This Morning star Ashley James has recalled a scary incident where she suspects her drink was spiked, which left her blacking out and meant she woke with no memory of her night.
This Morning star Ashley James has recalled a scary incident where she suspects her drink was spiked(Image: Brett Cove)
Ashley James has recalled a scary incident where she suspected her drink was spiked and ended up blacked out. Detailing the experience, the This Morning star told Mirror: “There have been many occasions where I’ve wondered if I’ve been spiked. But we blame ourselves and think, ‘Maybe I was just drunk.’”
“I remember visiting my brother at university for a night out years ago. I had a total blackout, woke up in my brother’s room and I’d been sick – everywhere,” she said. Ashley continued: “That was a disproportionate reaction to what I drank that evening and I have no memory of the evening itself. It was terrifying.”
Ashley says she doesn’t remember anything from the experience, which happened several years ago(Image: WireImage)
The mum-of-two added, “I was really young so I didn’t think about spiking or what I should do in that situation. Like so many others, I blamed myself or simply thought the drinks were stronger than I thought. Luckily, nothing worse has happened.”
“I’m outspoken, but the more you talk about things, the more you can fight for change. There are so many scary things out there, especially as a mother; the thought of my children experiencing things I have – whether it’s trolling or other issues – makes me nervous. The world’s a scary place now.”
On the topic of trolling, something celebrities are all too familiar with, she talks about her experiences on social media and gossip website, Tattle Life, which is now being shut down. The website allows users to post anonymously, but Ashley says the harassment she has encountered on it has made its way into her home life, too.
Ashley shares her two children with partner Tommy Andrews(Image: Instagram/ashleylouisejames/)
“People don’t realise that it’s not just gossiping and chatting, it’s much darker,” she says. “In my case, someone made a false allegation against me to social services, who came to my door. “I told them that, day or night, if they came to my door they’d only see loved children, so I wasn’t worried. But it does endanger people when their family is involved. It’s scary as it’s entering the real world.”
Ashley continues, “Social services are overstretched as it is, so there should be repercussions for wasting their time. Put bluntly, other children could die if social services’ attention is elsewhere because of these allegations. People need to be accountable. If they’re going to say it online, they should say it with their faces and names made public. They should be as accountable online as they are offline.”
Experiences like this have made Ashley ultra-aware when it comes to educating her children about the internet. “My son is amazing; he’s sweet, sensitive and kind and I never want the world to convince him that those aren’t worthy attributes for men. We definitely need more kind and compassionate boys and men in the world, so that’s what I want to teach him,” she says.
Earlier this year, Ashley took to social media after being told that Alfie may need extra help from the Special Educational Needs department when he begins school. Ashley says she’s trusting her gut.
They are parents to Alfie, four, and Ada, two(Image: Instagram/ashleylouisejames/)
“The school did a SEN report which didn’t specifically label him or say why he needs extra help, and to be honest, I don’t really mind. I think any parent would welcome extra support for their child. “My role as his mum is to guide him and to trust my instincts, to ensure that he can thrive in a school setting. So, I feel reassured.”
As we chat about creating a better world for her children, Ashley says she’s working with anti-spiking campaign CounterSpike and charity Spike Aware UK to get rid of drink spiking in the future.
Admitting she wants to get rid of the ‘victim blaming’ mentality, Ashley said: “We ask how much they’ve had to drink. Even as parents, especially with daughters, people find themselves saying, ‘You can’t go out like that.’ But you’re equating their outfit to their morals, or their safety.
“The problem – even if it’s well intended – is that it’s telling her that she’s responsible for bad things happening to her, rather than the person doing them,” says Ashley. That’s why she’s pleased that CounterSpike has developed SpikeStixx, which enables people to test their drinks. “It’s a way to reassure your mates they haven’t just drunk too much – to know for sure.
“More than anything, it will hopefully help stop people from doing it. Because, right now, statistics from CounterSpike show that 90% of spiking goes unreported.”
“One day, my son and daughter will be going out into this world without me. I would really like to think that things will improve, and they can do that without fear.”
Ashley is the official ambassador for the launch of CounterSpike’s campaign and its SpikeStixx, which are available to buy at counterspike.com
The quaint market town of Wetherby, in West Yorkshire, has been named one of the best towns across the country – and it’s no wonder why people love it so much
An aerial view of Wetherby in West Yorkshire(Image: mikeuk via Getty Images)
Nestled in the West Yorkshire countryside, a charming market town has been recognised as one of the top towns nationwide. Located equidistant from the cities of Leeds and York, Wetherby is just a short distance away from two of the UK’s most picturesque urban areas.
Perched on the banks of the River Wharfe, this medieval town offers a blend of rich history and contemporary conveniences. The distinctive allure of the town’s Georgian architecture coupled with its vibrant community spirit has earned it a place among the country’s most sought-after towns.
Wetherby’s town centre is home to an array of traditional pubs, chic boutiques, independent coffee shops, and a selection of local grocers and butchers.
A weekly farmer’s market takes place around the Grade II listed town hall, while an artisan market showcasing locally crafted ceramics, jewellery and other items occurs twice monthly.
Beyond the bustling town centre, Wetherby Racecourse hosts National Hunt and Flat Fixtures from October through June. The racecourse also serves as a venue for regular car boot sales and antique fairs, among other events.
Throughout Wetherby, a network of marked walks, trails and parks offer tranquil scenic routes for exploring the town, including a stunning riverside path that passes by the Brass Band performing on Sundays during the summer months.
On a practical note, Wetherby boasts five schools, including two primary schools rated outstanding by Ofsted, reports the Express.
With a population of approximately 11,000, which has seen a slight decrease in recent years, and an average house price just shy of £400,000, Wetherby truly is a gem in the Yorkshire countryside.
Thanks to its prime position, Wetherby boasts the benefits of easy city commuting coupled with the serene lifestyle of riverside living.
Wetherby is situated 12 miles from both Leeds and York, and a mere eight miles from the town of Harrogate.
Altrincham was once dubbed one of the UK’s worst high streets but has now been transformed into a bustling urban haven and twice named the best place to live in the north west
Altrincham is full of independant shops and restaurants (Image: estherpoon via Getty Images)
England is brimming with charming market towns, yet Altrincham stands out as the crème de la crème, consistently being hailed as superior to the rest. Having been crowned as the Best Place to live in the North West twice by the Sunday Times, Altrincham has transformed from a “ghost town” to a buzzing cultural gem frequented by tourists and locals.
The scenic market town has seen significant changes thanks to a whopping £6 million regeneration scheme kicked off in 2015 by Trafford Council. The bold initiative saw new developments take shape, like the multi-million-pound face-lift of Altrincham Leisure Centre, the rejuvenation of the Stamford Quarter, and continuous enhancements across the town’s public spaces.
Trafford Council’s ambition was to polish Altrincham into a premier spot for residents and entrepreneurs alike, dubbed it a “first class destination for people to live, shop, and do business”.
Previously decried as a “ghost town”, the staggering evolution of Altrincham now marks it as one of the UK’s premier living spots after flipping its once-dreadful high street reputation entirely on its head.
Moreover, Altrincham now serves as an exemplar for contemporary market towns, blending independent ventures with the old-school charm of Market House stalls.
The Market House has been at the heart of the community since 1290(Image: Getty)
Centuries entrenched in the town’s fabric since 1290, the traditional market still thrives on Tuesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, hosting fiercely independent, multi-award-winning traders offering everything from trendy crafts and local eats to vintage finds and home accessories.
Altrincham has become a hotspot for foodies, boasting top-rated independent eateries such as Honest Crust, which claims to serve “the country’s best” wood-fired sourdough pizzas, whilst Jack in the Box offers an impressive selection of craft beers.
Meanwhile, The Great North Pie Company, England’s premier pie producer, has earned numerous accolades in recent years, making it a must-visit destination for pie fans.
Situated amidst picturesque green spaces and stunning countryside, like Stamford Park and Dunham Massey, Altrincham provides idyllic settings for leisurely strolls through rolling grasslands and ancient woodlands, with roaming deer often spotted in its medieval parks.
Thanks to its convenient location just eight miles from Manchester, Altrincham is an attractive choice for commuters working in the city.
Altrincham has become a cultural haven for visitors and guests alike(Image: Getty)
Its winning blend of culture, cuisine and natural beauty has cemented its position as a highly sought-after property hotspot, reports the Express.
With a typical detached house fetching £1,050,000, the area commands a significant premium due to its exceptional education, stunning parks, and tight-knit community. Demand for homes near top-rated schools has driven property prices even higher.
Schools such as Altrincham Grammar School for Boys and Girls, and Loreto Catholic Grammar School, have been recognised as two of the top schools in the northwest, both earning an outstanding Ofsted rating in 2022.
