Here at 蜜桃影视, we鈥檙e also looking to celebrate the most memorable education coverage from the past year, and to champion the journalists who have helped us think a little differently about an array of issues 鈥� from COVID learning recovery to teen mental health, student trauma, school discipline and more. 

Coast to coast, our reporters have pored back over their bookmarks, tweets and browser histories, and revived the links that moved them most. Below, in no particular order, are 17 important articles we wish we had published in 2023. We hope you鈥檒l read the stories you might have missed and help share the standouts, so even more readers can benefit from their insights. 

Chalkbeat New York

Nearly four years after the emergence of COVID-19, too much uncertainty remains about what students actually learned while their schools adapted to pandemic conditions. At Chalkbeat New York, former English teacher Amanda Geduld explored one of the controversial measures that school authorities took to support struggling high schoolers in New York City: the so-called NX (or “course-in-progress”) grade, which was assigned to tens of thousands of kids who didn’t complete their coursework during the tumultuous era of remote instruction.

The NX designation was originally intended to replace failing marks for a small subset of children dealing with life crises. But by the end of the 2021-22 school year, 1 out of every 3 New York high schoolers received one 鈥� and they may help account for the city’s unusually high graduation rates during those years. According to the dozens of educators interviewed by Geduld, the NX marks were typically cleared, either by teachers or administrators, regardless of whether students ever finished the necessary make-up work. The story gives reason to doubt whether the “incomplete learning” of the early 2020s will ever be completed. . 

The New York Times 

Better test scores. A narrowed achievement gap. Solid wages for teachers. Higher standards for all students. It鈥檚 not the outcome of a plucky, one-off campus beating the odds, but of an entire school system, one spread all over the world, Sarah Mervosh explains. The Pentagon鈥檚 schools for children of military members and civilian employees, which serve some 66,000 students in the United States and abroad, have built a system seemingly impermeable to the outside forces that often keep children from success.

Pentagon schools boast low teacher turnover, the result perhaps, of far higher wages 鈥� plus a steady and reliable budget for supplies. They also have enacted meaningful curriculum improvements rolled out with consistency and over time, creating an enviable system, particularly for children who are often underserved: Defense Department schools yield far better outcomes for many Black, Hispanic and impoverished students as compared to their peers elsewhere. And while racial disparities remain, overall performance has continued to grow during the past decade, propelling students forward, even through the trauma of the pandemic.

ProPublica & InvestigateTV

I grew up by the railroad tracks. We loved watching the graffiti-covered cars, laying coins on the tracks to get smooshed and throwing snowballs at the Amtrak cars full of passengers as they whizzed by. But I also vividly remember those cold Minnesota mornings when my brother and I would have to climb over stalled train cars to reach our bus stop. As a child, I thought it was an adventure. Now, as a parent of two, I find the thought of my own children doing the same gives me shivers.

I felt that same shiver reading ProPublica and InvestigateTV鈥檚 investigation into blocked train crossings in Hammond, Indiana. The terrifying images of children who have to risk their lives climbing over or under trains to get to school reveal that stalled trains are not just a mere inconvenience, but a slow-motion accident waiting to happen 鈥� especially in the impoverished communities these trains bisect. The rail companies appear reluctant to act on their own, but, hopefully, the unforgettable scenes captured here will propel the government to force changes before it鈥檚 too late. . 

Rolling Stone

I鈥檓 a sucker for two things: heartbreaking accounts of the arts uplifting kids 鈥� and teachers with long commutes. This piece by Julyssa Lopez has both. Lopez, a senior music editor, takes her time telling the story of Uvalde High School鈥檚 varsity mariachi group and the dedicated teacher who drives his silver Nissan Sentra 140 miles round trip each day to lead the group. It goes without saying that you鈥檙e going to cry while reading the account of this scrappy group as it comes together, finds its voice and prepares for the state mariachi championships.

What鈥檚 surprising is how central to the community鈥檚 healing this group becomes. Its leader is a surprise too: Born in Puerto Rico but raised in El Paso, Albert Martinez originally thought he鈥檇 have a career as a jazz or merengue trumpeter, but plans changed. Then, after the shooting at Robb Elementary, they changed again. The result is a beautiful, restrained depiction of music bringing kids together, with exceptional portraits of the main players. . 

The Hechinger Report 

It鈥檚 no secret that schools are gearing up for a financial storm 鈥� pandemic relief funds are sunsetting; the Department of Education estimates a 5% decline in enrollment through 2031. As more districts weigh closures, Rebecca Redelmeier鈥檚 dive into Louisiana鈥檚 largest district serves as a cautionary tale. Weaving trends that reach back 30 years and family histories, Redelmeier unveils a troubling reality: Black and brown students are most likely to be the ones grieving their shuttered schools, forced into new communities, their friends and teachers scattered across town. Even when performance is comparable to that of predominantly white schools, those serving predominantly students of color are the ones on the chopping block, their students pushed into lower-performing schools. Experts fear that, should the trend continue, academic gaps across racial lines would grow even more. In this suburban New Orleans district, two top-performing high schools were closed, including the first to offer a high school education to Black students, built after community members pooled money in the 1930s for land and construction. The story begs the question: if closures have to be on the table, how can districts ensure the impact is felt equitably? . 

