OF COURSE WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE MIDDLE EAST - PLUS HOME SCHOOLING ON THE RISE AND VOTERS LINING UP IN MANLIUS.

THAT'S COMING UP NEXT - ON IVORY TOWER.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> WELCOME TO IVORY TOWER.

I'M BARBARA FOUGHT, FROM SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY.

OUR PANEL OF PROFESSORS TONIGHT INCLUDES NINA BROWN FROM COLGATE UNIVERSITY AND WE WELCOME BACK A LONG-TIME PANELIST LISA DOLAK, FROM SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY.

ALSO HERE CHAD SPARBER FROM COLGATE AND LUKE PERRY, FROM UTICA UNIVERSITY.

IT'S BEEN A TOUGH WEEK IN OUR WORLD.

I FOUND IT HARD TO WATCH THE THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES IS UNABLE TO ACT WITHOUT A SPEAKER AND THE UNSPEAKABLE TERROR, DEATH, DESTRUCTION BOTH ISRAEL AND GAZA.

LET'S START WITH THAT.

CHAD, BENJAMIN NETANYAHU SAYS HE WANTS TO WIPE OUT HAMAS.

IS THAT POSSIBLE IF.

>> I THINK THAT THE AFTERMATH OF 9/11 TAUGHT US HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO FIGHT A WAR AGAINST A NON-STATE POWER.

THIS INCIDENT IS VERY DIFFERENT.

THIS IS AN ATTACK NOT JUST ON ISRAEL BUT ON ISRAEL PSYCHE, THAT THEY RIGHTLY SEE HAMAS AS AN EXISTENTIAL THREAT TO THEIR CONTINUED EXISTENCE AND THEY REFUSE TO SEE THEMSELVES AS VICTIMS SO THE RALS IS NOT GOING TO BE KIND.

THEY'RE GOING TO ACCEPT FAR MORE CIVILIAN CASUALTIES THAN THE U.S.

EVER WOULD IF HAMAS CONTINUES TO CONDUCT MILITARY OPERATIONS ON ITS OWN CIVILIAN AREAS, ISRAEL IS GOING TO HAVE NO QUALMS IN ATTACKING, EVEN IF THAT MEANS SACRIFICING THE GOOD WILL OF THE WEST TO ACHIEF ITS SAFETY.

AND SO IT'S POSSIBLE, BUT IT'S GOING TO BE LONG, UGLY AND VERY, VERY SAD.

>> NINA, WHAT DO YOU THINK.

>> I THINK THAT AS CHAD ALLUDED TO, THERE IS A VERY SERIOUS ISSUE HERE WITH ISRAEL HAVING TO DEAL WITH HAMAS.

BUT I THINK THAT WE ARE GOING DOWN A DARK ALLEY WHEN WE WANT TO CONCENTRATE THIS ISSUE IN THE MIDDLE EAST.

THERE IS A PROBLEM OF ANTI-SEMITISM THAT GOES WELL BEYOND ISRAEL AND THE WAKE OF SOME OF THESE INCIDENTS, THE ANTIDEFAMATION LEAGUE CAME OUT AND SAID THAT ANTI-SEMITISM OF THE FAR RIGHT AND FAR LEFT ARE PUSHING INTO THE MAINSTREAM OF AMERICAN CULTURE AND POLITICS AND FROM BOTH SIDES AND IT WOULD BEHOOVE US TO SEE THIS AS A WAKE-UP CALL TO THAT AND TO PUSH BACK AGAINST THE IDEA THAT WHAT IS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW IS SOMEHOW AN EXCEPTION TO WHAT IS HAPPENING, NOT JUST IN THE U.S., BUT ACROSS THE GLOBE IN PARIS AND LONDON AND EVEN CANADA AND SYDNEY, AND PARTICULARLY TROUBLING FOR ME IS THAT WE ARE SEEING MANY CAMPUSES REACT TO THIS IN A WAY THAT'S NOT JUST REASONABLY SIM THEMMIC TO THE PALESTINIANS-- SYMPATHETIC TO THE PALESTINIANS WHO LIVE IN GAZA AND ARE NOW NECESSARILY ALIGNED WITH HAMAS, BUT WHO ARE JOINING THE HAMAS CALL FOR REACTING TO ISRAEL IN A WAY THAT AMOUNTS TO SUPPORT FOR EXTINCTION.

AT COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY, HUNDREDS OF STUDENTS CHANTED IN SUPPORT OF HAMAS.

AT STANFORD UNIVERSITY, THE SAME THING.