Altrincham Grammar School for Boys was named the best secondary school for academic performance, while Altrincham Girls scooped the award for the best secondary school of the year in the northwest.
So if you’re looking to move and want a lively urban retreat with superb transport links, a buzzing social scene, top-notch education, and a safe investment opportunity, then this charming UK Market town should certainly be on your radar.
SACRAMENTO — The news clips say Bob Hertzberg was sworn in as Assembly speaker April 13. But ask Hertzberg and he’ll tell you he really didn’t become speaker until May 9. That’s the day he pulled together the biggest deal of the year in the Capitol.
It’s the day the Sherman Oaks Democrat first felt the power of the office–and passed a leadership test he easily could have avoided without anybody noticing.
It may have been indicative of a speakership style Sacramento has not seen for a long while–a political natural who moves comfortably among the powerful and relishes the action, somebody raised in public policy activism and schooled in precinct combat. An old pro at 45, after only 3 1/2 years in elective office.
He’s somebody who can relate to the Capitol’s indigenous, No. 1 old pro, Senate President Pro Tem John Burton (D-San Francisco), an acerbic veteran of nearly 30 years in the Legislature and Congress.
What Hertzberg achieved on May 9–with Burton’s indispensable help at the end–was to sign up Gov. Gray Davis, the California Teachers Assn. and the legislative leadership on a $1.84-billion boost for schools.
This is not just an ordinary spending bump. This is extra money now that will become part of the schools’ permanent, yearly entitlement. It’s also a done deal, unlike all the other ballyhooed budget proposals that have yet to be negotiated.
But the larger significance for Capitol insiders–and Hertzberg’s motivation–was political. In exchange for the new school money, the CTA agreed to dump its November ballot initiative that would have played havoc with Democratic legislative candidates. The CTA measure would have required California to raise per-pupil spending to the national average and forced a tax increase.
Democratic lawmakers would have felt obliged to endorse the initiative because the CTA is a financial angel. Republican campaign opponents then could have accused them of endorsing a tax hike.
“We had this train wreck coming down the line,” Hertzberg says. “It could have cost Democrats seats. I couldn’t let that happen.”
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The new speaker started calling Friday night, May 5. First to staffers, then to Burton, Davis and the CTA on Saturday. And everybody again on Sunday. Davis gave Hertzberg the license to broker a deal.
On Monday–one day before the CTA was to turn in enough signatures to qualify its initiative–8,000 teachers rallied for more money at the Capitol. Afterward, Hertzberg and CTA officials met with the governor.
Davis started at $1.25 billion; the CTA $3 billion. Their relations had been strained by past feuding. But both had an incentive to settle. The CTA measure would hinder the union’s all-out fight against a voucher initiative–and also the governor’s sponsorship of a ballot proposal to lower the vote requirement for local school bond issues.
“It would have looked to the voters like too much in one fell swoop,” says Garry South, Davis’ political advisor.
Still, the sides couldn’t agree. Talks broke down. Hertzberg wouldn’t let it go, however. He called Burton. Burton called CTA officials and asked them to meet in his office Tuesday morning, May 9.
There, Hertzberg offered the $1.84 billion he knew Davis would accept. And Burton closed the deal.
How? “He guaranteed it,” recalls CTA President Wayne Johnson. “He said, ‘If people don’t live up to this, they’ll rue the day’–in a little more colorful language.”
Quips Burton: “Bob pitched 8 2/3 innings. Then with the bases loaded, a 3-0 count, they called me in and I struck out the batter on three pitches.
“But there wouldn’t have been anything for me to do if not for Hertzberg.”
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Unlike Hertzberg’s predecessor, Assemblyman Antonio Villaraigosa, the new speaker says he enjoys and relates to Burton, 67. Villaraigosa often talked about having “to pop [Burton] in the nose a couple of times.”
“My old man was sort of an old school guy and all his buds were old school, and that’s why I relate so well to Burton. I totally get him,” says Hertzberg. His late father, Harrison Hertzberg, was a prominent West L.A. constitutional lawyer who used the courtroom to change public policy. “They’re the same kind of guys. Speak the same language–the same four-letter words.”
Just as Hertzberg was telling me this on May 9, Burton walked in to report that the CTA negotiators were headed to his Senate office. Final strategy was discussed.
Later, the speaker remarked: “They changed the sign on the office door April 13, but I’ll always think of May 9 as the day I earned my stripes.”
AUSTIN, Texas — A group of Dallas-area families and faith leaders have filed a lawsuit seeking to block a new Texas law that requires copies of the Ten Commandments be posted in every public school classroom.
The federal lawsuit, filed Tuesday, claims the measure is an unconstitutional violation of the separation of church and state.
Texas is the latest and largest state to attempt a mandate that has run into legal challenges elsewhere. A federal appeals court on Friday blocked a similar law in Louisiana. Some families have sued over Arkansas’ law.
The plaintiffs in the Texas lawsuit are a group of Christian and Nation of Islam faith leaders and families. It names the Texas Education Agency, state education Commissioner Mike Morath and three Dallas-area school districts as defendants.
“The government should govern; the Church should minister,” the lawsuit said. “Anything else is a threat to the soul of both our democracy and our faith.”
Ten Commandments laws are among efforts, mainly in conservative-led states, to insert religion into public schools. Supporters say the Ten Commandments are part of the foundation of the United States’ judicial and educational systems and should be displayed.
Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott signed the Ten Commandments measure into law on June 21. He also has enacted a measure requiring school districts to provide students and staff a daily voluntary period of prayer or time to read a religious text during school hours.
Opponents say the Ten Commandments and prayer measures infringe on others’ religious freedom and more lawsuits are expected. The American Civil Liberties Union, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, and the Freedom From Religion Foundation have said they will file lawsuits opposing the Ten Commandments measure.
Under the new law, public schools must post in classrooms a 16-by-20-inch or larger poster or framed copy of a specific English version of the commandments, even though translations and interpretations vary across denominations, faiths and languages and may differ in homes and houses of worship.
The lawsuit notes that Texas has nearly 6 million students in about 9,100 public schools, including thousands of students of faiths that have little or no connection to the Ten Commandments, or may have no faith at all.
The Texas Education Agency did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment. The law takes effect Sept. 1, but most public school districts start the upcoming school year in August.
GRADUATES are facing the toughest jobs market in eight years but some industries are bucking the trend and paying big.
New data from the Indeed Hiring Lab reveals graduate job ads are down 12% compared to last year and even worse than during the pandemic.
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Research shows there are sectors hiring which offer some seriously high wages
In fact, grad roles are now at their lowest point since at least 2018, as employers hold onto staff and cut back on new hires.
But it’s not all doom and gloom. Indeed’s mid-year labour market update shows there are sectors hiring and they’re paying some seriously high wages, with top jobs offering up to £200,000 a year.
Expert Jack Kennedy, senior economist at Indeed, said: “The UK labour market started 2025 with serious headwinds but rather than crash, it’s seen a gradual softening.
“While hiring appetite is weak, job losses have remained modest. The big challenge now is for new entrants like graduates, who are finding it tough to get a foot in the door.
“But sectors like education and real estate are still hiring in big numbers and roles offering flexibility, like hybrid or remote jobs, are holding up too.”
Here, we reveal the fastest-growing job sectors in the UK right now and the top salaries workers could earn.
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Education & instruction – up 49%
The education sector has seen the biggest increase in job postings, with demand up by 49% compared to pre-pandemic levels. Top earners in this field can make up to £77,250.
This surge is largely due to a national shortage of teachers, particularly in subjects like science, maths and special education.
With government initiatives encouraging more people to enter teaching, there are more opportunities than ever, not just for qualified teachers but also for teaching assistants and support staff.
Entry-level roles such as teaching assistants, cover supervisors, and graduate trainee teachers are also in high demand,
Sam Thompson’s huge new job revealed – and there’s an Ant and Dec link
Social science – up 48%
Closely following education, social science roles have grown by 48%. The top 1% of salaries reach £82,500, with many positions available in areas like policy research, community development, psychology, and criminology.
Graduates with degrees in sociology, psychology, and public policy are finding more roles in local government, charities and think tanks.
Real estate – up 45%
The real estate sector has posted a 45% rise in job listings. It’s a lucrative industry too, with top earners bringing in £109,513.
The UK property market remains resilient, with growth in both commercial and residential lettings.
Many graduates can break into the industry through roles like lettings negotiators, property administrators, and junior estate agents, where commissions can quickly boost take-home pay.
Legal – up 27%
Legal roles have seen a 27% increase in demand, with the best-paid positions offering up to £96,348.