The New York Times Magazine

The New York Times Magazine took readers deep inside the story of an immigrant teen鈥檚 drive to support his family by working in a dangerous industry 鈥� one that is illegally depending on minors as young as middle school age to stay in business. At a time when some states are rolling back child labor laws, Hannah Dreier鈥檚 deeply reported feature called it 鈥渁 perfect match between the needs of the plants and the needs of the newcomers.鈥�

In heartbreaking detail, the article describes the life of 14-year-old Marcos, who nearly lost an arm in an accident at a poultry plant. Meridith Kohut鈥檚 photos depicted scenes of Marcos鈥檚 rural Virginia world 鈥� characters like the USDA inspector who said it鈥檚 not her responsibility to report child labor violations and scenes such as the trailer park Marcos shares with his cousin. While not specifically an education story, it delves into the way working impacts immigrant students鈥� ability to learn, and raises questions about the responsibility of educators when companies break the law.  . 

Houston Landing

From former 74 scribe Asher Lehrer-Small comes this  to the Houston Chronicle鈥檚 that revealed an illegal cap on the number of students with disabilities that schools could serve. The original investigation found that tens of thousands of students with profound needs were arbitrarily left without support. This failure is one of the reasons used to justify a state takeover of the sprawling Houston Independent School District that took place earlier this year. Now at Houston Landing, Lehrer-Small used public records to report 鈥淗ouston ISD still off-track on key fixes to special education,鈥� revealing the district鈥檚 continued struggle to improve special education for thousands of children. (and bonus reading: 蜜桃影视 reported on slow-to-nonexistent progress statewide in 2019.)

The New York Times

There was no shortage this year of reporting on teen mental health and the impact of social media on developing brains. But apart from some brief conversations with friends鈥� younger siblings, I鈥檝e heard little firsthand from teenagers themselves about what it鈥檚 like to live in a world that revolves around phones, apps and social platforms. 鈥淚 wanted to put a face to the alarming headlines about teens and social media 鈥� in particular, girls,鈥� Jessica Bennett writes in her year-in-the-making interactive Times feature, 鈥淏eing 13.鈥�

The thoroughness of the project 鈥� complete with real diary entries, texts, voice memos and photographs 鈥� brings into focus the harsh reality behind the mental health stats: One teen鈥檚 text says she feels more self-conscious than ever. Another reveals she has a 鈥渃lose connection鈥� with her phone. Lined with reminders of the proverbial adolescent struggle, the article also spotlights the unique pressures being faced by teens in 2023, from social media to growing up during a pandemic and a collective sense of doom that overshadows daily life. The three brave voices of Anna, London and Addi draw readers into their complicated worlds while unique visuals bring the storyline to life, transforming a web page into something fun, unique and a tad overwhelming, as texts and emojis flood the screen.  

USA Today 

Diversity, equity and inclusion. Add the word “training,” and you will have stepped on one of education politics鈥� third rails, along with how race in America is taught in classrooms and how LGBTQ+ students are treated in schools. While the arguments raged, Katherine Reynolds Lewis 鈥� with contributions from Rachel Ryan, Maureen Ojiambo and Andrew Hahndid 鈥� did a deep dive into the more than $20 billion a year public schools spend training teachers, the majority of whom are white, to teach more successfully across racial lines. They queried the country鈥檚 100 largest school districts and got responses from 42. Their reveal: None measured the training鈥檚 effectiveness against metrics or by conducting objective research studies. That may be a disappointment, and one that could fuel ever-ready criticism of DEI efforts, but it doesn鈥檛 dim the passion of many educators to banish low expectations, end the school-to-prison pipeline and develop a more diverse teacher workforce. 鈥淭he disease in education is the predictability of student achievement by race,鈥� says UnboundED鈥檚 CEO Lacey Robinson. .

The City

New York City鈥檚 education leaders had pledged for years to stop calling the cops on students in the midst of mental health crises, but as The City鈥檚 Abigail Kramer exposed in May, they鈥檝e failed to keep their word. Under a court settlement from nearly a decade ago, educators are supposed to call 911 only on students who pose an 鈥渋mminent and substantial risk of serious injury鈥� to themselves or others. Yet Kramer鈥檚 reporting revealed the practice remains commonplace, with police officers called thousands of times a year to intervene with children in mental distress. In response to behaviors that are often attributed to students鈥� disabilities, police routinely handcuff children 鈥� and Black students disproportionately 鈥� while they wait to be transported by ambulance to emergency rooms. The outcome, for many students, is further trauma.

Inside Higher Ed

In October, Inside Higher Ed鈥檚 Johanna Alonso took a closer look at colleges paying students to serve as mental health counselors 鈥� an increasingly difficult demand as schools nationwide struggle to meet students鈥� mental health needs. This includes having students lead educational workshops, on-campus programming and one-on-one coaching for their peers. California State University, Fullerton is one of many colleges offering these services 鈥� a responsibility that used to fall on traditional counseling centers. 鈥淚t鈥檚 really important to us that any intervention we offer is accessible 鈥� it鈥檚 quick and it鈥檚 free. When it comes to wellness, there鈥檚 a negative belief that you have to have money in order to take care of yourself,鈥� said Jessica Leone-Aldrich, a professional counselor and prevention education coordinator at Cal State Fullerton. .

