating significance in simple moments for a more engaged workforce, which he will expand upon in his upcoming keynote at STN EXPO West and the Transportation Director Summit in Reno this July.
Ty Estes is the Marketing Director for Hytera US Inc, where he oversees promotion of the company’s radio communication products. Estes has over twenty years of experience in marketing wireless communications and network technologies, and he has chaired committees in telecommunications trade associations and authored several technical papers. Estes has a bachelor’s degree in English from California State University, Long Beach.
Julie Ann Baker is the Hytera US Inc. Push-to-Talk over Cellular (PoC) Product Marketing Manager. In this role, she is responsible for product planning and marketing, gathering and prioritizing product and customer requirements, and analyzing and understanding how PoC product line meets the needs of a variety of vertical markets. Baker has worked in high-tech for Intel Corporation, Microchip Technologies, and Hytera US. Julie Ann has a BSEE and MBA.