This growth is being driven by a backlog of court cases and rising demand for legal advice in areas such as employment, family law, and corporate compliance.
Law graduates, paralegals and legal support staff are in demand across both private firms and public sector bodies.
The legal sector has also seen growth in remote roles, making it more accessible for early-career professionals.
Mechanical engineering – up 18%
Mechanical engineering continues to be a growth area, with a hiring increase of 18%. Top salaries in this field can reach £84,775.
As the UK focuses more on infrastructure, robotics, and renewable energy projects, mechanical engineers are needed in sectors ranging from automotive to aerospace and manufacturing.
Those at the start of their careers might look at field service technician roles, control panel engineering, or graduate engineer positions, especially as the UK invests in EV infrastructure and smart grids.
Insurance – up 16%
Insurance roles have grown by 16%, with elite earners making around £106,125. The industry is modernising rapidly, with tech and data transforming how insurers assess risk and handle claims.
There’s strong demand for underwriters, analysts, and customer service professionals.
In particular, graduates with business, finance or maths degrees are in high demand in this sector, which offers clear career progression and high long-term earning potential.
And while that figure might be reserved for senior underwriters and actuaries, graduates can start out as claims handlers, underwriting assistants, or admin support staff, with many firms offering structured progression and paid qualifications.
Electrical engineering – up 16%
Also seeing a 16% growth in hiring, electrical engineering is a thriving sector thanks to the UK’s transition to smart technologies and renewable energy.
The best-paid roles can command salaries of £79,832. This field is vital to the roll-out of electric vehicle infrastructure, energy storage systems and smart homes.
Engineers with experience in circuit design, automation or grid systems are particularly sought after, making it a smart career move for STEM graduates.
Dental – up 14%
The dental profession has surged by 14%, and it tops the salary chart with the highest pay of any occupation listed: £200,726 for the top 1%.
Both NHS and private practices are struggling to recruit and retain dentists, dental nurses and hygienists due to a backlog of patients and a shortage of qualified staff.
This shortage has turned dentistry into one of the most lucrative and in-demand fields in the country right now.
There are also entry-level routes such as dental nurse apprenticeships, receptionist roles, and dental technician traineeships, especially in larger NHS or private clinics.
Physicians & surgeons – up 13%
Medical professionals are also in high demand, with physician and surgeon roles up 13% compared to pre-pandemic levels.
These roles offer some of the highest salaries, with top professionals earning up to £175,181.
This field remains highly competitive and requires years of training, but the financial and societal rewards are significant.
Installation & maintenance – up 13%
Installation and maintenance roles are booming, with postings up 13% and top salaries reaching £191,100.
This includes jobs in facilities management, HVAC systems, smart home installation, and more. As buildings become more complex and technology-driven, skilled tradespeople are crucial.
Production & manufacturing – up 12%
The production and manufacturing sector has grown by 12%, although it offers lower top salaries, maxing out at £56,965.
Still, it remains an essential part of the UK economy, especially with the rise of local manufacturing and automation.
There are growing opportunities in logistics, factory management and machine operation.
Cleaning & sanitation – up 10%
Although it may not be the highest paying sector, with top salaries around £31,607, cleaning and sanitation have seen a 10% rise in job postings.
Hygiene has become a permanent priority in the post-Covid world, driving consistent demand across hospitals, offices, schools and transportation.
These roles are often stable and provide entry-level access to the workforce.
Loading & stocking – up 7%
Loading and stocking jobs have increased by 7%, with top salaries reaching £35,604.
Warehouses and logistics centres are scaling up operations, especially with the continued growth in online shopping.
These roles are essential for ensuring supply chains run smoothly and are often available with minimal qualifications.
Construction – up 5%
Construction hiring is up 5%, and top earners can make around £54,508.
While this is a smaller increase than in other sectors, the construction industry remains key to the UK’s infrastructure goals, including new housing and public transport projects.
Tradespeople, site managers and qualified builders remain in steady demand.
Industrial engineering – Up 1%
Industrial engineering has only seen a 1% increase in job postings but still boasts high potential salaries, with the top 1% earning £152,152.
This field involves optimising systems and processes in industries like manufacturing, logistics and energy. It’s a niche but highly specialised career path that tends to reward experience and technical expertise significantly.
Where the jobs are drying up
Not every sector is faring as well. Graduate jobs in media, marketing, and nursing are way down, with job ads in those fields dropping as much as 66% since before Covid hit.
The fall in nursing roles is particularly stark, which is likely a result of tough working conditions and recruitment struggles within the NHS.
Likewise, industries with strong remote-working potential like media and marketing have seen some of the sharpest declines.
Across the UK, there were 818,000 job vacancies between September and November 2024, but fewer of those are entry-level.
The ratio of unemployed people to vacancies has more than doubled in the last two years, from 1 in 2022 to 2.2 per vacancy as of April 2025.
London and the South East have seen the biggest drops, with job ads down 29% and 32% from pre-pandemic levels.
Going to uni now costs an eye-watering £68,000, and the average grad in England leaves with £43,700 of debt.
Many students will be paying their loans back for up to 40 years under the new Plan 5 and Plan 2 schemes.
And while some degrees can lead to six-figure careers, others lead to average pay of just £19,000 – meaning graduates may struggle to get on the property ladder or start a family.
Recent research by Adzuna found that some of the highest-paying roles in 2025, including air traffic controllers, train drivers and project managers can pay over £77,000 a year without a degree.
Employment specialist Indeed gives the following advice for negotiating a better salary
Calculate your value: Determine how much your qualifications and experience are worth
Research the market: Look at similar roles to give an idea of salary expectations
Prepare your reasons: Be ready to justify every argument you give for having a better salary.
Rehearse your negotiation pitch: The more prepared you are the better.
Explain your work-related expenses: Part of your pitch could be that you are asking for more money to make up for expenses.
Be flexible: An employer might offer you a different salary package with more holiday or better working hours if they can’t directly raise the amount you’re paid
Don’t be afraid to walk away: You might have to think about walking away or pausing negotiations to consider your position.
Thank the employer for their time: This professional courtesy shows respect and maintains a positive working relationship
Asda has slashed prices on hundreds of school uniform bits with 20% off trousers, shirts and polos.
Prices start from £1.60 for crew neck t-shirts and range up to £16 for five-packs of slim leg boys trousers.
Parents can also buy hoodies for £4, jersey skirts for £5.60 and five-packs of long sleeve tops for £12.
Shoppers on Facebook claim the 20% off offer is running in stores as well.
We have asked Asda if it is available across all stores and what date the offer is running until both online and in-store and will update this story when we’ve heard back.
Aldi
German discounter Aldi is bringing back it’s popular £5 school uniform bundle deal on Sunday (June 29).
The bundle includes two polo shirts, a sweatshirt or cardigan, and a choice of trousers, skirt or cargo shorts – all for a fiver.
To apply, you’ll need to get in touch with your local council. Most councils have pages on their website dedicated to the HSF, while you can also call your local authority to find out if you are eligible for the support scheme.
Unlike in England, all local authorities in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales offer school uniform grants.
NEW ORLEANS — A panel of three federal appellate judges has ruled that a Louisiana law requiring the Ten Commandments to be posted in each of the state’s public school classrooms is unconstitutional.
The ruling Friday marked a major win for civil liberties groups who say the mandate violates the separation of church and state, and that the poster-sized displays would isolate students — especially those who are not Christian.
The mandate has been touted by Republicans, including President Trump, and marks one of the latest pushes by conservatives to incorporate religion into classrooms. Backers of the law argue the Ten Commandments belong in classrooms because they are historical and part of the foundation of U.S. law.
The plaintiffs’ attorneys and Louisiana disagreed on whether the appeals court’s decision applied to every public school district in the state or only the districts party to the lawsuit.
“All school districts in the state are bound to comply with the U.S. Constitution,” said Liz Hayes, a spokesperson for Americans United for Separation of Church and State, which served as co-counsel for the plaintiffs.
The appeals court’s rulings “interpret the law for all of Louisiana,” Hayes added. “Thus, all school districts must abide by this decision and should not post the Ten Commandments in their classrooms.”
Louisiana Atty. Gen. Liz Murrill said she disagreed and believed the ruling applied only to school districts in the five parishes that were party to the lawsuit and that she would seek to appeal the ruling.
The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals’ order stems from a lawsuit filed last year by parents of Louisiana schoolchildren from various religious backgrounds, who said the law violates 1st Amendment language guaranteeing religious liberty and forbidding government establishment of religion.
The mandate was signed into law last June by Republican Gov. Jeff Landry.
The court’s ruling backs an order issued last fall by U.S. District Judge John deGravelles, who declared the mandate unconstitutional and ordered state education officials not to take steps to enforce it and to notify all local school boards in the state of his decision.