The New York Times

Hundreds, or perhaps thousands, of times every school year, students with disabilities are taken out of their classrooms in what are known as off-the-book suspensions 鈥� informal actions that are not reported or tracked, but routinely violate students’ civil rights and are devastating to their academic and social well-being. In contrast to formal expulsions, these transfers allow schools to remove challenging students from class rather than provide special education supports and accommodations required under federal law. 鈥淭he reality is that there are children in this country who are still considered of insufficient quality to go to school,鈥� Diane Smith Howard, a lawyer with the National Disability Rights Network, told Erica Green. 鈥淭his would never be deemed acceptable for students without disabilities.鈥� .

The Washington Post

America鈥檚 ubiquitous culture wars pose a dilemma for any journalist. Tough to cover, impossible to ignore, such stories often devolve into the equivalent of grown people biting each other. Much heat, little light. Grounded in fine details and beautifully drawn scenes, this article by Greg Jaffe and Patrick Marley of The Washington Post offers a kind of antidote: the story of how the election of a majority far-right, Christian Board of Commissioners derailed one life in one Michigan town. Giving birth to a son at age 17 inspired Heather Alberda to pursue a career as a sex educator for the county鈥檚 health department. In her 21-year tenure, teen pregnancy in Ottawa County decreased 76%; the abortion rate fell 18%. But none of that appeared to matter after the 2022 election. Alberda’s work fell prey to an insidious brand of McCarthyism, one that linked support for LGBTQ children to completely unfounded allegations of 鈥済rooming.鈥� The article never takes its eye off what this political shift means in real terms: lost funding and, for Alberda, an inability to do her job. The story ends on a haunting note, as Alberda, mostly 鈥渃onfined to her office cubicle,鈥� performs bureaucratic tasks, her work as a sex educator 鈥渓argely shut down.鈥� . 

Scalawag Magazine

Scalawag Magazine鈥檚 series turned the pen over to young Southerners to reflect on the issues contributing to their declining mental health. This eye-opening read from students as young as 13 named issues ranging from racism to gun violence to the climate crisis as causes of major stress and loss of hope for the future. Many of the students, whose identities are multi-marginalized, explore how their queerness, Blackness or low-income statuses contribute to the disparate treatment they receive and the impact it has on their mental health. Their remarkable vulnerability in sharing their struggles with grief, anxiety and depression are paired with suggestions for mitigating the crisis, including free mental health care, legislation that properly tackles the climate crisis and having more than one counselor at school. . 

EdSurge

Outliers always make great news stories. EdSurge鈥檚 tells the tale of American Falls, a small Idaho farming town whose leaders have found a way to establish a nearly universal pre-K program in a deeply conservative state that provides no money for early childhood education. District leaders made early learning a priority, and the United Way followed up with scholarships for children who don鈥檛 qualify for Head Start or subsidized child care. Sullivan explains that advocates developed a simple message 鈥� 鈥渞ead, talk, play鈥� 鈥� that transcends politics and is attracting attention from larger districts. Their goal, she wrote, is to 鈥減rove to state lawmakers that early learning programs are good for all Idahoans and worthy of state money.鈥� . 

NBC News

We all remember NBC鈥檚 Peabody-winning 鈥淪outhlake,鈥� which chronicled a suburban school district racked by conflict after some residents pushed back against a plan to protect Black students. But what about 鈥淕rapevine鈥�? From the same reporting team, this and documentary series narrates 鈥� with gut-punching immediacy 鈥� what happens in a north Texas school district after a parent publicly accuses a teacher of persuading her child to change genders.

Mike Hixenbaugh and Antonia Hylton describe 鈥渁 transgender child desperately wanting to be heard [and] a mother determined to put God first,鈥� the prism through which the audio series investigates 鈥渁 fringe religious movement wielding newfound power.鈥� . 

The Washington Post 

As school shootings grow more frequent 鈥� and deadlier 鈥� an investigation by a team of reporters at The Washington Post used public records to provide a raw, behind-the-yellow-tape look at the carnage of American gun violence. The team made the extraordinary decision to publish crime scene photos from mass shootings, many of which had never been released publicly, to offer what it described as 鈥渢he most comprehensive account to date of the repeating pattern of destruction wrought by the AR-15 鈥� a weapon that was originally designed for military combat but has in recent years become one of the best-selling firearms on the U.S. market.鈥�

The reporting spans 11 years and includes visuals and first-hand accounts from the mass killings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, in 2012; Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, in 2018 and Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, in 2022. . 

Multiple Texas A&M University System regents voiced concerns about the perceived left-leaning credentials of Kathleen O. McElroy, a Black journalism professor, hired to launch a new journalism program at their flagship school, released Thursday.

Top system leaders questioned the decision after a conservative website blasted the hiring of McElroy, a tenured professor at the University of Texas at Austin and a former New York Times editor. As Texas A&M University officials fielded pushback from regents and external concerns from conservative groups, McElroy鈥檚 offer was watered down after A&M held a public signing ceremony announcing her hire. She ultimately rescinded her acceptance.

A review of the failed hiring also revealed that former university President M. Katherine Banks was heavily involved in discussions about making changes to McElroy鈥檚 offer, contradicting Banks鈥� earlier claims that that the school had weakened its proposed terms of employment. Banks amid turmoil spurred by the botched hiring.