ONE LEADER WHO SAID THAT THE GOAL OF ISRAEL IS NOT TO DEFEND ITSELF, BUT TO WIPE OUT ALL PALESTINIANS.

THAT SORT OF HYPERBOLE IS DANGEROUS.

AND THEN AT UCLA HUNDREDS OF STUDENTS CALLED FOR VIOLENCE AGAINST ISRAEL.

SO, YES, THIS IS A CRITICAL MOMENT IN THE MIDDLE EAST.

IT IS HAMAS, BUT WE ARE KIDDING OURSELVES IF WE ARE NOT ACCEPTING THAT THE SIGNS ARE ACROSS THE GLOBE AND ESPECIALLY HERE IN THE U.S. >> I'M REALLY GLAD YOU BROUGHT UP CAMPUSES BECAUSE I THINK THIS HAS PROVEN TO BE AN ENORMOUS TEST FOR UNIVERSITIES AND I THINK THERE IS A LOT OF LESSONS TO BE LEARNED ALONG THE LINES OF THINGS YOU ARE SAYING, BUT ALSO, YOU KNOW, THE EXTENT TO WHICH UNIVERSITIES HAVE TAKEN-- HAVE MADE STATEMENTS ON CERTAIN ISSUES AND WHETHER SOME OF THEM NOW REGRET HAVING TAKEN POSITIONS ON OTHER ISSUES.

AND I JUST THINK IT'S NOT BEEN A GREAT WEEK FOR AMERICAN UNIVERSITIES, BOTH IN TERMS OF HOW SOME HAVE MISSTEPPED AND OTHERS HAVE FELT THE CHALLENGE.

AND WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO FOCUS ON IS THE FUTURE OF THE MIDDLE EAST AND I REALLY, YOU KNOW, I AGREE WITH WHAT YOU SAID, CHAD, BUT I REALLY HOPE THAT THERE IS SUFFICIENT FOCUS ON THE FUTURE.

I MEAN I UNDERSTAND CERTAINLY THE DESIRE FOR, NOT JUST VENGEANCE OR RETRIBUTION, BUT ALSO, YOU KNOW, THE NEED TO PROTECT THE FUTURE SECURITY OF ISRAEL AND THE STEPS THAT ARE GOING TO BE TAKEN.

BUT I HOPE THAT THERE IS A LOT OF PARTNERSHIP WITH BOTH THE UNITED STATES, WITH REGARD TO THE REACTION AND WITH, YOU KNOW, OTHER ARAB ALLIES IN THE REGION.

AND I HOPE THERE IS THOUGHTFULNESS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE TWO MILLION PEOPLE WHO LIVE THERE AND THE PROSPECTS FOR A WIDER WAR AND-- I GUESS REALLY THE THING THAT PRESIDENT BIDEN SAID THAT I APPRECIATED THE MOST THIS WEEK WAS, I MEAN I CERTAINLY APPRECIATED HIS EMPATHY AND HIS STRENGTH AND STRENGTH IN LEADERSHIP, BUT WHEN HE SAID HELP US HELP YOU, WHEN HE SAID THAT TO ISRAEL, RIGHT?

HELP THE WORLD COMMUNITY HELP YOU.

AND OBVIOUSLY WHAT HE MEANT WAS, BE THOUGHTFUL ABOUT THE RESPONSE HERE.

AND I KNOW THERE IS OBVIOUS EVIDENCE THIS MORNING THAT THERE ARE TREMENDOUS EFFORTS IN THAT REGARD.

>> I THINK PRESIDENT BIDEN IS IN AN EXTRAORDINARILY DIFFICULT POSITION.

INITIALLY THE ADMINISTRATION THROUGH THE SECRETARY OF STATE WAS SPEAKING ABOUT DEESCALATION AND THOSE SOCIAL MEDIAS MESSAGES WERE QUICKLY ELIMINATED AND NOW THE PRESIDENT HAS TAKEN AN UNWAVERING SUPPORT TOWARDS ISRAEL.

HIS HANDS ARE TIED.

I THINK ISRAEL IS OUR BIGGEST ALLY IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAITS THROUGH THE POINTS RAISED EARLIER.

THERE ARE SUBSTANTIVE WAY REASONS TO SUPPORT ISRAEL.