Law experts have long said they expect the Louisiana case to make its way to the U.S. Supreme Court, testing the conservative court on the issue of religion and government.
In 1980, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a similar Kentucky law violated the Establishment Clause of the U.S. Constitution, which says Congress can “make no law respecting an establishment of religion.” The high court found that the law had no secular purpose but served a plainly religious purpose.
In 2005, the Supreme Court held that such displays in a pair of Kentucky courthouses violated the Constitution. At the same time, the court upheld a Ten Commandments marker on the grounds of the Texas state Capitol in Austin.
Hundreds of eighth-graders in freshly ironed button-down shirts and flowing dresses filed into Andrew Carnegie Middle School with their families Tuesday morning in high spirits.
But the graduation festivities at the school in Carson had an ominous undertone, as word had spread ahead of the event that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement might make an unwanted appearance.
Nervous parents and educators browsed apps dedicated to tracking ICE activity, refreshed their social media feeds and conferred with one another about the latest rumors. Some students who had been expected to attend the event did not come to the stage when their names were called. They had chosen to stay home out of fear that they or their loved ones would be detained.
Similar scenes have played out repeatedly across Los Angeles County in recent days, with the Trump administration deploying swarms of federal agents to detain immigrants.
Jacob Johnson, left, walks with his family after graduating as valedictorian from Andrew Carnegie Middle School in Carson on Tuesday. The arrival time for graduates and their family was moved up at the school to avoid potential confrontations with ICE.
In neighborhoods with large populations of foreign-born people across the region, every commute, trip to the grocery store or school drop-off has come to represent another potential final moment in lives built in this country.
In the span of just a few hours Tuesday, unverified messages posted online rapidly spread warnings about ICE agents being spotted near schools, hotels and hardware stores, leading to panic and disruption.
At Carnegie, the prospect of a raid was all anyone could talk about.
The school had sent out a message ahead of the event informing parents and students that “all guests will be admitted onto campus immediately — no waiting outside — due to ongoing concerns in our community related to the Department of Homeland Security (ICE).”
Mekeisha Madden Toby, 48, was there Tuesday morning to celebrate the graduation of her 14-year-old daughter, Zoe.
“It’s bittersweet because it’s supposed to be a celebration moment and it kind of got overshadowed by fear,” the mother said. “Your friend or your friend’s abuela could get snatched. You have to be aware, and you can’t even fully celebrate a graduation without thinking about it.”
“It’s not fair for these kids to put all this time and effort into school only to have to be concerned about their safety,” said Gardena High School junior Chris Alvarez, left, next to his cousin, Gardena High School graduate Anthony Garcia, 18, in Gardena on Tuesday.
Federal agents — often in plainclothes and unmarked vehicles — have raided L.A. County businesses, homes and even an underground nightclub in recent weeks, detaining scores of people in the process, including children.
Earlier this month, ICE detained a Torrance Elementary School fourth-grader, who was transferred to an immigration facility in Texas. Federal officials have since deported the 9-year-old and his father to Honduras.
Multiple recent incidents captured on video showed ICE agents in L.A. County confronting people on the streets — seemingly at random in some cases — and quickly whisking them away, offering no explanation to shocked loved ones and onlookers. Footage reviewed by The Times showed a Sunday raid in which unidentified law enforcement agents detained a fruit vendor in Westchester.
“They had him pressed down on the ground, they had weapons drawn so no one could get near to help him. It just looked like he had been kidnapped,” said witness Yuliza Barraza, 45. “Everyone was in shock and awe.”
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said during a press briefing Wednesday that 330 people had been arrested since Friday in the immigration sweeps in ICE’s Los Angeles Area of Responsibility, which stretches from San Luis Obispo to San Diego.
ICE shared photos on social media Tuesday showing armed members of the military accompanying immigration agents on L.A. raids. In recent days, Trump announced that he was sending a total of 700 U.S. Marines and 4,000 National Guard troops to L.A. to respond to protests and support federal operations.
Gov. Gavin Newsom and L.A. Mayor Karen Bass have demanded a detente, but to no avail. Bass called on Trump to “stop the raids” during a news conference Tuesday.
“We never know when, we never know how long” they will be, she said. “But that very notion creates such a terrible sense of fear in our city, and it’s just not right to do that to a population who’s trying to survive.”
Two Times journalists spent most of the day criss-crossing L.A. County’s southern reaches to document the disruption and trauma caused by the omnipresent specter of ICE. Following alerts shared on an assortment of online platforms, the journalists visited communities with significant foreign-born populations, such as Carson, Torrance, Gardena, Compton, Bell Gardens, and Long Beach, and nearby neighborhoods in the city of L.A.
Many people were on edge, even U.S. citizens not at risk of being deported. At a care facility for disabled adults in Torrance, one staffer — who declined to give her name out of fear of retaliation — said she had not seen an alert about a reported ICE sighting outside the facility that had been posted on Ice Block, one of the apps that circulates user-generated reports of federal actions.
But she said in a half-whisper that a friend had spotted U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents on a residential street a few blocks away. It was unclear whether anyone had been detained in the area.
“It’s so scary what they’re doing,” she said.
Angelica Salas, executive director of the Coalition for Human Rights of Los Angeles characterized the sweeps as an unprecedented “enforcement blitz” in which people are being “indiscriminately” targeted. Her organization, she said, has received 3,000 calls for service since Thursday.
In Signal Hill, the mood among a handful of day laborers who were posted up on a patch of grass near a Home Depot on Tuesday afternoon was jovial and almost defiant.
“I’m not worried,” one of the men said as pickup trucks laden with heavy lumber rumbled past. But he declined to give his name, not wanting to risk immigration agents tracking him down.
Andrew Carnegie Middle’s graduation in Carson ultimately went off without any interruptions by law enforcement. But attendees said they were asked at the last minute to show up at 7:30 a.m. instead of the previously planned 8:00 a.m. in an effort to avoid confrontations with ICE outside the school.
“They changed the graduation time because they were worried about people getting snatched up and taken,” said Zoe Toby, who wore a black Class of 2025 sash and blue lei over her gray-blue dress to celebrate her final day at Carnegie. “It’s scary because you never know when it’s going to happen.”
During the ceremony, some parents received notifications via the Ice Block app and social media warning that immigration enforcement officers were seen near the school. There was no confirmation of anyone being detained.
Zoe said some of her friends worry every day about being taken away by federal agents. Many of them have received red cards from the school explaining their rights, she added, pulling a picture up on her phone of one of the many posters emblazoned with the words “This classroom is a safe space for immigrants” that she said have been posted on the middle school’s walls.
“I’m on the Nextdoor app,” Zoe’s mother added, “and every day there’s neighbors warning each other” about ICE activity.
Gardena police officers keep a watchful eye out as Gardena High School graduates mingle with family and friends on Tuesday.
Later Tuesday, hundreds of teenagers in caps and gowns spilled out onto the street next to Gardena High School to revel in their first moments as high school graduates. Like in Carson, people were smiling and embracing one another as roadside vendors sold snacks and flower bouquets.
Chris Alvarez, a junior, was there to celebrate his 18-year-old cousin Anthony Garcia’s graduation. In between jokes with his friends and relatives, Chris, 17, said he’s “not really worried” about ICE, but he was dismayed by online warnings that agents had been spotted near his school earlier Tuesday.
“It’s not fair for these kids to put all this time and effort into school only to have to be concerned about their safety and the safety of their family and their friends,” he said. “This should be a celebration.”
For Orlando Johnson, principal of Susan Miller Dorsey Senior High School in South Los Angeles, safety is paramount amid the ongoing threat posed by the immigration crackdown.
“The focus is just on protecting our families and protecting our students. We don’t know what information’s real and not real,” he said Tuesday. “I think everybody’s concerned.”
Times staff writers Andrea Castillo and Rachel Uranga and L.A. Times Studio senior producer Karen Foshay contributed to this report.
Los Angeles school police will set up a safety perimeter around campuses and school events — including graduations — to keep federal immigration agents away from students, employees and families, school officials said Monday.
The announcement by Supt. Alberto Carvalho comes amid widespread immigration raids in Los Angeles — including one on Monday at a Home Depot adjacent to Huntington Park High School — after a weekend of isolated but intense downtown clashes between police and protesters, some of whom set self-driving Waymo cars on fire and threw rocks and fireworks.
The move is among the most notable actions taken by the nation’s second-largest school district, whose leaders said at a news conference Monday that they will deploy their own police force to protect students and their families so they can enjoy in peace the many graduation ceremonies that will unfold this week as the school year concludes Tuesday.