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The report summarizing the internal inquiry, which was conducted by the system鈥檚 general counsel, included hundreds of pages of text messages and emails. It provides new insight into the unusual involvement of system-level regents, who are gubernatorial appointees, in a university-level hire. And it reveals that university leadership tried to delay the announcement of McElroy鈥檚 hiring until after the Republican-controlled Legislature ended this year鈥檚 regular lawmaking session and approved the system鈥檚 budget.

The report is the latest revelation as Texas A&M administrators grapple with two employment scandals that have rocked the Aggie community this summer and raised questions about the level of outside interference in university-level decisions that led to multiple resignations, including Banks. The system on Thursday also released details of an internal review of how respected opioids expert after she was accused of criticizing Lt. Gov. in a lecture.

Both personnel controversies were first reported by The Texas Tribune.

The A&M system鈥檚 general counsel reported it could not find evidence that race and gender were a factor in the fumbled attempt to recruit McElroy. But the university also publicly acknowledged Thursday that it would pay a $1 million settlement to McElroy, who is remaining in her tenured role at UT-Austin.

McElroy, a 1981 Texas A&M graduate, has studied news media and race, with a focus on how to improve diversity and inclusion in newsrooms. A&M鈥檚 attempt to recruit her came as lawmakers were debating a bill that bans diversity, equity and inclusion offices, programs and training at publicly funded universities. That legislation ultimately passed and takes effect Jan. 1.

McElroy previously said that her appointment was caught up in 鈥淒EI hysteria鈥� as Texas university leaders try to figure out what type of work involving race is allowed under the new law. She told the Tribune she felt judged for her race and gender and said an A&M administrator told her that her hire has raised concerns within the system because 鈥測ou鈥檙e a Black woman who worked at The New York Times.鈥�

Text messages and emails included in the report reveal that many members of the Board of Regents had concerns with McElroy鈥檚 prior experience, which they viewed as counter to the vision they had for the new journalism program and the university writ large.

鈥淧lease tell me this isn鈥檛 true,鈥� regent Jay Graham wrote to Banks and Chancellor John Sharp about the news of McElroy鈥檚 hire. 鈥淏ut since it鈥檚 not April Fools Day, I assume it is. I thought the purpose of us starting a journalism program was to get high-quality Aggie journalist[s] with conservative values into the market. This won鈥檛 happen with someone like this leading the department.鈥�

After the deal fell apart, Board of Regents Chair Bill Mahomes sent a letter to McElroy on July 19 stating that the Board of Regents 鈥渄id not discourage your hiring鈥� and would not question the hiring of an individual based on their race or gender.

But a month prior, on June 19, regent Mike Hernandez told Banks and Sharp in an email that 鈥済ranting tenure to somebody with this background is going to be a difficult sell for many on the [board of regents],鈥� and encouraged them to 鈥減ut the brakes on this, so we can all discuss this further.鈥�

鈥淲hile it is wonderful for a successful Aggie to want to come back to Texas A&M to be a tenured professor and build something this important from scratch, we must look at her r茅sum茅 and her statements made an[d] opinion pieces and public interviews,鈥� Hernandez wrote. 鈥淭he New York Times is one of the leading main stream media sources in our country. It is common knowledge that they are biased and progressive leaning. The same exact thing can be said about the university of Texas. Yet that is Dr. McElroy鈥檚 r茅sum茅 in a nutshell.鈥�

He added that he forwarded all information he could find about McElroy via an internet search to system general counsel Ray Bonilla to distribute to the full board.

The internal inquiry also shows that the effort to promote conservative values at A&M extended beyond the journalism program. Texts between Graham and regent David Baggett about McElroy鈥檚 hiring referenced Banks鈥� 2022 move to combine several academic programs into a new College of Arts and Sciences as part of a new strategic plan to reshape the university鈥檚 structure.

鈥淜athy [Banks] told us multiple times the reason we were going to combine arts and sciences together was to control the liberal nature that those professors brought to campus,鈥� Graham wrote. 鈥淭his won鈥檛 happen with this kind of hire.鈥�

Attention and outrage

The general counsel report was released to the public days after the regents directed that office to conduct a 鈥渃omplete and thorough investigation鈥� into what happened and gave university lawyers the green light to negotiate a settlement with McElroy.

In a joint statement from McElroy鈥檚 lawyer and the university announcing the settlement, A&M apologized to McElroy and acknowledged 鈥渕istakes were made鈥� during the attempt to hire her.

鈥淭exas A&M University remains in my heart despite the events of the past month,鈥� McElroy said in the statement. 鈥淚 will never forget that Aggies 鈥� students, faculty members, former students and staff 鈥� voiced support for me from many sectors. I hope the resolution of my matter will reinforce A&M鈥檚 allegiance to excellence in higher education and its commitment to academic freedom and journalism.鈥�

In the weeks following the initial offer, McElroy told the Tribune, Texas A&M started to walk back its terms, reducing it from a tenured position to ultimately a one-year teaching contract and a three-year offer to serve as the director of the journalism program. McElroy told the Tribune that Jos茅 Luis Berm煤dez, the former interim dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, said that there were concerns from within the A&M system about her hiring because of her prior work to build diverse and inclusive newsrooms and her experience at The New York Times.

In early July, McElroy said that Berm煤dez advised her to remain at UT-Austin in her tenured position because he could not protect her if outside forces wanted her gone. McElroy took that advice.

