Student Union
- By VOA News
Thousands of US Students Walk Out to Protest Gun Violence
Thousands of students across the U.S. walked out of class to mark a school shooting that occurred nearly two decades ago, and to call for stricter gun control in the wake of more recent shootings.
The nationwide walkout was organized by students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, where 17 students and staff members were killed by a former student February 14.
WATCH: US Students Mark 1999 Colorado School Shooting Anniversary with Walkout
The Parkland massacre triggered a national grassroots campaign for more restrictive gun control laws that included recent marches in Washington and in other cities and towns throughout the United States.
Washington area high school students rallied at the White House before marching on Capitol Hill to demand action from lawmakers.
They joined students from more than 2,600 high schools and other institutions across the country who walked out of class, many wearing orange, a color that has come to represent the gun control movement.
Friday's activities were in commemoration of the April 20, 1999, mass shooting at Columbine High School in the western state of Colorado, when two students roamed the school, killing 12 of their classmates and a teacher before committing suicide.
Gun rights supporters held counter-demonstrations in some locations. The Associated Press reported that about 200 people rallied outside the Kansas state capitol in Topeka, and about 30 pro-gun protesters showed up outside the New Hampshire statehouse in Concord.
Friday also saw another shooting take place at a U.S. school, when a gunman shot at a closed classroom door and wounded a student at Forest High School in Ocala, Florida.
Police say the 19-year-old shooter, who brought a shotgun into the school in a guitar case, was a former student. He was arrested at the scene.
The victim, a 17-year-old boy, was treated at an area hospital for a wound to his ankle.
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Trump administration opens antisemitism inquiries at 5 colleges, including Columbia and Berkeley
The Trump administration is opening new investigations into allegations of antisemitism at five U.S. universities including Columbia and the University of California, Berkeley, the Education Department announced Monday.
It's part of President Donald Trump's promise to take a tougher stance against campus antisemitism and deal out harsher penalties than the Biden administration, which settled a flurry of cases with universities in its final weeks. It comes the same day the Justice Department announced a new task force to root out antisemitism on college campuses.
In an order signed last week, Trump called for aggressive action to fight anti-Jewish bias on campuses, including the deportation of foreign students who have participated in pro-Palestinian protests.
Along with Columbia and Berkeley, the department is now investigating the University of Minnesota, Northwestern University and Portland State University. The cases were opened using the department's power to launch its own civil rights reviews, unlike the majority of investigations, which stem from complaints.
Messages seeking comment were left with all five universities.
A statement from the Education Department criticized colleges for tolerating antisemitism after Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel and a wave of pro-Palestinian protests that followed. It also criticized the Biden administration for negotiating "toothless" resolutions that failed to hold schools accountable.
"Today, the Department is putting universities, colleges, and K-12 schools on notice: this administration will not tolerate continued institutional indifference to the wellbeing of Jewish students on American campuses," said Craig Trainor, the agency's acting assistant secretary for civil rights.
The department didn't provide details about the inquiries or how it decided which schools are being targeted. Presidents of Columbia and Northwestern were among those called to testify on Capitol Hill last year as Republicans sought accountability for allegations of antisemitism. The hearings contributed to the resignation of multiple university presidents, including Columbia's Minouche Shafik.
An October report from House Republicans accused Columbia of failing to punish pro-Palestinian students who took over a campus building, and it called Northwestern's negotiations with student protesters a "stunning capitulation."
House Republicans applauded the new investigations. Representative Tim Walberg, chair of the Education and Workforce Committee, said he was "glad that we finally have an administration who is taking action to protect Jewish students."
Trump's order also calls for a full review of antisemitism complaints filed with the Education Department since Oct. 7, 2023, including pending and resolved cases from the Biden administration. It encourages the Justice Department to take action to enforce civil rights laws.
Last week's order drew backlash from civil rights groups who said it violated First Amendment rights that protect political speech.
The new task force announced Monday includes the Justice and Education departments along with Health and Human Services.
"The Department takes seriously our responsibility to eradicate this hatred wherever it is found," said Leo Terrell, assistant attorney general for civil rights. "The Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism is the first step in giving life to President Trump's renewed commitment to ending anti-Semitism in our schools."
- By VOA News
STEM, business top subjects for international students
The Times of India breaks down the most popular subjects for international students to study in the U.S.
STEM and business lead the pack. Read the full story here. (January 2025)
- By VOA News
Safety and visa difficulties among misconceptions about US colleges
U.S. News & World report addresses some of the misconceptions about U.S. colleges and universities, including the difficulty of getting a visa.
Read the full story here. (January 2025)
- By VOA News
Work opportunities help draw international students to US schools
US News & World Report details the three top factors in foreign students' decision to study in the U.S. They include research opportunities and the reputation of U.S. degrees. Read the full story here. (December 2024)
- By VOA News
British student talks about her culture shock in Ohio
A British student who did a year abroad at Bowling Green State University in Ohio talks about adjusting to life in America in a TikTok video, Newsweek magazine reports.
Among the biggest surprises? Portion sizes, jaywalking laws and dorm room beds.
Read the full story here. (December 2024)