“We stand strongly on the right side of law,” Carvalho said. “Every student in our community, every student across the country, has a constitutional right to a free public education of high quality, without threat. Every one of our students, independently of their immigration status, has a right to a free meal in our schools. Every one of our children, no questions asked, has a right to counseling, social emotional support, mental support.”
President Trump reversed a Biden administration policy that largely exempted schools and other potentially sensitive areas such as churches from immigration enforcement. In recent days, federal agents also have not targeted local schools. But in April federal agents were turned away by staff at two elementary schools.
Carvalho did not rule out the potential for a standoff involving school police if federal officers attempted to enter a school or an off-campus school event — such as a graduation ceremony — without a judicial warrant.
“I think that would be a preposterous condition,” Carvalho said. “But then again, we have seen preposterous actions taken recently by this administration. We are prepared for everything,” Carvalho said, adding that he’s in consultation on contingency plans with L.A. Mayor Karen Bass.
“I have a professional, moral responsibility to protect our kids, protect our workforce, ensure the sanctity, the protection of our buildings and their extension,” Carvalho said. “That means the school buses, the transportation of kids to school and graduation ceremonies. Nothing should interfere with that, and I will put my job on the line to protect a 5-year-old, an 11-year-old, an 11th grader or a soon-to-be graduate.”
But there are limits. Officials acknowledged that they are not legally allowed to interfere if officers arrive with a judicial warrant, which are relatively rare. All school staff — not just the school police — have received training in how to interact with immigration agents, especially to limit their access to campus and children.
Defenders of Trump’s goals counter that public employees should assist in supporting immigration laws against those who are not legally authorized to live in the United States.
For the school system, the immigration furor put a chill on a normally celebratory time — graduation season. The federal actions prompted a detailed, concerned and sometimes furious response from school district leadership.
“As I looked out at the horizon from my office this morning, I saw gray clouds over Los Angeles,” Carvalho said as he opened his remarks. “Those gray clouds could mean a lot of things to a lot of people. I interpreted them as clouds of injustice, clouds of fear, intimidation — clouds that seek to scare the best of us into dark corners.”
About 100 high school graduations and end-of-year culminations were scheduled for Monday and Tuesday, with graduation events continuing through June 16.
L.A. school police lack the manpower to encircle every campus and school-event venue, but when officials learn of potential immigration enforcement activity, the plan is to put one patrol car in front of a campus and another in motion around the site.
At graduation ceremonies outdoor lines to enter venues are to be minimized. And families can remain inside for as long as necessary should agents initiate a raid outside or in the neighborhood.
Where possible, a virtual option would be provided for families to watch a graduation ceremony online.
Said Carvalho: “I’ve spoken with parents who’ve told me that their daughter would be the first in their family to graduate high school, and they’re not going to be there to witness it, because they have a fear of the place of graduation being targeted. What nation are we becoming?”
Carvalho said there is confirmation so far of six or seven school district families that have been affected by raids and arrests. In one case, a student was detained with his father and transported from L.A. to Texas. The district has not identified the student or school out of privacy concerns.
A fourth-grader who attends Torrance Elementary — in a neighboring school district — and his 50-year-old father were taken into custody on May 29 by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement — and will soon be deported, a federal official said.
The father and son entered the U.S. illegally in 2021, according to the federal government.
The superintendent also noted talk of student walkouts. He said that students’ right to protest would be respected but he asked families to urge their children to remain on campus for safety reasons.
Carvalho also advised families to update their contact and emergency information with their school. And families also should prepare backup plans should caregivers be taken into custody.
Summer school starts on June 17 and runs through July 16. Carvalho said more campuses would be opened for classes to minimize travel from home to school and more school-funded transportation would be provided.
District leaders have frequently been circumspect in their words about the Trump administration — critical, to be sure, but somewhat careful. But there was little caution Monday.
School board member Nick Melvoin demanded the removal of the National Guard and compared Trump’s heavy-handed response in Los Angeles to his delay in halting rioters who sought to prevent the peaceful transfer of power from Trump to President-elect Joe Biden on Jan. 6, 2021.
Board member Rocio Rivas said there had been raids in the last few days in Boyle Heights, MacArthur Park, Lincoln Heights, Pico Union, Cypress Park, “just to name a few.”
“Our families are now forced to live in fear, looking over their shoulders on the way to school or their child’s graduation. This is just simply wrong. It is also very, very cruel,” Rivas said.
Said board member Tanya Ortiz Franklin: “This isn’t about keeping our community safe. This is about a backwards belief about who belongs and who should be pushed out, locked up and shut up.”
School board President Scott Schmerelson reached for a wider perspective.
“This is supposed to be the happiest time for our kids and their parents, and it’s a very sad time, but we have to remember too our kids have accomplished a lot,” Schmerelson said. “They are graduating and are trying to keep a positive attitude.”
California sued the U.S. Justice Department on Monday over its demand last week that local school districts ban transgender youth from competing in sports, arguing the federal agency had overstepped its authority in violation of both state and federal law.
The “pre-enforcement” lawsuit was filed “in anticipation of imminent legal retaliation against California’s school systems” for not complying with the agency’s directive by its Monday deadline, said California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta’s office, which is handling the litigation.
“The President and his Administration are demanding that California school districts break the law and violate the Constitution — or face legal retaliation. They’re demanding that our schools discriminate against the students in their care and deny their constitutionally protected rights,” Bonta said in a statement. “As we’ve proven time and again in court, just because the President disagrees with a law, that doesn’t make it any less of one.”
The lawsuit comes a week after Assistant Atty. Gen. Harmeet Dhillon, a Trump appointee and head of the federal Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, sent a letter to school districts across California warning them that they faced potential “legal liability” if they did not “certify in writing” by Monday that they will break with California Interscholastic Federation rules and state law to ban transgender athletes from competition in their districts.
Dhillon argued that allowing transgender athletes to compete “would deprive girls of athletic opportunities and benefits based solely on their biological sex,” in violation of the U.S. Constitution.
State Supt. of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond responded last week by saying in his own letter to schools that Dhillon’s warning carried no legal weight and that school districts were still obligated to follow state law, which requires transgender athletes be allowed to compete on teams based on their gender identity.
The California Department of Education sent a letter to federal authorities Monday, informing them that California’s school districts are under no obligation to provide certifications to the Justice Department.
“There are no changes in law or circumstances that necessitate a new certification,” wrote General Counsel Len Garfinkel. “Moreover, the DOJ letter references no law that would authorize the DOJ to require another ‘certification.’”
“All students — not just transgender students — benefit from inclusive school environments that are free from discrimination and harassment,” Garfinkel added. “When transgender students are treated equally, their mental health outcomes mirror those of their cisgender peers.”
Bonta’s lawsuit asks a federal court in Northern California to uphold the constitutionality of California’s antidiscrimination laws protecting transgender athletes, and to bar the Trump administration from withholding funds or taking other retaliatory actions against school districts that refuse to abide by the Trump directive.
The lawsuit falls along one of the fastest growing legal and political fault lines in America: Does the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment — the Constitution’s oft-cited guarantee against discrimination — protect transgender rights or undermine them?
Dhillon, other members of the Trump administration and anti-transgender activists nationwide have argued that the inclusion of transgender girls in youth sports amounts to illegal discrimination against cisgender girls.
Bonta’s office and other LGBTQ+ advocates argue that the exclusion of transgender girls is what constitutes illegal discrimination — and that courts, including the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, which governs California and much of the American West, have agreed.
While Dhillon “purports that compliance with the Equal Protection Clause requires the categorical exclusion of transgender girls from girls’ sports, as courts have previously upheld, just the opposite is true: the Equal Protection Clause forbids such policies of total exclusion, as does California law,” Bonta’s office said.
State law that allows transgender students to participate in sports consistent with their identity “is squarely within the State’s authority to ensure all students are afforded the benefits of an inclusive school environment, including participation in school sports, and to prevent the serious harms that transgender students would suffer from a discriminatory, exclusionary policy.”
An attorney who supports keeping transgender athletes out of girls sports said the rights of female athletes are paramount in this situation.
Both the U.S. Constitution and federal statute provide protections for female athletes that California is violating by “allowing males into ‘girls only’ categories,” said Julie A. Hamill, principal attorney with California Justice Center, a law firm that has complaints pending with the federal Office for Civil Rights on behalf of young female athletes.
“By continuing to fan flames of division and play politics, leftist politicians and media outlets are causing further harm to American girls,” Hamill said.
Polls have shown that Americans generally support transgender rights, but also that a majority oppose transgender girls competing in youth sports. Many prominent advocates for excluding transgender girls from sports praised Dhillon’s actions last week as a bold move to protect cisgender girls from unfair competition.