Texas A&M鈥檚 failed recruitment garnered national media attention and spurred outrage from faculty organizations and alumni groups demanding the school explain what happened.

鈥淗ow this University treated this respected, honored, qualified, experienced, successful, and tenured fellow Aggie is unacceptable and would have been unthinkable yet for her race and gender,鈥� leaders of the Black Former Student Network wrote to Sharp. 鈥淭he fact that this University outwardly promotes very laudable principles in the Aggie Core Values, yet you don鈥檛 have the character nor the courage to follow these Core Values as the leader of this University reveals the deep chasm between your words and your actions.鈥�

In a meeting with the Faculty Senate days after the news broke, Banks and other administrators said they were unaware of the changes made to the original offer letter.

鈥淚 am embarrassed that we are in a situation where we have an offer that was released without the proper approvals. I was surprised by that,鈥� Banks said during the meeting. 鈥淗owever, it鈥檚 important to note that we honored that letter, we honored all of the letters, because it was of no fault to the candidate, who was very, very qualified, that our administrative structure broke down.鈥�

But after the Faculty Senate meeting, Hart Blanton, the communications and journalism department head involved in the failed effort to recruit McElroy, said that Banks interfered in the hiring process and that race was a factor in university officials鈥� decision to water down McElroy鈥檚 job offer.

鈥淭o the contrary, President Banks injected herself into the process atypically and early on,鈥� Blanton said.

Blanton said he shared 鈥渞elated materials鈥� with university lawyers on July 21. Hours later, Banks submitted her resignation to Sharp, which was the following day.

鈥淭exas A&M cannot have its leaders misleading the faculty, public, or policymakers about how we conduct business,鈥� Blanton said.

鈥淎 very rough road鈥�

According to the report, Blanton made a verbal offer to McElroy on May 11 and she accepted.

In text messages on May 11 and 12, Berm煤dez told Blanton that he had spoken with Banks and she preferred the university wait until after the legislative session concluded at the end of May before announcing the hire.

鈥淏ottom line is that the NYT connection is poor optics during this particular legislative session,鈥� Berm煤dez said to Blanton.

During this time, state lawmakers were considering legislation to ban faculty tenure and eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion offices on college campuses. University leaders, including those at Texas A&M, were negotiating with lawmakers over the legislation, as well as state funding for public universities.

Thursday鈥檚 report shows that Blanton raised concerns about delaying the public announcement of McElroy鈥檚 hiring from the beginning, arguing in text messages it was bad optics to hire a Black professional but then ask them to not associate with the university while lawmakers were still making decisions about university funding.

Blanton suggested that the university bring in a 鈥渃risis communication team鈥� because 鈥渢here may be some possibility we make national news of the Nikole Hannah-Jones variety if we ask a famous Black journalist not to share her exciting decision with the world.鈥�

Hannah-Jones spearheaded The New York Times鈥� a collection of essays that centered on how slavery and the contributions of Black Americans shaped the United States. The University of North Carolina鈥檚 board of trustees sparked national controversy when it in 2021 despite a recommendation for tenure from the university鈥檚 journalism department. Also in 2021, Texas lawmakers prohibited schools in the state from requiring students to read the 鈥�1619 Project.鈥� That prohibition was part of a larger law that restricts how America鈥檚 history of racism is taught in public schools.

According to Thursday鈥檚 report, McElroy was told the university was stalling her announcement due to administrative requirements.

After the regular legislative session ended, Banks alerted Sharp that they planned to move forward with the announcement. Sharp told Banks to alert Mahomes, the chair of the system鈥檚 Board of Regents.

Two days after McElroy鈥檚 June 13 signing ceremony, the conservative website Texas Scorecard published an article painting her as a 鈥淒iversity, Equity and Inclusion proponent.鈥� The university received multiple phone calls from the Rudder Association and former students raising concerns about the hire. Banks also said she received calls from six to seven members of the Board of Regents asking questions.

鈥溾�嬧�婽he regents had been briefed previously on the provisions of relating to DEI, including the provisions requiring the Board to annually certify that the requirements of the bill have been fully implemented and confirm the System鈥檚 compliance with the bill,鈥� the report says. 鈥淩egents questioned how McElroy鈥檚 advocacy for DEI could be reconciled with TAMU鈥檚 obligations under SB 17.鈥�

By June 19, Blanton and Berm煤dez were negotiating with McElroy to accept a position without tenure. According to the text messages, McElroy was open to the idea. McElroy previously told the Tribune that Berm煤dez had convinced her to forgo tenure and avoid the need for board approval.

According to a message that Berm煤dez sent Banks, McElroy 鈥渋s happy with the professor of the practice.鈥� Texts show Berm煤dez and Banks discussed a three-year contract, which Berm煤dez sent to Banks to review, contradicting Banks鈥� claims to the Faculty Senate that she did not see copies of new offer letters. Banks gave the go-ahead to revise the offer, but when Berm煤dez asked how much he could say about support from the top of the university, Banks replied, 鈥淎bsolutely nothing. Nothing, nothing.鈥�

鈥淪he is going to have a very rough road here,鈥� she said.

A high-stakes situation

On June 22, as Berm煤dez and Blanton were texting about the new offer letter, Berm煤dez told Blanton that he needed to communicate to McElroy that this was a high-stakes situation. He mentioned Avery Holton, a white male communications professor who had been offered the same position but withdrew for personal reasons.

