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Jennifer Smith Richards

@jsmithrichards.bsky.social

Investigations in the Midwest at ProPublica. Past: Chicago Tribune by way of OH/GA/NY/WV. Enthusiastic about FOIA + data. Tell me everything.

83 Posts13149 Follower1577 Folgt
ProPublica@propublica.org · 2w ago

Private schools in Arkansas operate with little transparency. They don’t have to turn over incident reports or video to the public. After a parent reported abuse at one such school to the police, our reporter @jsmithrichards.bsky.social started to piece together what happened.

How Videos Helped Me Uncover Abuse at an Arkansas Private School

Mary “Tracy” Morrison ordered students to scrub floors and urged them to attack a classmate. Few records exist of incidents at The Delta Institute for the Developing Brain, a private school with littl...

propublica.org

ProPublica@propublica.org · 2w ago

NEW: The owner of a private school in Arkansas ordered students to scrub floors and urged them to attack a classmate. Few records exist of the incident. Reporter @jsmithrichards.bsky.social pieced together what happened.

How Videos Helped Me Uncover Abuse at an Arkansas Private School

Mary “Tracy” Morrison ordered students to scrub floors and urged them to attack a classmate. Few records exist of incidents at The Delta Institute for the Developing Brain, a private school with littl...

propublica.org

Jennifer Smith Richards@jsmithrichards.bsky.social · 3w ago

A woman who sexually abused a minor. Boxer Mike Tyson, who served time for rape. Both of these people launched private schools that collected public money. As the voucher system grows more popular, few states have guardrails in place. Read this wild story from me & my brilliant colleagues.

Public Money Is Fueling an Explosion of Private Schools. States Often Don’t Care How They’re Run.

As private schools proliferate, states are choosing a hands-off approach to regulating them. The backgrounds of school founders — sometimes with criminal histories — often don’t matter

propublica.org

Jennifer Smith Richards@jsmithrichards.bsky.social · 3w ago

“Most people don’t think you’re a nice kid," the owner of an Arkansas private school told a boy before urging other students to take turns attacking him. She repeatedly thwacked him with a footlong plastic cylinder, calling him a liar.

This Private School Had Students Scrub Floors and Attack a Fellow Classmate. The State Still Funds It.

One of the few requirements for Arkansas private schools is that they have an American flag and a flagpole. But millions in state funds go to the largely unmonitored schools while complaints about saf...

propublica.org

Jennifer Smith Richards@jsmithrichards.bsky.social · 4mo ago

I am telling you, you have to read this story. It is absurd. It is bizarre. Twists and turns! Molly Parker is a great storyteller.

3D-Printed Homes, an Abandoned $590,000 Deposit, the FBI: What Really Happened in This Small Town?

Two men promised a $1.1 million 3D printer could fix Cairo, Illinois’ housing crisis. More than a year later, the one duplex it printed still isn’t finished. And the more we asked questions, the weird...

propublica.org

Charles Ornstein@charlesornstein.bsky.social · 5mo ago

So glad to work in a newsroom that's willing to fight against disappearing data. ProPublica Sues Education Department for Withholding Records About Discrimination in Schools, by @jsmithrichards.bsky.social @jodiscohen.bsky.social

ProPublica Sues Education Department for Withholding Records About Discrimination in Schools

Under Secretary Linda McMahon, the work of the Office for Civil Rights, which aims to protect students from discrimination, is cloaked in secrecy.

propublica.org

Charles Ornstein@charlesornstein.bsky.social · 7mo ago

This is the best video explanation I have seen on how the Trump administration is changing public education as we know it. A must-watch for anyone who cares about schools. by @nadiasussman.bsky.social

Vouchers, Patriotism and Prayer: The Trump Administration’s Plan to Remake Public Education

Education Secretary Linda McMahon is bringing about a new era in education — and perhaps the end of public schools as we know them.

propublica.org

Charles Ornstein@charlesornstein.bsky.social · 8mo ago

ICYMI: Racial harassment of Black students ignored under Trump, by @jsmithrichards.bsky.social @megomatz.bsky.social @jodiscohen.bsky.social

Monkey Sounds, “White Power” and the N-Word: Racial Harassment Against Black Students Ignored Under Trump

Since Trump returned to office, the Education Department’s civil rights office has not resolved a single racial harassment investigation. It sends a message that “people impacted by racial discriminat...

propublica.org

Jennifer Smith Richards@jsmithrichards.bsky.social · 8mo ago

Cases of Black students being called the N-word, taunted by classmates saying "white power" are being ignored by the Trump administration. @megomatz.bsky.social, @jodiscohen.bsky.social and I found the Ed Dept has not acted on any racial harassment cases since Jan. 21 to hold districts accountable.

