https://twitter.com/politicalmath/status/1633319246930345987?s=20
Top American High School got more than $1 million from groups tied to China
PDE obtained the school's donor list, which revealed that the school had received funds from the Ameson Foundation, Shirble HK and Tsinghua University, all Chinese-affiliated groups.
A prestigious U.S. high school reportedly received more than $1 million in donations from Chinese-linked organizations, a report from watchdog group Parents Defending Education indicates.
Thomas Jefferson High School, situated in Fairfax County, Va., focuses on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education and ranks among the nation's best high schools.
PDE obtained the school's donor list, which revealed that the school had received funds from the Ameson Foundation, Shirble HK and Tsinghua University, all Chinese-affiliated groups, Fox News noted. In total, the school received "over $1,000,000 worth of donations from Chinese interests since 2014," per PDE.
Ameson is a DC-based non-profit group that promotes cultural exchanges between China and other nations. It has donated more than $250,000 to the school. Shirble HK, meanwhile, largely deals with property development in China and has given more than $500,000.
Tsinghua University, for its part, gave $300,000 to the school.
Thomas Jefferson High School previously came under fire late last year over allegations that it withheld certain academic honors from high-achieving students until after many early submission deadlines for colleges, which parents said was motivated by the school's push for equity.
https://justthenews.com/politics-policy/education/top-american-high-school-got-more-1-million-groups-tied-china
Bipartisan rail safety effort struggles to attract GOP support
Ohio Sens. Sherrod Brown, D, and J.D. Vance, R, have led several lawmakers in proposing the Railway Safety Act.
A bipartisan rail safety reform bill has struggled to attract Republican support in the aftermath of a major train derailment in Ohio that brought national attention to the issue.
"We'll take a look at what's being proposed, but an immediate quick response heavy on regulation needs to be thoughtful and targeted. Let's define the problem. Let's figure out what the solutions are and if there are things we need to fix, we'll fix them," South Dakota Republican Sen. John Thune told The Hill.
After a Norfolk Southern train derailed near East Palestine, Ohio, in early February and prompted an evacuation of the town due to leaked toxic materials, both of the state's senators worked to draft a response to prevent a similar incident.
Ohio Sens. Sherrod Brown, D, and J.D. Vance, R, have led several lawmakers in proposing the Railway Safety Act, which would impose requirements to raise the minimum crews on all trains and tighten regulations on railcar wheel bearings. Republican Sens. Marco Rubio, Fla.; Josh Hawley, Mo.; and Democratic Sen. John Fetterman, Penn., rank among those lawmakers backing the proposal.
Some Republicans, such as Thune, however, remain unconvinced of the bill's merits. Among their concerns is a stipulation that would leave much of the specific regulations to the Department of Transportation. Secretary Pete Buttigieg has come under fire in recent months for his handling of myriad crises, including the East Palestine derailment, and Republicans are reluctant to hand him more authority.
Thune told the outlet he was "uncomfortable" with granting Buttigieg "much more power."
Buttigieg is currently contending with an internal investigation of his use of the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) air fleet for travel.
https://justthenews.com/politics-policy/bipartisan-rail-safety-effort-struggles-attract-gop-support
(All of these Republicans receive donations from Norfolk Southern)