鈥淪omebody like Avery comes here and nobody cares. The board will be as interested as they are in the synchronized swimming team,鈥� Berm煤dez said. 鈥淜athleen comes here and everybody takes note. That makes things volatile and high stress.鈥�

On June 27, Banks approved the revised offer letters but told Berm煤dez to wait until July 8 to move forward with sending them to McElroy. The report states that Mahomes requested the appointment be delayed until after the board could receive an update in its July 6 meeting.

鈥淚t鈥檚 going to be a little awkward,鈥� Berm煤dez replied to Banks. 鈥淚鈥檒l need to think of what to say.鈥�

The board discussed the McElroy hiring behind closed doors but took no action and did not direct Banks to change the offer terms. McElroy was expected to provide a briefing to the board on the new journalism program during its regular board meeting in August.

On July 7, Berm煤dez, Blanton and McElroy had a phone call.

鈥淏erm煤dez does not recall his specific comments to McElroy, but Blanton and certain text messages indicate that Berm煤dez did make a comment to McElroy during the phone call about race being a factor in her treatment,鈥� the report states. 鈥淏erm煤dez now explains that the comment referred to race potentially being a factor for certain outside parties that were critical of hiring McElroy and did not mean that race was a factor for any TAMU officials.鈥�

On July 8, McElroy told Berm煤dez she was cutting off contact with Texas A&M. When Berm煤dez sent an updated offer letter to McElroy on July 9, it included a one-year appointment to teach and a three-year appointment to run the journalism program.

The report does not address the five-year offer letter McElroy was sent, which she provided to the Tribune.

On July 10, Berm煤dez and McElroy spoke on the phone, and McElroy expressed displeasure that the faculty appointment was only for one year. Berm煤dez said he would see what he could do.

McElroy decided to stay at UT-Austin and reached out to the Tribune. Text messages show Berm煤dez alerted Banks that the Tribune reached out for comment about the botched negotiations.

鈥淥k,鈥� Banks responded. 鈥淚 assume all text messages were deleted.鈥�

The day the Tribune鈥檚 initial story published, text messages show Banks and Berm煤dez expressed anger that McElroy shared her story with the media.

鈥淚 think we dodged a bullet. She is a awful person to go to the press before us,鈥� Banks said. 鈥淲e will learn from this and move on … Just think if she had accepted!!! Ugh.鈥�

Alonzo鈥檚 suspension

The general counsel report also includes of what happened when Texas A&M temporarily suspended professor Joy Alonzo, a respected opioids expert, after Texas Land Commissioner alleged that the professor made a comment criticizing Patrick, the Texas lieutenant governor, during a guest lecture to her daughter鈥檚 class at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. The Tribune first reported that situation two weeks after the McElroy story.

In mere hours, Buckingham called Patrick, who called Sharp and asked him to investigate. Texas A&M previously said the request made its way down the chain of command to the university, where the Division of Risk, Ethics and Compliance placed Alonzo on leave while it investigated. UTMB issued a 鈥渇ormal censure鈥� of Alonzo, though university leaders would not confirm what Alonzo was alleged to have said.

The case has also raised concerns about political interference in the university鈥檚 academic affairs.

The university said Alonzo did not object to how the investigation was handled.

On Wednesday, in which he to ask Texas A&M to investigate Alonzo. Hours later, Buckingham posted on social media, 鈥淲hen a professor states, 鈥榊our Lt. Governor says those kids deserve to die鈥� regarding the group of kids in Hays County who tragically lost their lives to fentanyl 鈥� it has no place in a lecture and is indefensible.鈥�

Alonzo denied those claims and said in a statement through Texas A&M University that her comments were 鈥渕ischaracterized and misconstrued.鈥�

鈥淚鈥檝e given this same presentation about 1,000 times across the state over the past few years, and I also have trained others to provide the same presentation,鈥� Alonzo said. 鈥淎t no time did I say anyone deserved to die from an overdose.鈥�

said the university鈥檚 investigation 鈥渄id not substantiate the allegation that Dr. Alonzo made unprofessional or inappropriate comments about the Lt. Governor.鈥�

Unlike the investigation into McElroy鈥檚 bungled hiring 鈥� which included hundreds of pages of documents 鈥� the review of Alonzo鈥檚 case included only a handful of pages of documents. The system also released a message Thursday from Sharp, in which he apologized to Alonzo.

鈥淚 am sorry her name was bandied about in the news media four months after the university had cleared her of allegations she had criticized Lt. Governor Dan Patrick in a manner that at least one student found offensive,鈥� Sharp wrote in a statement.

Previously, Texas A&M officials had told the Tribune that Sharp asked a staffer to look into Alonzo鈥檚 comments and that staffer asked Banks to investigate. The report identifies Banks as the person who officially called for the investigation into Alonzo.

The university鈥檚 review confirmed the Tribune鈥檚 reporting that Patrick called Sharp, who asked university officials to look into the matter. It said Sharp later sent Patrick a message notifying him that an investigation was underway.

鈥淛oy Alonzo has been placed on administrative leave pending investigation re firing her. shud be finished by end of week,鈥� read the text, which was made public by the Tribune but not included in the university鈥檚 review.

