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'Kids aren't phone zombies now'
"Kids aren't phone zombies now," says teacher whose school banned smartphones.

Joanne Jacobs
Sep 14, 20252 min read


The first day of school: Don't worry, be happy
Starting school is exciting -- unless parents tell their kids to be stressed.

Joanne Jacobs
Sep 1, 20252 min read


AI will write your kid's suicide note
ChatGPT can be tricked into writing a suicide note, designing a starvation diet for an anorexic or offering advice on how to hide intoxication at school.

Joanne Jacobs
Aug 23, 20252 min read


Illinois doubles down on schools as mental-health clinics
Illinois already spends a fortune on mental health services for students, and plans to spend more. It won't help.

Joanne Jacobs
Aug 13, 20252 min read


Words will never hurt you -- unless you're incredibly fragile
It's a free country and you're entitled to your opinion. Bring back resilience, free thought and intellectual humility.

Joanne Jacobs
Aug 10, 20252 min read


Chicago schools get $500K for services: Success won't be judged by student outcomes, says mayor
The success of a "community school" is whether it hires staff and offers programs -- not whether extra services lead to student success -- says Chicago's mayor.

Joanne Jacobs
Aug 5, 20251 min read


Crazy time: Illinois schools will test students' mental health
Illinois will screen all students for mental health issues, despite evidence that universal programs school-based programs don't improve mental health or academic outcomes.

Joanne Jacobs
Aug 4, 20252 min read


When a kid's BFF is a bot
Kids need to interact with human friends -- not endless supportive bots.

Joanne Jacobs
Jul 20, 20252 min read


What does it mean to be a good man? Boys need fathers -- or male mentors
Boys growing up without a father -- and there are more of them -- have few male role models.

Joanne Jacobs
Jul 9, 20252 min read


Lazy days of summer
Stressed, overparented teens can benefit from a lazy, unenriched summer.

Joanne Jacobs
Jul 5, 20252 min read


Why did autism rates soar? Look at diagnoses, not vaccines
Autism rates skyrocketed when the diagnostic criteria changed to include mild "Aspie" symptoms.

Joanne Jacobs
Jun 24, 20252 min read


Fear and self-loathing in the classroom
Teaching children the world is "bad and broken" undermines their confidence and curiosity.

Joanne Jacobs
Jun 1, 20252 min read


When loneliness was a moral duty: 'My friends were untouchable, masked'
Connection leads to happiness. Covid rules isolated teens. "My friends were untouchable, unreachable, masked."

Joanne Jacobs
May 11, 20253 min read


'Focus on me' is bad advice: Gen Z is most 'aware' of mental health, least happy
"Mental health awareness" tells healthy people to medicalize their problems, while neglecting the seriously mentally ill.

Joanne Jacobs
May 10, 20252 min read


Transing kids is high risk -- with little evidence it helps gender dysphoria
"Gender-affirming care" -- heavy doses of cross-sex hormones -- has serious medical risks with little evidence it helps gender-dysphoric kids, says new U.S. report.

Joanne Jacobs
May 5, 20252 min read


Ritalin or recess: Why are so many kids on ADHD meds?
Is ADHD a medical disorder best treated with drugs?

Joanne Jacobs
Apr 20, 20253 min read


UK schools will show 'Adolescence' to warn teens about toxic 'manosphere'
British schools may show Netflix's "Adolescence" to warn students about online misogyny and "incel culture."

Joanne Jacobs
Apr 4, 20252 min read


He, she, they, ze, tree: Don't keep secrets from parents about their own kids
Schools must tell parents if their child has requested to use a different name or pronouns at school, says the U.S. Education Department.

Joanne Jacobs
Mar 29, 20252 min read


Schools are becoming social services hubs with a little reading and math on the side
Schools are trying to solve every student's every problem, but neglecting their academic mission.

Joanne Jacobs
Mar 28, 20251 min read


Mental health programs increased emotional problems in English schools
Programs designed to improve students' mental health made things worse in the long run, reports a study in England.

Joanne Jacobs
Mar 8, 20252 min read
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