I UNDERSTAND WHY THAT IS HAPPENING PUBLICLY BUT I HOPE BEHIND THE SCENES THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT EFFORTS TO TRY TO DEESCALATE, TO HAVE CONSIDERATION TOWARDS PROPORTIONALITY IN REGARDS TO THE MILITARY RESPONSE THAT ISRAEL IS GOING TO TAKE TO PRIORITIZE CIVILIAN LIVES AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

ALL THESE THINGS ARE EXTRAORDINARILY DIFFICULT TO DO IN THE WAKE OF TERRORIST ATTACK WHERE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ARE DEAD AND ON TOP OF THAT, 27 AMERICANS SO FAR, WE KNOW HAVE BEEN KILLED IN THIS.

THERE ARE MANY MORE HOSTAGES.

AS THE AMERICAN LEADER THAT IS A TOP PRIORITY AND NOT AN EASY OBJECTIVE TO TRY TO RESPOND TO THAT.

>> I THINK YOUR POINT ABOUT PROPARGSALITY AND THE LONG-TERM CONSEQUENCES FOR THE POLITICS AND THE RELATIONSHIP ARE REALLY KEY BECAUSE I THINK THAT WHAT MAY HAVE INADVERTENTLY BEEN DONE BY HAMAS IS TO DECREASE WORLD SYMPATHY FOR STRENGTHENING THE VIABILITY OF A TWO-STATE SOLUTION.

I JUST DON'T THINK THAT THE REST OF THE WORLD IS GOING TO BE AS SUPPORTIVE OF THAT AS IT HAS BEEN IN THE PAST.

AND THIS IS NOT ME IGNORING THE INCREASED SETTLEMENT EXPANSION AND ACTIVITY, BUT THE RESPONSE HERE TRULY WAS INHUMANE.

>> IT HELPS FOR AN OUTSIDER TO LEARN THAT PALESTINE AND HAMAS ARE TWO DIFFERENT ENTITIES, RIGHT?

AND TO TRY TO UNDERSTAND THE ISRAELI POSITION OF YOU KNOW, THEY FACE A DILEMMA.

THEY WANT TO WITHDRAWAL DRAW FOO-- THEY WANT TO WITHDRAW FROM THE PALESTINIAN AREAS BUT THEY CANNOT DO THAT AS LONG AS IT IS RULED BY AN ORGANIZATION THAT DENIES THE LEGITIMACY OF THEIR EXISTENCE.

>> IT ELECTED INTO OFFICE, BY THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE THERE, AND SO I THINK THIS IS ANOTHER LESSON TO AMERICA TO THINK VERY CAREFULLY ABOUT WHO WE CHOOSE IN 2024 FOR OUR LEADERS BECAUSE ALTHOUGH HAMAS APPEAR TO BE VERY SYMPATHETIC, SORT OF SENSING WHAT WAS BELIEVED TO BE THE PALESTINIAN PREFERENCES FOR JUST BEING RECOGNIZED AND HAVING A STATE OF THEIR OPEN, BUT SO, TOO, HERE, WE REALLY NEED TO THINK ABOUT ELECTING TRUMP IS NOT JUST ABOUT HIM TOUTING, YOU KNOW, THE INTERESTS OF THE AGGRIEVED MAGA FOLKS BUT THERE ARE BROADER GLOBAL CONSEQUENCES FOR THAT CHOICE SHOULD IT BE MADE IN 2024 AS WELL.

>> WELL, IF YOU ARE WATCHING US ON FRIDAY NIGHT, I HOPE YOU WILL TUNE IN AT 9:30 WHEN PBS IS AIRING A SPECIAL WAR IN THE HOLY LAND.

IT'S A ONE-HOUR SHOW WITH REPORTS FROM THE REGION AND INTERVIEWS AND ANALYSIS ON THE WAR.

THAT'S AT NINE THERT ON FRIDAY NIGHT.

-- 9:30 FRIDAY NIGHT.

TURNING TO OUR SECOND TOPIC, A LONG LINE OF PEOPLE - SOME WAITING AS LONG AS TWO HOURS- TO VOTE IN A SPECIAL LOCAL ELECTION FOR HOW TO STRUCTURE THE TOWN BOARD.

.

OVERWHELMINGLY - 70 TO 30 -- VOTERS DECIDED TO KEEP THE CURRENT SYSTEM OF AT-LARGE MEMBERS RATHER THAN HAVE DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVES.

LISA, YOU WERE A PART OF THAT - GIVE US THE BACKGROUND.

>> I ARRIVED AT ABOUT 11:00 ON MY BIKE AND VERY GLAD I DIDN'T COME IN MY CAR BECAUSE PARKING WAS A CONDITIONAL.

THEY WERE DOING A GOOD JOB TRYING TO HELP PEOPLE WITH THAT AND I WAS VERY SURPRISED.

