#Tag · bonfire.cafe

These Activists Want to Dismantle Public Schools. Now They Run the Education Department.
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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 public schools as we know them.
https://www.propublica.org/article/education-department-public-schools-activists-linda-mcmahon-trump?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=mastodon-post

#News #Education #Public #Schools #Teaching #Family #Children

ProPublica

@ProPublica@newsie.social · 3 weeks ago

These Activists Want to Dismantle Public Schools. Now They Run the Education Department.
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#News #Education #Public #Schools #Teaching #Family #Children

Zhi Zhu 🕸️

@ZhiZhu@newsie.social · 4 weeks ago

Federal workers are being told to spread GOP propaganda:

"At 9:35 am on Wednesday, the first morning of the US government shutdown, employees at the Small Business Administration (SBA) received a template from human resources for their suggested “out-of-office” email. They were advised to blame the Democrats."
https://www.wired.com/story/government-employees-out-of-office-email-replies/

#Trump #Lies #Propaganda #Disinformation #GOP #USPol #Politics #News #USNews #US #USA #America

WIRED

Federal Workers Are Being Told to Blame Democrats for the Shutdown

Workers at one agency were given unhinged, partisan language to use when setting out-of-office replies.

Zhi Zhu 🕸️

@ZhiZhu@newsie.social replied · 4 weeks ago

"“My jaw dropped when I read it,” says an SBA employee... they worried that if someone actually used the email template, it “would be a blatant violation of the Hatch Act.”
...

“It feels like coerced speech where the #government is forcing employees to spread its #propaganda in communicating with the #public,” says Don Moynihan, a professor of public policy"
https://www.wired.com/story/government-employees-out-of-office-email-replies/

#Shutdown #GovernmentShutdown #Trump #GOP #Lies #Disinformation #USPol #Politics #News #US #USA #UnitedStates

WIRED

Federal Workers Are Being Told to Blame Democrats for the Shutdown

Workers at one agency were given unhinged, partisan language to use when setting out-of-office replies.

Text from article:
“My jaw dropped when I read it,” says an SBA employee who asked to remain anonymous because they are not authorized to speak to the press. The employee says they worried that if someone actually used the email template, it “would be a blatant violation of the Hatch Act.”

The Hatch Act is a law that sets limits on the kinds of political activities government employees can engage in and protects “federal employees from political coercion in the workplace.” Violating the Hatch Act could result in a government worker losing their job.

“It feels like coerced speech where the government is forcing employees to spread its propaganda in communicating with the public,” says Don Moynihan, a professor of public policy at the University of Michigan.

SBA did not respond to a request for comment (and none of its press team members appear to have used the suggested out-of-office reply template). — Text from article: “My jaw dropped when I read it,” says an SBA employee who asked to remain anonymous because they are not authorized to speak to the press. The employee says they worried that if someone actually used the email template, it “would be a blatant violation of the Hatch Act.” The Hatch Act is a law that sets limits on the kinds of political activities government employees can engage in and protects “federal employees from political coercion in the workplace.” Violating the Hatch Act could result in a government worker losing their job. “It feels like coerced speech where the government is forcing employees to spread its propaganda in communicating with the public,” says Don Moynihan, a professor of public policy at the University of Michigan. SBA did not respond to a request for comment (and none of its press team members appear to have used the suggested out-of-office reply template).

The Japan Times

@thejapantimes@mastodon.social · 4 weeks ago

Public hospitals across Japan ran a combined deficit of ¥395.2 billion in fiscal 2024, with 83.3% operating in the red, the internal affairs ministry said. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/09/30/japan/science-health/japan-hospitals-deficit-2024/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #sciencehealth #hospitals #doctors #internalaffairsministry

The Japan Times

83% of public hospitals in Japan in red in fiscal 2024

Both the deficit and the proportion of loss-making hospitals, 703 out of 844, marked record highs.

RaymondPierreL3

@RaymondPierreL3@aus.social replied · 4 weeks ago

@thejapantimes
And? #Public institutions providing public #services Are Not Businesses. They ought not to be expected to turn a profit, not even break-even… Its A Service, people! What moronic #neoliberal asshats.

Jérémie Zimmermann🎶💗🧀🫖5946

@jz@mamot.fr · 2 months ago

Deutsche Bahn (DB), a state-owned company under control of the gov of #Germany, is telling me when i try to buy a ticket or to log in (!) that "Your browser's behavior resembles that of a bot."

