Judge presses California education officials over alleged shell game on gender guidance
California's education brass is accused of playing a policy shell game. The Thomas More Society says the Education Department worked with 19 LGBTQ organizations to fold gender-related directives into PRISM, a six course mandatory online training for certificated educators, after telling a federal court those directives were scrapped. TMS says PRISM urges gender affirming policies and links to GLSEN's model rule that staff should not disclose a student's transgender status to parents without the student's permission, alongside resources from the ACLU and Our Family Coalition. This collides with the SAFETY Act, signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in 2024, which bars schools from being required to reveal a student's sexual orientation or gender identity and is now under federal review for possible conflict with FERPA. U.S. District Judge Roger Benitez has certified a statewide class action, ordered the CDE and Attorney General Rob Bonta's team to explain why they should not be sanctioned over the alleged misdirection, and set a summary judgment hearing for Nov. 17. The suit purports to cover more than 300,000 teachers and parents of over 5 million students who object to nondisclosure policies. CDE and Bonta's office did not respond to requests for comment, perhaps busy rearranging the FAQ furniture.
Sharon Osbourne thanks Trump and King Charles after Ozzy Osbourne's death
Sharon Osbourne shared on The Osbournes Podcast that a personal voicemail from former President Donald Trump offering condolences moved her family to tears. She said Trump and former First Lady Melania were genuine and respectful in her experience and wanted nothing in return. The family also received a handwritten condolence letter from King Charles III that was personally delivered. Ozzy Osbourne, Black Sabbath's pioneering frontman, died July 22 at 76 after years battling Parkinson's and other health complications. His death certificate cited cardiac arrest, myocardial infarction, coronary artery disease, and Parkinson's disease. Sharon closed with thanks to Trump and Melania and a blessing for the King.
Fired PMA chief Sasha Suda sues, alleging smear campaign and board power play
At the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the galleries are quiet but the boardroom sounds like a matinee of palace intrigue. After a rebrand to PhAM that drew side eye, the board abruptly fired CEO and director Sasha Suda for cause. In her lawsuit, Suda says the cause was politics, not misconduct. Hired in 2022 with full executive authority to steady a scandal bruised institution, she says she raised significant funds, cut a 6 million dollar deficit by two thirds, diversified staff, and launched the Brind Center for African and African Diasporic Arts, only to face trustee interference in staffing and exhibitions. She alleges top trustees labeled her a socialist and union sympathizer, with former chair Ann Miller verbally abusing her and current chair Ellen Caplan targeting her. According to the complaint, a board vote of confidence backed her 8 to 2, then Caplan and vice chair Osagie Imasogie pushed rumors about her travel and spending, hired investigators who found no misconduct yet branded her financially irresponsible, and engineered a second 8 to 2 vote to oust her. She was terminated with six months of severance instead of the two years her contract promised and says she was smeared in the media. Suda seeks a jury trial, full severance, damages, and other relief. The museum calls the suit meritless and is not commenting further, while some trustees told the New York Times the ouster reflected a power struggle and doubts about Suda's experience.
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