In a statement Thursday, Sharp said the report also 鈥渃orrects the false narrative that I ordered an investigation into Dr. Alonzo and am not a champion of academic freedom because I took one brief, non-threatening phone call from the lieutenant governor.鈥�

Sharp said the university put Alonzo on leave while it investigated the allegation 鈥渨ith no initiation or interference from me.鈥� He said the investigation was sparked by UTMB鈥檚 censure, which he said was done without providing Texas A&M any information and 鈥渦nfortunately鈥� still hasn鈥檛 been retracted.

鈥淲hat else would you have the university do but check it out?鈥� Sharp wrote.

Texas A&M University System spokesperson Laylan Copelin said in a statement that Sharp鈥檚 text to Patrick was a 鈥渢ypical update,鈥� saying it is not unusual for the chancellor to 鈥渒eep elected officials informed when something at Texas A&M might interest them.鈥�

鈥淚t is not unusual to respond to any state official who has concerns about anything occurring at the Texas A&M System,鈥� said Copelin, who said the system followed standard procedure to look into the claim.

But the Faculty Senate has sent a letter to Welsh, the interim president, demanding that the university clarify its administrative leave policies and ensure they are properly followed.

鈥淔rom the faculty鈥檚 perspective, Professor Alonzo鈥檚 administrative leave appears to have been instigated on a hasty reaction that short-circuited reasonable due process under the circumstances,鈥� Hammond wrote. 鈥淲e want to work with you to avoid that kind of outcome in the future.鈥�

More investigations coming

The Texas A&M Faculty Senate is also investigating what happened in the situations involving McElroy and Alonzo. Earlier this week, it announced a three-person investigative subcommittee to examine both circumstances. It鈥檚 unclear what the timeline is for that investigation.

Overall, the two situations have left Texas A&M faculty uneasy over the potential chilling effect on speech 鈥� and the possible fostering of a fearful culture in which professors agonize over the political ramifications of their work.

It has also raised concerns about how these events have damaged the university鈥檚 reputation and could slow efforts to recruit and retain academic talent, eclipse decades of work, and erode the love and devotion that students, instructors and alumni have poured into a beloved institution.

In a press conference this week, with the Aggie community and pledged his commitment to help the university move past the recent turmoil.

鈥淚t鈥檚 really important for even great, great institutions to occasionally step back and take a real honest look in the mirror,鈥� he said. 鈥淎s soon as we get all the facts available to us, we need to make decisions on how we prevent getting into these situations in the future.鈥�

William Melhado and James Barrag谩n contributed to this story.

Disclosure: Texas A&M University, New York Times, Texas A&M University System and University of Texas at Austin have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune鈥�s journalism. Find a complete .

This article originally appeared in , a member-supported, nonpartisan newsroom informing and engaging Texans on state politics and policy. Learn more at texastribune.org.

Delilah鈥檚 reporting in her community and school led to her selection as California鈥檚 2023 Student Journalist of the Year. Last month, Delilah was recognized as for the Journalism Education Association Journalist of the Year and awarded a $1,000 scholarship. 

鈥淭his four year journey as a journalist has been really life changing and having all these people behind me has made it even more amazing鈥︹�� Delilah said. While jumping over countless hurdles, Delilah realized the importance of advocating for your work and supporting fellow journalists.

When Delilah’s class at Daniel Pearl Magnet High School faced censorship from the school administration, journalism teacher Adriana Chavira defended them, . Rather than being silenced, Delilah and her classmates found their voices through journalism.

After writing nearly 100 stories for her school newspaper, Delilah found a sense of purpose and passion as a student journalist. She will be attending the prestigious Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University this fall.

In an interview, LAUSD student Delilah talked about what led to her becoming California鈥檚 Student Journalist of the Year: 

This interview has been edited for length and clarity

How did Ms. Chavira and your experience at Daniel Pearl help you get into Northwestern? Do you owe part of your success to her?

Ms. Chavira is one of the most important people in my life. She has impacted me not just by being my teacher, but supporting me in my journey. If it wasn鈥檛 for her, I would probably be a completely different person! I am so thankful to her.

She doesn鈥檛 lead our newspaper; she lets us take the reins. She supports each and every one of us in any way she can. We always joke that she鈥檚 super strict or passive aggressive, but she鈥檚 just a great person who wants to see you succeed. She definitely is one of the biggest reasons I got into Northwestern, but beyond that, she’s one of the biggest reasons I know what I want to do in life.

Looking back at her suspension last year, what are some things you can take away from that experience?

I think that the censorship incident was really, really scary and stressful, but at the same time, it did teach me a lot. It taught me more about journalism law and journalism ethics. It taught me that it’s important to stand up for my work and to know that if my work is solid, there’s nothing to be afraid of. I didn’t write the story that caused the censorship but the student who did, who鈥檚 also my friend, did a great job reporting, so there was nothing to be afraid of. 

The fact that was kind of a punch; it was out of the blue. It took nine months of behind the scenes fighting and organizing and all that kind of stuff. While it taught me to be more confident and careful in my work, it also showed just how much Ms. Chavira was willing to fight for us. 