I DID NOT ANTICIPATE THAT LINE.

I STOOD IN IT FOR ABOUT AN HOUR AND IT WAS-- I FELTED LIKE A VERY INSPIRING EXPERIENCE THAT PEOPLE CAME OUT TO VOTE.

LOTS OF GOOD WILL IN THE LINE.

I DIDN'T ASK PEOPLE HOW THEY WERE VOTING BUT IT WAS EVIDENT TO ME FROM THE TURNOUT WHICH WAY IT WAS GOING TO GO.

THERE WAS A REAL SORT OF AIR OF NOT-- OVER MY DEAD BODY IN THE AIR.

THAT'S THE WAY IT FELT.

AND I THINK TWO THINGS ABOUT IT.

I DO THINK IT'S PART OF PEOPLE'S RECOGNITION THAT IF YOU WANT TO, YOU KNOW, HAVE A VOICE, YOU HAVE TO VOTE.

I DO THINK THERE IS SOME OF THAT.

BUT I ALSO THINK THIS WAS SEEN, YOU KNOW, RIGHTLY OR WRONGLY, AS AN EFFORT BY THE REPUBLICAN PROPONENTS OF THE PROPOSAL FOR DISTRICTS TO, YOU KNOW, SORT OF ENSURE THEMSELVES SOME SAFE DISTRICTS AND I THINK PEOPLE HAVE CAUGHT ON BIG TIME TO WHAT I HAVE SAID ON THIS SHOW MANY TIMES; THAT THIS NOTION OF GERRYMANDERING, I THINK, IS THE BIGGEST PROBLEM WITH OUR POLITICAL SYSTEM.

AND I THINK THIS WAS A SORT OF MINI REACTION TO THAT IN THE TOWN OF MANLIUS.

>> I WONDER HOW MUCH OF IT WAS A REACTION ALSO, LISA.

AND YOU WILL KNOW ABOUT THIS BETTER THAN I WILL, TO THE WAY IN WHICH REPUBLICAN POLITICS HAVE UNFOLDED IN RECENT MONTHS THERE OR PERHAPS I SHOULD SAY CONSERVATIVES.

I'M THINKING ABOUT THE MARCH, WHERE THERE WERE SOME WHITE SUPREMACISTS.

I'M THINKING ABOUT THE OVEREMPHASIS ON THE IMMIGRANT STATUS OF THOSE WHO OR WHO WERE INVOLVED IN THE SWAN INCIDENT.

I WONDER IF THERE IS SOME OF THAT GOING ON.

BUT I WILL SAY THIS.

THAT TYPICALLY SINGLE DISTRICT APPORTIONMENT SCHEMES BENEFIT MINORITIES.

AND HISTORICALLY IN THE 1960s, WHEN INDIVIDUAL VOTING RIGHTS WERE SECURED, WHAT MANY SOUTHERN STATES DID WAS SWITCH FROM SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS TO AT LARGE AND MULTI-MEMBER DISTRICTS BECAUSE IT EFFECTIVELY DILUTED THE MINORITY VOTE.

BUT THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT IS IT REQUIRES A DEGREE OF SEGREGATION, RIGHT, THAT HAVE YOU TO HAVE ENOUGH FOLKS IN A SINGLE DISTRICT FOR IT TO WORK.

IT ALSO ASSUMES A DEGREE OF GROUP THING THAT THOSE WHO ARE A CERTAIN COLOR WILL VOTE A CERTAIN WAY.

SO I SEE MANLIUS AS A BIT OF AN EXCEPTION, AN EXCEPTION ALSO IN REGARD TO THE VOTER TURNOUT BECAUSE YOU KNOW, THE VOTER TURNOUT WAS VERY HIGH.

IT'S NOT HIGH ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

AND IT ALSO TENDS TO BE HIGHER AMONG FOLKS WHO ARE MORE WELL TO DO, WHICH I THINK IT'S FAIR TO DESCRIBE MANLIUS AS BEING BETTER OFF.

>> THE MINORITY ISSUE IS AN INTERESTING ONE THAT I THOUGHT ABOUT, IN PART BECAUSE THE TOWN OF MANLIUS IS 95% WHITE AND 3% ASIAN.

THEY ACTIVELY PURSUE EXCLUSIONARY ZONING POLICIES THAT PROHIBIT MULTIFAMILY HOMES AND KEEP BLACK, HISPANIC AND LOW INCOME FAMILIES OUT.