Sonja Shaw, a Trump supporter who is president of the Chino Valley Unified Board of Education, has called on California school systems to adopt resolutions in support of the Trump administration order.
“The stakes couldn’t be higher,” Shaw said last week. “Our daughters deserve safe, fair competition … But radical policies are undermining that right, pushing boys into girls’ sports and threatening their opportunities. We’re not backing down.”
Shaw, a candidate for state superintendent of public instruction, said other school systems could model these resolutions on one passed by her school district.
A handful of the state’s 1,000 school districts have passed such resolutions.
The lawsuit’s claim that retaliation from the Trump administration could be imminent for schools that do not comply with the administration’s demands is not entirely speculative. It is based at least in part on repeated threats and actions the administration has already taken against states over its trans-inclusive sports policies.
President Trump has said outright that he wants to cut federal funding to California over its laws allowing transgender athletes to compete in youth sports. The federal Justice Department has announced investigations into the state and the California Interscholastic Federation over its inclusive policies for transgender athletes.
U.S. Atty. Bill Essayli in Los Angeles, a longtime ally of Dhillon and whose appointment has yet to be confirmed, recently threw his office’s support behind a private lawsuit challenging the inclusion of a transgender athlete on the track and field team at Martin Luther King High School in Riverside.
Dhillon issued her letter to California school districts after another transgender athlete from Jurupa Valley High School, 16-year-old AB Hernandez, won multiple medals at the state high school track and field championships despite President Trump demanding on social media that she not be allowed to compete.
The letter came despite attempts by the state to appease concerns.
After Trump’s online threats, for example, the CIF updated its rules for transgender competitors. As a result, Hernandez was allowed to compete at the state finals in the girls’ long jump, high jump and triple jump, but her qualifying did not result in the exclusion of any cisgender girl.
In addition, while Hernandez was awarded several medals, those medals were also awarded to cisgender girls who otherwise would have claimed them had Hernandez not been competing — with the girls sharing those spots on the medal podiums.
Supporters of the rule change said it eliminated concerns about cisgender girls losing opportunities to compete and win to transgender girls, but critics said the changes did not go far enough, and that transgender athletes needed to be fully banned from competition.
Dhillon’s letter demanding school districts certify that such bans were being implemented made no mention of the CIF’s rule change.
A TEACHER’S secret OnlyFans account was exposed by kids “excitedly” sharing the X-rated snaps around school.
Kirsty Buchan, also known as Jessica Jackrabbit x, was a staff member at Bannerman High School, in Glasgow, when she joined the adult platform.
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The former teacher resigned after her OnlyFans profile was discoveredCredit: Kirsty Buchan
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The 34-year-old was today struck off from the profession by the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS)Credit: Kirsty Buchan
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The mum-of-one taught Physics at Bannerman High School, in GlasgowCredit: Kirsty Buchan
A disciplinary hearing was told the mum-of-one’s profile was discovered by pupils in 2022 and reported to headteacher Seonaidh Black.
Pictures of Ms Buchan, 34, “posing in lingerie” were handed over by shocked students.
In her bio she admitted to being a “good teacher gone bad… really bad”.
The profile was also easily accessible, requiring no payment or sign up.
Ms Black told the hearing: “I was approached by some S5 and S6 boys, who were very excited.
“They were saying things like, ‘Have you heard the news’. I said something like ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about’ as I did not want to engage them in this kind of conversation.
“I was then told something like, ‘If you haven’t heard, when you do, you’re going to go ballistic. Look out for Jessica Jackrabbit’.
“As I came back into the building, at least two staff stopped to ask me if I knew about Kirsty. It was obvious at this point that everyone knew what was going on.”
Ms Buchan, who had originally been a pupil at the school before teaching there, did not attend the hearing.
In her absence, the headteacher described the OnlyFans model as a “teacher who wanted to do a good job”.
Glamorous futsal player who was sacked after OnlyFans posts now earning 100 times more selling adult content
However there had been several occasions when she “was not always clear on boundaries”.
She told the panel she was referring to “having poor judgement” when it came to being open about sharing her social media with pupils.
One concerned mother had even contacted Ms Black and reported how her son left messages for Ms Buchan on her OnlyFans profile.
The 34-year-old quit her job shortly after her adult content platform was discovered.
She claimed to rake in £60,000 in just one month through her X-rated page.
Ms Buchan argued she signed up because she needed some extra cash after her wages decreased.
Ms Black added how “there’s still talk” about the ordeal now.
Hannah Oakley, who investigated the case for GTCS, told the hearing Ms Buchan did not “ensure that her profile picture and bio” was not accessible to those under 18.
The panel found all allegations to be proven and she was today struck off from the profession by the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS).
Panel member Mr Burton said she was unfit to teach and there was a “significant blurring of boundaries between her private life and her professional life”.
He added how she “used her profession in her bio as a selling tool”.
Mr Burton said Ms Buchan’s actions were “fundamentally incompatible with being a registered teacher”.
She then managed to get the £64,000 question right before taking on the £125,000 question.
It was: “Which of these species of tree lives the longest?”
As she debated about having a stab at it, Jeremy reminded her that if she got it wrong, she’d lose £32,000 but would go away with the £32,000 safety net.
Amy said: “I think I might as well go for it, no point in not doing it, right?”
She then decided to go for Oak and said “final answer” so it was locked in.
Hardest Quiz Show Questions
Would you know the answers to some of quizzing TV’s hardest questions
Who Wants To Be A Millionaire – Earlier this year, fans were left outraged after what they described as the “worst” question in the show’s history. Host Jeremy Clarkson asked: “From the 2000 awards ceremony onwards, the Best Actress Oscar has never been won by a woman whose surname begins with which one of these letters?” The multiple choice answers were between G, K, M and W. In the end, and with the £32,000 safe, player Glen had to make a guess and went for G. It turned out to be correct as Nicole Kidman, Frances McDormand and Kate Winslet are among the stars who have won the Best Actress gong since 2000.
The 1% Club – Viewers of Lee Mack’s popular ITV show were left dumbfounded by a question that also left the players perplexed. The query went as follows: “Edna’s birthday is on the 6th of April and Jen’s birthday falls on the 15th of October, therefore Amir’s birthday must be the ‘X’ of January.” It turns out the conundrum links the numbers with its position in the sentence, so 6th is the sixth word and 15th is the fifteenth word. Therefore, Amir’s birthday is January 24th, corresponding to the 24th word in the sentence.
The Chase – The ITV daytime favourite left fans scratching their heads when it threw up one of the most bizarre questions to ever grace the programme. One of the questions asked the player: “Someone with a nightshade intolerance should avoid eating what?” The options were – sweetcorn, potatoes, carrots – with Steve selecting sweetcorn but the correct answer was potatoes.
After a pause, Millionaire host Jeremy said: “You are unbelievably brave…but sadly wrong.”
The computer on screen then revealed that A) Yew was the correct answer.
He added: “Oh I am sorry Amy, but I just love your attitude, and you are leaving here with £32,000 which is pretty good.”
Who Wants To Be A Millionaire airs on ITV1 and ITVX.
Two tribal nations filed a lawsuit saying that the federal government used the trust fund money of tribes to pay for boarding schools where generations of Native children were systematically abused.
In the lawsuit filed Thursday in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, the Wichita Tribe and the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California said that by the U.S. government’s own admission, the schools were funded using money raised by forcing tribal nations into treaties to cede their lands. That money was to be held in trust for the collective benefit of tribes.
“The United States Government, the trustee over Native children’s education and these funds, has never accounted for the funds that it took, or detailed how, or even whether, those funds were ultimately expended. It has failed to identify any funds that remain,” according to the lawsuit.
The lawsuit was filed against Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Bureau of Indian Education. A spokesperson for the Interior declined to comment on pending litigation.
In 2022, the Department of the Interior, under the direction of Secretary Deb Haaland, the first Native American to run the agency, released a scathing report on the legacy of the boarding school era, in which Native children were stolen from their homes, forced to assimilate, and in many cases physically, sexually and mentally abused. Countless children died at the schools, many of whom were buried in unmarked graves at the institutions.
That report detailed the U.S. government’s intentions of using the boarding schools as a way to both strip Native children of their culture and dispossess their tribal nations of land.
The tribes are asking the court to make the U.S. account for the estimated $23.3 billion it appropriated for the boarding school program, detail how that money was invested, and list the remaining funds that were taken by the U.S. and allocated for the education of Native children.
Last year, President Biden issued a formal apology for the government’s boarding school policy, calling it “a sin on our soul” and “one of the most horrific chapters” in American history. But in April, the administration of President Trump cut $1.6 million from projects meant to capture and digitize stories of boarding school survivors.