Suggestion is:
- change browser (!)
- change network (!!!)
or
"If you are using a VPN client, anonymization tool, [iOS stuff], or third-party antivirus software, please temporarily disable it."

#German gov. suggests giving up on privacy protection?

-> DPA complaint?

#publicservice #Enshitification

A screenshot from the Deutsche Bahn website (bahn.de) presenting the following text (only the English translation fits here):

Error 753 – something went wrong

We apologize, but an error has occurred during your login: Your browser's behavior resembles that of a bot.
The following steps may help you to log in:

Please use a different browser.
Clear your browser's cache and reload the page: To do this, delete the browser data, cache, and cookies in your browser settings.
Use a different internet connection and reload the page (for example, switch from LAN to Wi-Fi or use a mobile hotspot).
If you are using a VPN client, anonymization tool, iCloud Private Relay (an iOS feature that hides your IP address), or third-party antivirus software, please temporarily disable it. — A screenshot from the Deutsche Bahn website (bahn.de) presenting the following text (only the English translation fits here): Error 753 – something went wrong We apologize, but an error has occurred during your login: Your browser's behavior resembles that of a bot. The following steps may help you to log in: Please use a different browser. Clear your browser's cache and reload the page: To do this, delete the browser data, cache, and cookies in your browser settings. Use a different internet connection and reload the page (for example, switch from LAN to Wi-Fi or use a mobile hotspot). If you are using a VPN client, anonymization tool, iCloud Private Relay (an iOS feature that hides your IP address), or third-party antivirus software, please temporarily disable it.

Jérémie Zimmermann🎶💗🧀🫖5946

@jz@mamot.fr replied · 2 months ago

@digiges hey Liebe DigiGes! what would _you_ do against something like that? #public #enshittification #Germany #antiprivacy

Nonilex

@Nonilex@masto.ai · 2 months ago

At around 9AM on Friday, three guests at Hotel Captain Cook, a four-star hotel located 20 mins from the Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage where leaders from the #US & #Russia convened, found the documents left behind in one of the hotel's #public printers. NPR reviewed photos of the documents taken by one of the guests, who NPR agreed not to identify because the guest said they feared retaliation.

[read / view pages: https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/26052867-trump-putin-summit-documents/ ]

#NationalSecurity #Trump #idiocracy

meganisalanis

@meganisalanis@mastodon.nz · 2 months ago

Oral submissions, tips and must do's?

I'm doing my first one of these on Wednesday

#NZPol #submissions #public #DogControlLaws

ozoned boosted

Fireside Fedi

@firesidefedi@social.firesidefedi.live · 3 months ago

Just got our "United Federation of the Fediverse" #shirts that @Lioh sent!

WOW! They're incredible #quality. Honestly some of the nicest #t-shirts I've ever owned. SUPER soft! Plus now my wife and I can represent the #Fediverse MORE in #public

And of course Lioh was right! #Americans are larger than #Europeans. lol I'm not really overweight ... much ... and I wear a Large in the #US and Lioh sent an XL which JUST fits. Thanks for the 2XL as well!

EVERYONE go check out these shirts and pick up your own. I can't get over how good they are!

https://spacefun.tpopsite.com/

And thank you so so much to Lioh for creating the shirts and sending us some.

And thank you so much to @mullana for the wonderful artwork on the shirt!

Fireside Fedi

@firesidefedi@social.firesidefedi.live · 3 months ago

Tristan Nitot✓ and 3 others boosted

Lewackie Vlepy

@vlepy@lewacki.space · 3 months ago

In Finland, charging fees for tuition is illegal, which means rich kids have to mix with normal kids, which means rich families had to make sure the schools the kid went to were good, which meant the rich were prompted to invest in public schools. Finland, take a bow.

#schools #finland #public #education #sticker

Lewackie Vlepy

@vlepy@lewacki.space · 3 months ago

#schools #finland #public #education #sticker

Lyla Mehta

@Lylamehta@mas.to · 5 months ago

Public ownership of England’s water companies could cost close to zero, says thinktank

Govt could use a process known as special administration to take over failing Thames Water. The figure of £99bn is based on an estimate from a thinktank paid for by water companies.

The analysis from another think tank 'Common Wealth' shows that it matters who is framing & costing problems & their solutions.

#Water #ThamesWater #Privatisation #England #Public #PublicOwnership

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/jun/09/water-companies-public-ownership-could-cost-close-to-zero-says-common-wealth-thinktank