I'M NOT TRYING TO QUESTION THE INTENT OR THE CHARACTER OF THE RESIDENTS OF THAT TOWN, BUT THEIR POLICIES CERTAINLY HAVE THE EFFECT OF SAYING MINORITIES AND YOUR VOICES ARE NOT WELCOME.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME, LIKE THIS IS-- WE ARE TALKING ABOUT REALLY NARROWLY DEFINED GOVERNMENT ENTITY, A TOWN, BY NATURE ARE GOING TO BE HOMOGENOUS BECAUSE PEOPLE VOTE WITH THEIR FEET AND MOVE TO BE NEAR LIKE MINDED PEOPLE SO ULTIMATELY MY SYMPATHY WITH THE MINORITY REPUBLICAN VOICES IS LIMIT LIMITED.

>> DO YOU REALLY WANT TO PUT IT THAT WAY.

I DON'T CARE WHAT THE MINORITIES... >> THE MINORITY REPUBLICAN VOICES-- I'M SAYING TO MY REPUBLICAN BROTHERS AND SISTERS, COME ON.

>> I DON'T WANT TO MINIMIZE.

>> KUDOS TO THAT.

>> I DON'T WANT TO MINIMIZE THE CONCERNS THAT I KNOW EXIST ON THE PART OF SOME RESIDENTS OF THE TOWN THAT THEY'RE NOT BEING REPRESENTED.

BUT I JUST DON'T THINK HOW IT WAS SEEN.

>> LUKE, WHAT DO YOU SEE?

>> I THINK THERE ARE SOME EXTRAORDINARY PARTS OF THIS AS NINA SPOKE TO, BUT TO ME AS AN ELECTION SCHOLAR WITH LIMITED INFORMATION ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR I ELECTRICS, IT SEEMS LIKE PARTISANSHIP WAS A DRIVING FORCE IN TERMS OF THE OUTCOME OF WHAT HAPPENED DEMOCRATS BETTER MOBILIZED TO MAKE SURE THEY COULD HELP THEIR FELLOW PARTY MEMBERS STAY IN POWER.

>> LISA, WAS IT THAT IT WAS ON A SATURDAY?

WAS IT THAT THERE WAS ONLY ONE POLLING PLACE SO EVERYBODY HAD THIS GROUP FEELING.

>> THAT, I MEAN THAT HAD CONTRIBUTED OBVIOUSLY TO THE LINE, RIGHT, THAT THERE WAS ONLY ONE POLLING PLACE AND THERE WAS SOME UNHAPPINESS ABOUT THAT AND RECRIMINATIONS ON BOTH SIDES.

IF THE REPUBLICANS WAITED FOR THE NOVEMBER ELECTION, THERE WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN JUST ONE POLLING PLACE.

AND SO-- I JUST AGAIN, I JUST FEEL LIKE A LOT OF IT WAS REACTION TO HOW THE PROPOSAL CAME TO BE AND WHEN AND I THINK THERE WAS A LOT OF SENTIMENT ABOUT IT.

>> LET'S HOPE THIS IS GOOD FOR DEMOCRACY AND SEE INCREASED VOTER TURNOUT IN NOVEMBER.

>> IT WILL COME BACK, RIGHT?

>> IT CAN COME BACK.

>> LET'S MOVE ON TO OUR THIRD TOPIC.

EVEN THOUGH WE'RE OUT OF PANDEMIC NOW -- NATIONALLY - AND IN MANY SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN CENTRAL NEW YORK ---MORE PARENTS ARE HOMESCHOOLING COMPARED TO BEFORE THE PANDEMIC.

IN AUBURN, OSWEGO AND JAMESVILLE-DEWITT..THE NUMBERS MORE THAN DOUBLED ---BUT WERE BETWEEN ONE AND TWO PERCENT OF ALL STUDENTS.

LUKE, WHAT IS THE REASON FOR THIS INCREASED INTEREST IN HOME SCHOOLING.

>> I THINK COVID GETS A LOT OF THE ATTENTION WHICH MAKES SENSE BUT FOR ME THERE IS AN IMPORTANT CHANGE PRIOR TO THAT THAT I LOOK AT AS THE STARTING POINT.

IN 2019 A MEASLES OUTBREAK IN NEW YORK STATE, PARTICULARLY IN NEW YORK CITY.

IT WAS A DISEASE THAT STATE HEALTH OFFICIALS THOUGHTS WE HAD ERADICATED.