Monkey Sounds, “White Power” and the N-Word: Racial Harassment Against Black Students Ignored Under Trump

Since Trump returned to office, the Education Department’s civil rights office has not resolved a single racial harassment investigation. It sends a message that “people impacted by racial discriminat...

propublica.org

Jennifer Smith Richards@jsmithrichards.bsky.social · 8mo ago

This is a blow to the conservative effort to embed Christian teachings in state standards in Oklahoma. There have been a number of efforts to push education in the state to the right, which I detailed in this story. It has been a testing ground and remains an interesting state to watch.

This Is Ground Zero in the Conservative Quest for More Patriotic and Christian Public Schools

Oklahoma has spent years reshaping public schools to integrate lessons about Jesus and encourage pride in America’s history. By the time the second Trump administration began espousing its “America Fi...

propublica.org

Jennifer Smith Richards@jsmithrichards.bsky.social · 8mo ago

The Oklahoma Supreme Court struck down the controversial state social studies standards -- but not because of the many Biblical references and skepticism about the 2020 election and origins of Covid-19. The court ruled the state board of ed violated the Open Meetings Act. Nondoc explains here.

Jennifer Smith Richards@jsmithrichards.bsky.social · 8mo ago

The Oklahoma Supreme Court struck down the controversial state social studies standards -- but not because of the many Biblical references and skepticism about the 2020 election and origins of Covid-19. The court ruled the state board of ed violated the Open Meetings Act. Nondoc explains here.

OK Supreme Court strikes 2025 social studies standards for violating Open Meeting Act

The Oklahoma Supreme Court stuck down the revised 2025 social studies standards, finding their approval violated the Open Meetings Act.

nondoc.com

Jennifer Smith Richards@jsmithrichards.bsky.social · 9mo ago

I should add that we're still very much reporting on what's happening with civil rights in schools: www.propublica.org/getinvolved/...

Help Us Report on How the Department of Education Is Handling Civil Rights Cases

Have you recently filed a civil rights complaint or do you have a pending case? We need your help to get a full picture of how the dismantling of the Office for Civil Rights is affecting students, par...

propublica.org

Jennifer Smith Richards@jsmithrichards.bsky.social · 9mo ago

Linda McMahon plans to move some functions of the U.S. Department of Education to other federal agencies. That would outsource two big roles -- managing funding streams for K-12 schools and colleges -- to the Department of Labor. (No announcement on the Office for Civil Rights yet.)

Jennifer Smith Richards@jsmithrichards.bsky.social · 9mo ago

Linda McMahon plans to move some functions of the U.S. Department of Education to other federal agencies. That would outsource two big roles -- managing funding streams for K-12 schools and colleges -- to the Department of Labor. (No announcement on the Office for Civil Rights yet.)

Education Department offloads some work to other agencies as Trump presses for its closure

The U.S. Education Department is handing off some of its biggest grant programs to other federal agencies as the Trump administration accelerates its plan to shut down the department.

apnews.com

ProPublica@propublica.org · 9mo ago

“You starve your public schools to feed your private schools and charter schools,” said one superintendent about Oklahoma's efforts to grow charter schools. “Our foundation was set up for a free and appropriate education for all kids. All kids!” By @jsmithrichards.bsky.social

Oklahoma Is Ground Zero in Trump’s “America First” Education Push

Oklahoma has spent years reshaping public schools to integrate lessons about Jesus and encourage pride in America’s history. By the time the second Trump administration began espousing its “America Fi...

propublica.org

Jessica Lussenhop@jlussenhop.bsky.social · 10mo ago

Although this story focuses on the education system in Oklahoma, my brilliant colleague @jsmithrichards.bsky.social makes it plain that this is a vision for education, a blueprint really, for the entire country: www.propublica.org/article/trum...

This Is Ground Zero in the Conservative Quest for More Patriotic and Christian Public Schools

Oklahoma has spent years reshaping public schools to integrate lessons about Jesus and encourage pride in America’s history. By the time the second Trump administration began espousing its “America Fi...

propublica.org

ProPublica@propublica.org · 10mo ago

Current and former Department of Education employees: We want to hear from you. Use Signal to contact our reporters @jsmithrichards.bsky.social at jsmithrichards.93, @jodiscohen.bsky.social at jodireporter.88 or @megomatz.bsky.social at 414-207-6225.