A CONFUSED dad has been left stumped by his 10-year-old son’s maths homework with the internet dubbing it ‘absolutely bonkers.’
The father took to Reddit after being left puzzled by a multiple choice question given to his primary school-aged child.
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Can you work out the primary school maths problem?Credit: Reddit
While there are four different “answers” to choose from, the concerned dad noted there “must be missing something” from the equation – as none of the options appeared to be correct.
“This particular question was in my son’s math homework from the other day,” he wrote.
“They reviewed the answers in class today and apparently the answer was A.”
The question that has him, and everyone else, scratching their heads was this: Kayla has 18 bottles of bubbles. She wants to give two bottles to each of her six friends. How many bottles will she have left over?
Read More on Brainteasers
Children then had the option of four expressions and were challenged to identify the one that “solves the problem”.
It read: A) (18 divide 2) divide 6, B) (18 divide 2) + 6, C) (18 x 2) – 6, or D) (18 x 2) + 6.
But as the dad – who said he was “curious how they came to this answer” – pointed out, “none of the options seemed right as I was expecting it to be 18 – (6 × 2)”.
Some people rushed to the comments section to try and work out the answer, but most agreed there was an issue with the options provided with describing it as ‘absolutely bonkers’.
“I think it’s more likely a typo or misprint. If they swapped the subtraction and multiplication sign and moved the parentheses on answer choice C, then: (18 x 2) – 6 could become 18 – (2 x 6),” one said.
“You’re correct, the teacher is wrong. If you simplify A, you get 1.5 which doesn’t make any sense in the context of the problem,” mused another.
99 percent of people can’t find the hidden objects in under 20 seconds – are you up to the challenge
While one simply said: “Seems that A is wrong to me too.”
Some tried to make it work, but struggled.
“Really twisting my brain here to make sense of A being correct, but here goes: if you divide 18 bottles by 2 you get 9 bottles in two separate piles. Now give one bottle from each pile to all 6 friends. The result would be 3 bottles leftover in two separate piles, or 6 leftover bottles total. Gymnastics,” declared one.
“A, if they are supposed to use Euclidean divisions (18/2 = she has 9 batches of 2, 9/6 => 1 and remainder is 3),” tried another.
While one described it as “bad logic”, but gave it a stab anyway.
How can optical illusions and brainteasers help me?
Engaging in activities like solving optical illusions and brainteasers can have many cognitive benefits as it can stimulate various brain regions.
Some benefits include:
Cognitive stimulation: Engaging in these activities challenges the brain, promoting mental agility and flexibility.
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“This is the only way I can get any of the answer choices (and it is A) – I’m not saying it’s correct, only wanted to explain their (wrong) logic:
“She’s splitting the 18 bottles into sets of 2, that’s 18 / 2. Then, she’s splitting those sets of 2 among her 6 friends.
“That’s why you divide by 6 next. That leaves you with A. But as everyone here has said, you and your son are correct. The worksheet is wrong.”
Eventually, the child decided to expose the issue with the question, writing: “None, 18 – (6 x 2).”
The father later returned to update everyone, stating “the worksheet is indeed wrong”.
“I did talk with the teacher and they went over it in class together. The teacher mentioned none of the answers were right and what my son came up with was correct,” he shared.
This article was originally published on News.com.au and has been republished here with permission.
OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma high school students studying U.S. history learn about the Industrial Revolution, women’s suffrage and America’s expanding role in international affairs.
Beginning next school year, they will also learn about false conspiracy theories surrounding the 2020 presidential election.
Oklahoma’s new social studies standards for K-12 public school students, already infused with references to the Bible and nationalist themes, were revised at the direction of state schools Supt. Ryan Walters. The Republican official has spent much of his first term in office lauding President Trump, feuding with teachers unions and local school superintendents, and trying to end what he describes as “wokeness” in public schools.
“The left has been pushing left-wing indoctrination in the classroom,” Walters said. “We’re moving it back to actually understanding history … and I’m unapologetic about that.”
The previous standard for studying the 2020 election merely said, “Examine issues related to the election of 2020 and its outcome.” The new version is more expansive: “Identify discrepancies in 2020 elections results by looking at graphs and other information, including the sudden halting of ballot-counting in select cities in key battleground states, the security risks of mail-in balloting, sudden batch dumps, an unforeseen record number of voters, and the unprecedented contradiction of ‘bellwether county’ trends.”
The new standard raised red flags even among Walters’ fellow Republicans, including the governor and legislative leaders. They were concerned that several last-minute changes, including the language about the 2020 election and a provision stating the source of the COVID-19 virus was a Chinese lab — a theory never proven — were added just hours before the state school board voted on them.
A group of parents and educators has filed a lawsuit asking a judge to reject the standards, arguing that they were not reviewed properly and that they “represent a distorted view of social studies that intentionally favors an outdated and blatantly biased perspective.”
Grassroots pressure on lawmakers
While many Oklahoma teachers have expressed outrage at the change in the standards, others say they leave room for an effective teacher to instruct students about the results of the 2020 election without misinforming them.
Aaron Baker, who has taught U.S. government in high schools in Oklahoma City for more than a decade, said he’s most concerned about teachers in rural, conservative parts of the state who might feel encouraged to impose their own beliefs on students.
“If someone is welcoming the influence of these far-right organizations in our standards and is interested in inserting more of Christianity into our practices as teachers, then they’ve become emboldened,” Baker said. “For me, that is the major concern.”
Leaders in the Republican-led Oklahoma Legislature introduced a resolution to reject the standards, but there wasn’t enough GOP support to pass it.
Part of that hesitation probably stemmed from a flurry of last-minute opposition organized by pro-Trump conservative groups such as Moms for Liberty, which has a large presence in Oklahoma and threatened to back primary opponents against lawmakers who reject the standards.
“In the last few election cycles, grassroots conservative organizations have flipped seats across Oklahoma by holding weak Republicans accountable,” the group wrote in a letter signed by several other conservative groups and GOP activists. “If you choose to side with the liberal media and make backroom deals with Democrats to block conservative reform, you will be next.”
Claims that changes ‘encourage critical thinking’
After a group of parents, educators and other Oklahoma school officials worked to develop the new social studies standards, Walters assembled an executive committee consisting mostly of out-of-state pundits from conservative think tanks to revise them. He said he wanted to focus more on American “exceptionalism” and incorporate the Bible as an instructional resource.
Among those Walters appointed to the review committee are Kevin Roberts, president of the Heritage Foundation and a key figure on its Project 2025 project, a blueprint for a conservative administration largely reflected in Trump policies; and Dennis Prager, a radio talk show host who founded Prager U, a conservative nonprofit that offers “pro-American” educational materials for children that critics decry as lacking in objectivity and accuracy.
In a statement to the Associated Press, Walters defended teaching students about “unprecedented and historically significant” elements of the 2020 presidential election.
“The standards do not instruct students on what to believe; rather, they encourage critical thinking by inviting students to examine real events, review publicly available information, and come to their own conclusions,” he said.
Recounts, reviews and audits in the battleground states where Trump contested his election loss all confirmed Democrat Joe Biden’s victory, and Trump lost dozens of court cases challenging the results.
Critics say Walters’ new standard is filled with misleading phrasing that seeks to steer the discussion in a particular direction.
Democrats characterized it as another political ploy by Walters, widely viewed as a potential candidate for governor in 2026, at the expense of schoolchildren.
“It’s harmful posturing and political theater that our kids do not need to be subjected to,” said state Sen. Mark Mann, a Democrat from Oklahoma City who previously served on the school board for one of the state’s largest districts.
Concerns about politicizing school standards
National experts on education standards also expressed alarm, noting that Oklahoma has historically ranked highly among the states for its standards.
Brendan Gillis, the director of teaching and learning at the American Historical Assn. who oversaw a research project that analyzed standards in all 50 states, said Oklahoma’s social studies standards had been “quite good” until the latest version.
In addition to concerns about election misinformation, Gillis said, “there was also a lot of biblical content that was sort of shoehorned in throughout the existing standards.”
He said a lot of the references to Christianity and the Bible misinterpreted the history of the country’s founding and lacked historical nuance.
David Griffith, a research director at the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, a conservative-leaning education think tank, said he was not aware of any other states that have tried to promote election misinformation in their curriculum standards.
He called the new standards an “unfortunate” departure from Oklahoma’s traditionally strong social studies standards.
“It is just inappropriate to promote conspiracy theories about the election in standards,” he said.
Murphy writes for the Associated Press. AP writer Christina A. Cassidy in Atlanta contributed to this report.
A PRIMARY school has been evacuated after a pupil brought a grenade to show and tell.