THE LEGISLATURE RESPONDED BY REMOVING THE RELIGIOUS EXEMPTION FOR VACCINE MANDATES BECAUSE AS YOU FOE FOR STUDENTS TO GO TO SCHOOL, THEY'RE REQUIRED TO HAVE SEVERAL VACCINES INCLUDING MEASLES AND AT THAT TIME IN 2019 WHEN THIS HAPPENED, THERE WERE 26,000 STUDENTS ACROSS THE STATE WHO HAD THESE RELIGIOUS EXEMPTIONS.

AND I THINK THAT'S THE BEGINNING POINT FOR WHY WE HAVE SEEN AN INCREASED IN HOME SCHOOLING.

I THINK IF YOU ARE OF THE PERSPECTIVE THAT VACCINES ARE DATABASING RUSS AND YOU ARE POISE-- DANGEROUS AND POISONING YOUR CHILDREN AND YOU USED TO GET A RELIGIOUS EXEMPTION AND NOW YOU CAN'T, MOST OF THIS INCREASED POPULATION FALLS INTO THAT CATEGORY.

THEY DON'T WANT TO DO IT SO THEY'LL HOME SCHOOL THEIR CHILDREN.

>> I HADN'T EVEN THOUGHT ABOUT THAT PERSPECTIVE.

VERY INTERESTING.

LISA, WHAT IS YOUR SENSE HERE?

>> I MEAN IT'S-- THE DATA IS COMPELLING.

I MEAN IT SURPRISES ME ALTHOUGH THERE IS RELATED DATA ABOUT INCREASED IN ABSENTEEISM ACROSS SCHOOLS, SO, YOU KNOW, I JUST FIND IT-- I HAVE CONCERNS ONLY BECAUSE I FIND IT-- I MEAN I KNOW IT TAKES A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF DISCIPLINE TO HOME SCHOOL YOUR KIDS.

AND.

>> AND PATIENCE.

[LAUGHTER] >> AND, YOU KNOW, I WONDER WHETHER THE PEOPLE WHO ARE, ALL PEEMENT WHO ARE UNDERTAKING THIS HAVE THAT DISCIPLINE AND THAT COMMITMENT, THE COMMITMENT THAT IT TAKES.

SO I WORRY ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE FUTURE OF THOSE CHILDREN IN SOME CASES.

>> I WONDER IF IT'S SOME RELATED TO THE FEAR OF SCHOOL VIOLENCE OR IS IT CULTURE WARS?

>> IT'S A LOT OF THINGS.

LUKE WAS RIGHT IN THAT THERE WAS AN INCREASING TREND IN HOME SCHOOLING BEFORE COVID AND THEN A BIG DISCREET JUMP THAT HAPPENED DURING THE COVID ERA.

THERE IS SOME RECENT RESEARCH FROM ECONOMISTS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AND BOSTON UNIVERSITY THAT KIND OF DIG INTO WHY THAT HAPPENED AND THERE ARE THESE INTERESTING FINDINGS LIKE HOME SCHOOLING WAS PARTICULARLY LARGE IN SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT WENT IN PERSON INSTRUCTION FIRST AND THAT REFLECTS THIS FEAR OF GETTING ILLNESS.

IT WAS ACTUALLY PARTICULARLY CONCENTRATED AMONG BLACK AND LOW INCOME FAMILIES, WHICH KIND OF SPEAKS TO THE COMMUNITIES THAT WERE MOST AFFECTED BY THE NASTINESS OF COVID.

BUT THE BIGGEST RISE IN HOME SCHOOLING IS ACTUALLY WITH THE KINDERGARTENERS AND DELAYED START.

AND THAT SUGGESTS THAT WHEN AND IF THOSE KIDS DO REJOIN SCHOOL, PUBLIC SCHOOL, THE STUDENT BODY IS GOING TO BE MUCH MORE HETEROGENEOUS THAN IT WAS BEFORE AND THAT'S GOING TO BE MUCH MORE DIFFICULT TO TEACH THAT STUDENT BODY.

SO CHALLENGES AHEAD.

>> YEAH, I THINK IN TERMS OF SCALE, I'M LESS WORRIED ABOUT THE CONDITIONALS BECAUSE I KNOW WE WENT BACK AND FORTH ON THE NUMBERS, BUT WE ARE REALLY TALKING WHAT, 2, 3% OF THE OVERALL SCHOOL DISTRICT STUDENT POPULATION.

WHAT CONCERNS ME MORE IS THE LONGER TREND OF WHICH THE REACTION TO VACCINES, I THINK, IS A PART.

