Pennridge is accused of discrimination | Morning Newsletter
And a Kelly Oubre Jr. update
The Morning Newsletter
Start your day with the Philly news you need and the stories you want all in one easy-to-read newsletter
Today should be a little warmer with a high of 63. ☀️
Thanksgiving is exactly a week from today. If you already gave up on the idea of cooking for the holiday, we compiled a list of where you can order takeout. You could dine in too, but you should probably make those reservations sooner rather than later.
And now, let’s get to the news. Our lead story explains why Pennridge School District is accused of creating a hostile environment for Black and LGBTQ students.
— Taylor Allen (@TayImanAllen, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
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According to a federal complaint, the Pennridge School District failed to protect children of color and LGBTQ students from harassment. It also alleges that the district’s policies rescinding diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, banning Pride flags and restricting which bathrooms transgender people can use have only worsened the discrimination.
The Education Law Center and the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School’s Advocacy for Racial and Civil Justice Clinic filed the complaint Wednesday. It asks the U.S Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights to order the Bucks County district to implement a series of actions.
Examples: The complaint wants the district to establish an equity team, provide a culturally responsive curriculum, and make books with themes on gender and sexuality available to students.
The filing also asks the district to explicitly prohibit the use of racial slurs which the complaint describes as pervasive in the district, which is more than 80% white.
Keep in mind: The Pennridge school board — which has been led by Republicans and disbanded its equity initiative in 2021 as conservatives accused the district of teaching “critical race theory” — will change hands in December after a Democratic sweep of the district’s school board races earlier this month.
Keep reading for some of the allegations against Pennridge schools.
According to police, the surveillance footage recovered so far in the alleged hit-and-run that injured 76ers forward Kelly Oubre Jr. shows no evidence that a crash occurred at the Center City intersection where Oubre reported being hit on Saturday night.
Two employees of businesses near the reported crash site said they reviewed roughly two hours of footage from that evening from their work surveillance systems and did not see the crash.
Department spokesperson Sgt. Eric Gripp emphasized that police have not accused Oubre of anything and the investigation is ongoing, but the lack of immediate visual evidence raises questions.
A source familiar with the situation said Oubre may not have provided an accurate account of where and when the crash allegedly occurred. Oubre is new to the area and only recently moved into a Center City apartment. According to the source, he was shaken up by his injuries when he gave the account and the player was only sure he was walking back to his residence.
Keep reading for what coach Nick Nurse had to say about the conflicting evidence.
What you should know today
Despite substantial public opposition, Upper Gwynedd approved a New Jersey developer’s plan to build an affordable apartment complex.
One of the last acts of the Republican-controlled Central Bucks board was to vote to give its departing superintendent a nearly $700,000 payout.
New Jersey first lady Tammy Murphy officially launched her campaign for Senate in New Jersey.
A federal judge ruled that a Montgomery County township can’t bar police and municipal employees from displaying the “thin blue line” flag.
A longtime KYW Newsradio anchor filed a gender and age discrimination lawsuit against the station, alleging that she was paid less than her younger and male coworkers for two decades.
Ten Philly libraries will begin operating on Saturdays this week and the remainder will add weekend hours on a rolling basis over the next several months.
Here is everything you need to now about race day as a spectator for the Philadelphia Marathon (or how to avoid it completely).
🧠 Trivia time
Which comic received the 2024 Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, the biggest award in comedy?
A) Tina Fey
B) Kevin Hart
C) Chuck Nice
D) None of the above
Think you know? Check your answer.
What we’re...
✏️ Listing: Everyone we know who is running in the competitive races for Congress in 2024.
📣 Reading: Former Eagles cheerleaders reflect on 75 years. Check out the retro photos through the years.
🧩 Unscramble the anagram
Hint:🐔The first is coming to NJ
ANGEL JOBS
We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here. Email us if you know the answer. Cheers to Pete Liston, who correctly guessed Wednesday’s answer: Princess Diana.
Photo of the day
And that should get you started for the day. Have a good one and I’ll be back to update you with more news tomorrow.