I think most journalism advisers would at least second guess potentially losing their job for a story their students wrote, but it was never even a question for her. Ms. Chavira was there for us, and she said, 鈥淚t is your decision. And I will go along with it. Whatever it is. If you want to take down the article, if you want to adjust the article, if you want to leave it up exactly how it is, it’s all up to you.鈥� 

We were scared of her losing her job or being suspended. A lot of us even wanted to bend to the district鈥檚 will because of it. But we also knew that if we did that, we were just showing them that they can continue to censor us like they can continue to censor other schools. That was the biggest reason we decided to continue fighting after we made the initial decision to keep the article the way it is.

I want to talk about your achievement as California Student Journalist of the Year. Congratulations! Tell me more about that. 

I think one of the biggest things I learned is that people are watching you and the impact you’re making in your community. As I was putting together my portfolio with almost a year鈥檚 worth of work, seeing people respond to all of it was so amazing. I knew that the reporting I was doing, whether it be about my school district鈥檚 bus driver shortage or about a new club at my school, the readers cared, and people do care about student journalists.

Another thing I learned as I was putting my portfolio together is that I have done a lot more than I thought I have done. I鈥檝e written almost 100 articles! As I was combing through thousands of photos, it was really mind blowing to just see my work all together. It’s easy over four years to get used to what you do, because you care about it. It was nice to step back and be like, 鈥淲ow, I’ve grown a lot.鈥� So that was really great.

The way I found out was great, too, because . That day, we were passing out our magazine, so I was very stressed because magazine distribution is always a hectic time. As I was coordinating, Ms. Chavira kept telling me how we had a magazine critique at 10 a.m. and emphasized how I needed to be there. So I went in and saw my principals and counselors and staff writers who are in other periods, but I didn鈥檛 think anything of it because I was still stressed.

We go on Zoom where Mitch Ziegler from the Journalism Education Association starts actually talking about our magazine, kind of playing the role, and I didn鈥檛 think much of it so I started listening and taking notes. He then calls out my name and asks me to raise my hand. I do and that鈥檚 when he tells me, 鈥測ou鈥檙e the California Student Journalist of the Year.鈥�

I was so confused and stunned that I didn鈥檛 even get to scream or jump. The disbelief left me speechless, it was just absolutely incredible. My staff and Ms. Chavira being there for me was very special.

What would you say would be one of the most memorable experiences that you’ve had as a journalist?

One of the most memorable stories I’ve covered was when I was interning with the LA Times High School Insider this past summer. I noticed my friends and myself really struggle with the college application process. I saw other students from all different walks of life: first generation students, low income students, wealthy students, students from all over the state, all of us were just struggling with the process. I wanted to look more into that, so I started to do some research into things like the teen mental health crisis and how college applications played into that, especially because the process is now so much harder than in past years.

After connecting with other students, I was able to write an impactful piece on how teens are not just dealing with the college application process, but also how they’re overcoming their difficulties. And I think that it was really impactful. 

I was able to have that , which is crazy to me! The fact that such a big news outlet would publish my work, and also that that work got to be read by such a huge audience was amazing. I especially think it was beneficial for adults to read the piece, because a lot of times they don鈥檛 know what goes on in teens鈥� lives.

Congratulations for being published in the LA Times, and congratulations on getting into Northwestern. What is something that you look forward to when you enroll in the fall? 

I think the biggest thing I’m excited about is joining the newspaper. I want to learn from all these amazing college students and hone my skills, so I鈥檓 really excited to join that community. I think that going halfway across the country is so scary, but having that community I know be able to form makes it more exciting and less terrifying.

What has been your journey as a journalist? What has shaped you into the reporter that you are today? 

I go to a journalism magnet school, but at first, I had no interest in journalism. I argued with my school counselor about being put in the class at all, actually. It was at that time, as a freshman, that I began to explore storytelling almost against my will. But as I learned how to write well and take photos while doing all of this really exciting work, I realized my work was really impactful. Ms. Chavira, my journalism instructor, really helped me start to find my voice in journalism, and so has my newspaper staff, because after I finished my freshman year, I was completely hooked.

Tell me more about the types of journalism that you’re interested in. What are some formats you may want to try in the future?

The main thing I do is write more long form pieces. I do a lot of both breaking news and investigative and a lot of newsy feature pieces. I also love photography. While I’ve done a couple of videos through with my school, I want to learn more video journalism. I think that it’s really important for journalists to have multimedia skills and to be able to tell stories in unique ways. Another thing I want to branch more into is audio journalism. One of my best friends runs the podcast for our school, and I want to learn more about what she does. Overall, I鈥檓 interested in becoming more of a multimedia journalist because that鈥檚 really important in today鈥檚 media landscape.

To close this interview, I want to ask you how you find value in journalism. In your opinion, why is journalism important work?

I’ve always heard that journalists are the voice for the voiceless, and I have to say I disagree with that. I think journalism is a way to amplify people’s voices, not to speak for them. I think that’s what’s so impactful about journalism is that through interviews, people shine through and tell you their most important stories. 

I recently wrote , which I鈥檓 freelancing for. The story was about pollution near the Van Nuys Airport and I interviewed some residents who lived right next door. I had an hour-long conversation with a mom who was worried about her kids because in the past three years, the pollution has become a lot worse. Throughout the interview, I was able to hear this complete stranger open up to me, and I was able to publish her voice. And I think that’s so impactful.

This article is part of a collaboration between 蜜桃影视 and the USC Annenberg School for Communications and Journalism.  

Bryan Sarabia is a junior at the University of Southern California, originally from Houston, Texas. He is majoring in journalism and Spanish.