WE HAVE SEEN THIS PUSH OVER THE YEARS FOR A GREATER PARENTAL AUTONOMY, BEGINNING FIRST WITH THE PUSH FOR SCHOOL VOUCHERS AND THEN THE CONTROL OVER WHICH BOOKS ARE READ AND CAN APPEAR IN SCHOOL LIBRARIES, WHAT CAN BE TAUGHT IN SCHOOL DISTRICTS SO I THINK THOSE INTERESTS ARE PART OF IT.

BUT THEN THIS IS ENABLED AND FUELED IN PART BY THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE GREATER STRUCTURAL CAPACITY FOR HOME SCHOOLING BY WAY OF ACCESS TO INFORMATION ON THE INTERNET.

IF YOU DO A GOOGLE OF THE NUMBER OF HOME SCHOOLING RESOURCE ORGANIZATIONS, THOSE ARE IN PLENTIFUL SUPPLY.

AND THEN ALSO THE PROFESSIONAL SUPPORTS AND COMMUNITIES.

SO THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THIS CAN INCREASE.

WE SHOULD THINK MORE ABOUT WHY.

>> TO GIVE YOU A QUICK SENSE OF THE NUMBERS HERE.

IMMEDIATELY BEFORE COVID 4.5% OF HOUSEHOLDS WITH CHILDREN HAD AT LEAST ONE HOME SCHOOLED KID.

THAT NUMBER JUMPED TO 7.3% RIGHT AFTER COVID.

>> NATIONAL FIGURES.

>> YOU ARE A FORMER SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER, WHAT IS THE IMPACT OF THIS IF THIS KEEPS GROWING ON THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM?

>> CERTAINLY THINK SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS AND SCHOOL BOARDS DON'T THINK IT'S OPTIMAL.

THEY THINK THE STUDENTS CAN BE BEST SERVED WHEN THEY'RE FULLY INTEGRATED INTO THE LEARNING COMMUNITY.

SO IT'S NOT REALLY A RESOURCE THING.

IT'S HOW DO YOU BEST SERVE STUDENTS AND I THINK THE PREDOMINANT THINKING IS BY HAVING THEM IN THE COMMUNITY.

ONE THING I WANTED TO SAY ONE THING I EXPERIENCED ANECDOTALLY WAS RELIGIOUS OBJECTIONS AND VACCINE CONCERNS, THOSE WERE DEAL BREAKERS AND PAWRNTS WOULD REMOVE STUDENTS AND HOME SCHOOL.

THE BOOK ISSUE IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.

WHAT IS GOING ON IN THE LIBRARY, THEY'LL RAISE A STINK AT SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS BUT I HAVEN'T SEEN ANECDOTALLY PARENTS PULLING THEIR KIDS OUT FOR THAT REASON.

THERE ARE DICHOTOMIES WITH THESE ISSUES WHICH I THINK IS INTERESTING.

>> IT IS TIME TO OPEN UP THE GRADEBOOK.

WE ARE GOING TO ASK YOU FOR AN F. >> MY F IS GOING TO DEAL WITH BOOK BANNING, WHICH REACHED HISTORIC HIGHS IN THE U.S.

IN 2021 AND 2022.

A LOT OF BOOKS WERE BANNED, BUT THE WASHINGTON POST DID AN ANALYSIS THAT FOUND THAT ONLY 11 ADULTS WERE BEHIND 60% OF THE BOOK BANS AND QUEEN OF OBJECTORS IS ONE WOMAN BY THE NAME OF JENNIFER PETERSON, WHO IS A STAY AT HOME MOM.

AND WHATEVER ONE THINKS ABOUT THE BOOKS THEMSELVES, A HANDFUL OF STAY AT HOME PARENTS SHOULD NOT DECIDE WHAT BOOKS ARE AVAILABLE ACROSS THE COUNTRY IN AMERICAN SCHOOLS.

>> LISA.

>> MY F GOES TO PROPOSALS IN SOME ELECTION JURISDICTION AS ROUND THE COUNTRY TO HAVE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS SHIFT TO HAND COUNTING VOTES ON BALLOTS.

EXPERIENCE SO FAR WITH THESE SO CALLED ELECTION INTEGRITY INITIATIVES SHOWS THAT THEY'RE IMPOSSIBLE TO IMPLEMENT WITH ANY REMOTE HOPE OF ACCURACY AND REPRESENT JUST ONE MORE EFFORT TO UNDERMINE LOCAL ELECTIONS SYSTEMS.

>> HAND COUNTING, WOW.

CHAD, WHO GOT YOUR F TODAY?

>> MY F GOES TO THE REALITY EXPOSED IN A VERY GOOD MARKET WATCH REPORT THAT TO RESPONSIBLY BUY AN AVERAGE PRICED NEW CAR, YOU NEED TO MAKE $96,000 A YEAR.