Students at Osmaston CofE Primary School in Ashbourne,Derbyshire, were rushed off the site after the shocking discovery on Friday.
Teachers were concerned when a boy pulled out a World War Two hand grenade.
Headteacher Jeanette Hart did not know if the weapon was live or not so quickly took it and put it behind a large tree outside.
Despite not being “100 per cent happy” carrying the old bomb, she said she “didn’t want to take the risk” and leave it in the school.
The head teacher raised the alarm and Derbyshire Police arrived on the scene with army explosives experts.
Mrs Hart told the BBC: “It was quite an eventful assembly.
“It was going fine and there was a boy who brought an old bullet case in, which I knew about, but then his friend produced a hand grenade from his pocket.
“That, I was not expecting.”
Experts determined the heirloom was safe through X-ray analysis.
A spokesman for the Matlock, Cromford, Wirksworth and Darley Dale Police Safer Neighbourhood Team added: “Just a word of guidance for parents and guardians – double check what your kids are taking to show-and-tell, especially when they are family heirlooms.”
Mrs Hart the ordeal was completely “innocent” and the boy thought the grenade was “interesting” after learning about VE Day.
“His family didn’t know [he took it] and they were a little taken aback,” she added.
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Teachers were concerned when a boy pulled out a World War Two hand grenadeCredit: Facebook / Matlock, Cromford, Wirksworth and Darley Dale Police SNT
More to follow… For the latest news on this story keep checking back at The Sun Online
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Eurovision country trio Remember Monday’s are not new to the stage, as they actually competed in The Voice back in 2019
20:18, 15 May 2025Updated 20:18, 15 May 2025
All three members of Remember Monday have a background in musical theatre(Image: Zuma Press/PA Images)
As the UK’s Eurovision 2025 hopefuls gear up for their big moment on the Grand Final stage, fans are learning more about Remember Monday and their surprising showbiz roots. The country trio is comprised of Lauren Byrne, Holly-Anne Hull and Charlotte Steele.
The three women have known each other since their teenage years, when they became friends while studying at The Sixth Form College Farnborough in Hampshire. The trio originally performed under the name Houston, but rebranded as Remember Monday in 2018 as a tribute to the day they all had free periods at college and would spend time singing together.
All three members of Remember Monday have a background in musical theatre(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
Long before preparing to take to the stage for Eurovision, all three members had already become acquainted with the world of entertainment. Charlotte was just a child when she played Jane Bank in Mary Poppins on the West End stage.
Meanwhile, Lauren took on the role of Miss Honey in Matilda, and Holly performed in both Les Misérables and The Phantom of the Opera.
Their big break came in 2019 when the trio auditioned for The Voice UK, stunning judges with their powerful harmonies on Seal’s Kiss from a Rose.
All four coaches turned their chairs, but the band ultimately chose to join Team Jennifer Hudson after being swayed by the chance to be mentored by the only female judge on the panel.
The trio went on to win their Battle Round but were knocked out during the Knockout stage after performing their original track Jailbreaker. Despite the early exit from the competition, the group went on to build a loyal fanbase in the UK.
The trio previously appeared on The Voice UK(Image: Rachel Joseph/ITV/Shutterstock)
In September 2023 they took a leap of faith and quit their day jobs to pursue music full time. In early 2024 they were reunited with Hudson on her US talk show, where they gave a soulful performance of Hand in My Pocket by Alanis Morissette.
That same year, Remember Monday was announced as the UK’s Eurovision act for 2025, becoming the first girl band to represent the nation in 26 years.
Their entry What The Hell Just Happened? is a track with bold 80s influences inspired by the chaos of a wild night out. BBC Radio commentators admitted to being “nervous” before they heard the band perform, but were quickly “blown away” after watching Remember Monday’s rehearsals.
Richie Anderson shared: “I was a little bit nervous. It’s like when a family member is about to do a school assembly performance – you’re excited, but also so protective. But as soon as they started singing, their vocals were just incredible.”
He went on to say that the girls’ background in musical theatre prepared them well for putting on a show of this magnitude. He added: “They hit every camera, so it feels like they’re performing just for you – it’s very intimate.”
The Eurovision Song Contest continues with the second semi-final on Thursday, May 15 at 8pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. The Grand Final will take place on Saturday, May 17 at 8pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
He explained: “I have no interest in the money at all.
“The kind of gambler I am, it’s not about the money for me. When the money runs out, that’s the only issue.
“I never wanted to withdraw any money, I just wanted to keep winning. To be honest, at that time it was like an escapism from real life.”
Allen revealed his routine consisted of going to bed at 6am and waking up by 2pm to catch the first race of the day.
Fortunately, Allen has overcome his addiction with the help of his sister and wife, who he shares a son and daughter with.
As I got a bit older, I was gambling way more, tens of thousands of pounds. Maybe into hundreds of thousands overall.
Dave Allen
He said: “Since I was 26, I’ve not been in control of my own money.
“So at 26, I said to my sister, ‘You’re going to have to look after my money, to be honest.’
“My sister set me up a bank account and for the last seven and a half years if I want any money at all, I have to text my sister and now my missus, I get a card and they send me money.
“Because, if I could still gamble now, I think I would. I’ve spent mad money on mad s***, I was spending ridiculous money and when I boxed Luis Ortiz, I did it for the money, really.
“I think I owed a few quid at the time of the Dillian Whyte fight, I think I lost about eight grand on the day of the fight, I didn’t clear too much more than that really.”
Allen has also become a trainer and manager to young fighters to also keep himself on track.
He said: “I need it as much as them, start training the kids seven or eight years ago and that’s my sustainability really.
‘He’ll get knocked out’
“It’s really kept me on the straight and narrow.”
Allen initially retired from boxing in 2020 aged 28 after a brutal knockout loss to 2008 Olympic bronze medallist David Price.
But he returned a year later and has fought eight times since, remaining a hugely popular figure amongst British fans.
PARENTS know all too well that keeping kids entertained over the summer holidays can be pricey.
The cost of childcare alone can cost around £1,039 for the six weeks of the break, and that is not to mention days out and other activities.
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The cost of summer holidays can be expensive for parentsCredit: Getty
And many activity camps for children can be costly too, but that does not mean your child has to miss out.
There are loads of free classes available for families across countless areas in the UK.
Below we round up the best classes for kids this summer that cost nothing at all.
FREE FOOTBALL COACHING
McDonald’s runs free football classes for children aged 5 to 11 years old.
The programme lasts for 10 weeks and usually runs for an hour.
The event is hosted at local stadiums across the UK.
The sessions, which are open to all abilities, are running from March to July.
They are delivered by FA-qualified coaches at more than 1,600 locations nationwide.
You can find out more by visiting www.mcdonalds.com/gb/en-gb/football/fun-football-centres.
FREE COURSES FOR TEENAGERS
Islington Council runs a number of free courses for teenagers and young adults through its Summerversity scheme.
Freebies for parents worth £2,900
In the past, classes have included archery, football camp and photography lessons.
You can book a maximum of eight courses to keep your teenager entertained over the holidays.
You can sign up by visiting www.summerversity.co.uk/
Of course you will need to live in the London borough to get access to the scheme.
But if you don’t it may be worth ringing up your local council to see if it runs a similar event.
FREE BOXING CAMP
Sporting Aid in Waltham is running a free boxing camp for those aged 10-16.
The event is run every Saturday at 12:00pm at the Waltham Cross Playing Fields Car Park.
No prior experience is required so it may be a great way for your little one to be introduced to the sport.
You can sign up for the event by visiting www.eventbrite.co.uk.
FREE SUMMER CAMP
Music charity Vache Baroque runs a completely free summer camp for children in St Giles.
The event runs from Monday 18 – Friday August 22 and includes a hot meal. It is for children aged 9–14.
Children will participate in a number of activities including singing, arts and crafts and circus skills
They can also take part in an optional performance with professional orchestra in its summer circus-opera on Sunday September 7.
You can find out more by visiting, vachebaroque.com.
What help is available for parents?
CHILDCARE can be a costly business. Here is how you can get help.
30 hours free childcare – Parents of three and four-year-olds can apply for 30 hours free childcare a week. To qualify you must usually work at least 16 hours a week at the national living or minimum wage and earn less than £100,000 a year.
Tax credits – For children under 20, some families can get help with childcare costs.
Childcare vouchers – If your employer offers childcare vouchers you can get up to £55 a week in tax and national insurance savings. You pay for your childcare before your tax contributions are taken out. This scheme is open to new joiners until October 4, 2018, when it is planned that tax-free childcare will replace the vouchers.
Tax-free childcare – Available to working families and the self-employed, for every £8 you put in the government will add an extra £2.