Help ProPublica Report on Education

ProPublica needs your help to track how the upheaval of public education is affecting schools and colleges in your community. Take a few minutes to join our source network and help guide our coverage.

propublica.org

Jennifer Smith Richards@jsmithrichards.bsky.social · 10mo ago

Some immigrants have tried to self-deport using a Trump-promoted app. Many are still here, despite the government giving them departure dates and promises of safe travel. @melissa-sanchez.bsky.social and @mariamelba.bsky.social have a deeply reported, riveting account of people stranded in America.

“I Don’t Want to Be Here Anymore”: They Tried to Self-Deport, Then Got Stranded in Trump’s America

Venezuelan immigrants signed up for a Trump-promoted app called CBP Home, which promised a safe and easy way to leave the country, and prepared to leave on their given departure dates. Those dates hav...

propublica.org

Jennifer Smith Richards@jsmithrichards.bsky.social · 10mo ago

To understand the Trump administration’s vision for American education, @megomatz.bsky.social and I studied dozens of hours of political appointees’ speeches and podcasts and essays. What emerged is a desire to dismantle the nation’s system of public schools.

These Activists Want to Dismantle Public Schools. Now They Run the Education Department.

Under Trump, the Department of Education has been bringing in activists hostile to public schools. It could mean a new era of private and religious schools boosted by tax dollars — and the end of publ...

propublica.org

Jennifer Smith Richards@jsmithrichards.bsky.social · 10mo ago

Education Secretary Linda McMahon says she's leading the department's "final mission" to shut down. But @megomatz.bsky.social and I found it's more than that: Political appointees from ultraconservative groups are in power at ED now, and they hope to dismantle public schools.

These Activists Want to Dismantle Public Schools. Now They Run the Education Department.

Under Trump, the Department of Education has been bringing in activists hostile to public schools. It could mean a new era of private and religious schools boosted by tax dollars — and the end of publ...

propublica.org

ProPublica@propublica.org · 10mo ago

NEW: ProPublica obtained records from the Department of Agriculture that detail the millions of pounds of food, down to the number of eggs, that never reached food banks because of the Trump administration’s cuts to an aid program.

Trump Canceled 94 Million Pounds of Food Aid. Here’s What Never Arrived.

ProPublica obtained records from the Department of Agriculture that detail the millions of pounds of food, down to the number of eggs, that never reached food banks because of the administration’s cut...

projects.propublica.org

Jennifer Smith Richards@jsmithrichards.bsky.social · 10mo ago

The ex-Chicago cop who got out of dozens of traffic tickets by repeating the same bogus story — that his girlfriend stole his BMW — pleaded guilty. But there’s more: @jodiscohen.bsky.social and I have been tracking pending court cases that relied on his policing. More than 90 have been dropped.

Chicago Cop Who Falsely Blamed an Ex-Girlfriend for Dozens of Traffic Tickets Pleads Guilty but Avoids Prison

Retired officer Jeffrey Kriv acknowledged repeatedly lying under oath to avoid paying dozens of speeding and other traffic tickets. Prosecutors have dropped at least 92 cases in which Kriv was a key w...

propublica.org

Jennifer Smith Richards@jsmithrichards.bsky.social · 11mo ago

ProPublica is powered by investigative journalists. Support our union's effort to protect our workers!

ProPublica Guild@propublicaguild.org · 11mo ago

We ❤️ @ire.org! @propublica.org employees wore buttons & flyered at the IRE gala to rally support for our fight for a fair contract. The future of investigative journalism depends on protecting the workers who make it possible. You can help by signing our petition: actionnetwork.org/petitions/te...

People wearing union shirts stand outside a red carpet at the entrance of an event as people walk in.
Jennifer Smith Richards@jsmithrichards.bsky.social · 11mo ago

NEW: The Trump administration stripped funding from programs that serve deafblind students in 8 states. Programs' years-old grant applications mentioned diversity, inclusion, and in WI, transition. As in, transitioning from childhood to adulthood. w/ @jodiscohen.bsky.social

Programs for Students With Hearing and Vision Loss Harmed by Trump’s Anti-Diversity Push

Citing concerns about DEI, the U.S. Department of Education has halted funding for programs that support students with combined hearing and vision loss in eight states. “How low can you go?” one advoc...

propublica.org

Melissa Sanchez@melissa-sanchez.bsky.social · last yr.

1/ Early on in President Trump’s second term, I spent a few weeks observing Chicago’s immigration court to get a sense of how things were changing. One afternoon in March, the case of a 27-year-old Venezuelan asylum-seeker caught my attention. I want to tell you his story 👇

Albert Rodríguez Parra, a young Venezuelan man wearing a white printed shirt and a cross, stands in front of a bush with red flowers.