ONLY THE TOP 20% OF EARNERS IN THE U.S. CAN AFFORD A NEW CAR.

THAT'S A TRUTH WE GLOSSED OVER A FEW WEEKS AGO.

I'M NOT CONVINCED THAT AUTOWORKERS WAGES ARE TOO LOW BUT PRICE, PROFITS AND EXECUTIVE SALARIES ARE PROBABLY TOO HIGH.

>> MY F GOES TO ALEXA UNTIL RECENTLY SAID THE 2020 ELECTION WAS STOLEN AND FRAUDULENT.

FOLLOWING A WASHINGTON POST INQUIRE TOE AMAZON, THE DEVICE NOW SAYS IT'S UNABLE TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS.

>> WOW.

>> IS THAT RIGHT?

>> ISN'T AMAZON AND WASHINGTON POST OWNED BY THE SAME PERSON?

>> YES.

>> LET'S SEE WHO HAS DONE SOMETHING WELL, NINA, YOUR A.

>> I'M NOT SURE IF I WOULD CALL THIS DOING WELL BUT THERE WAS A RECENT FLOOD IN GREECE THAT FORCED A HERD OF SHEEP TO SEEK REFUGE AND THEY FOUND REFUGE IN A GREEN HOUSE WHERE MARIJUANA IS GROWN AND SO THEY GOT THE MUNCHIES AND THEY HELPED THEMSELVES TO OVER 600 POUNDS OF CANNABIS CROPS AND THE OWNER SAID THAT THEY EXHIBITED STRANGE BEHAVIOR BASED ON THE FACT THAT THEY WERE JUMPING VERY HIGH.

>> OKAY.

LISA.

>> MY A GOES TO GREEN MOUNTAIN POWER IN VERMONT FOR ITS PROPOSAL TO INSTALL BATTERIES IN ITS UTILITY CUSTOMERS HOMES TO ENSURE ITS CUSTOMERS HAVE POWER FOR ESSENTIALS LIKE LIGHTS, REFRIGERATORS AND MEDICAL EQUIPMENT WHEN THE EVER MORE FREQUENT AND SEVERE STORMS TAKE DOWN POWER LINES.

INSTEAD OF MORE EXPENSIVE INVESTMENTS IN BUILDING MORE ABOVE GROUND POWER LINES AND MORE FREQUENT REPEATED POST STORM RESTORATIONS.

I LIKE THIS BECAUSE IT GETS REAL ABOUT THE GROWING THREAT OF CLIMATE CHANGE.

>> CHAD.

>> SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO EXTEND GRACE TO ONE'S ADVERSARIES AND SO IN THAT SPIRIT, I'M GIVING AN A TO REPRESENTATIVE ALEXANDRIA CORTEZ.

WHY?

BECAUSE SHE CONDEMNED PRO-PALESTINE PROTESTS IN TIMES SQUARE LAST WEEKEND PROMOTED BY THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS OF AMERICA.

SOME OF THE PROTESTORS WERE SHOUTING ANTI-SEMITIC CHANTS, WHICH PROMPTED HER TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE CROWD HAD SHOWED BIGOTRY AND CALLOUSNESS.

>> LUKE.

>> MY A GOES TO THE BRAIN INITIATIVE, AN EXTRAORDINARY GOVERNMENT SPONSORED RESEARCH PROJECT THAT HAS RECENTLY RELEASED THE MOST SOPHISTICATED MAPPING OF THE HUMAN BRAIN EVER CREATED.

>> TELL US, DO WE HAVE FINDINGS YET?

>> YES, TWO THINGS STOOD OUT TO ME.

ONE THAT THEY SAID THE DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE BRAIN SHOULD BE UNDERSTOOD LIKE SEPARATE ORGANS IN THEMSELVES.

THEY'RE SO COMPLICATED AND THEY'VE IDENTIFIED 3,000 DIFFERENT CELLS WITHIN THE BRAIN.

>> VERY INTERESTING.

THANKS FOR WATCHING.

PLEASE LET US KNOW WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT THE TOPICS WE'VE DISCUSSED.

THE ADDRESSES ARE ON THE SCREEN.

IF YOU MISS THE SHOW ANY FRIDAY NIGHT, TUNE US IN SATURDAY AFTERNOONS AT 5:30 • OR FIND US ANY TIME AT WCNY.ORG.

IT'S BEEN A TOUGH WEEK - KEEPING LOOKING FOR THE POSITIVE.

GOOD NIGHT.