KQED's Forum

A federal appeals court on Tuesday upheld the Federal Communications Commission's decision to repeal Obama-era net neutrality rules. But the court overruled the FCC's effort to block states from adopting their own rules. California passed one of the nation's strongest laws aimed at protecting internet consumers and net neutrality last year, officials will have to prove in court that the law doesn't conflict with the federal regulations. Forum discusses the decision and what it means for California.

Based on six years of reporting, Paul Tough's new book "The Years That Matter Most: How College Makes or Breaks Us" explores whether higher education in the U.S. still delivers on its promise of social mobility. Tough takes on the so-called "admissions industrial complex" that favors students from wealthier backgrounds and looks at why the most selective U.S. colleges have become the least socio-economically diverse. We'll talk to Tough about what he uncovered in over 100 interviews with students, parents, professors and admissions officers.

Governor Gavin Newsom has signed a bill that will allow college athletes in California to hire agents and profit from use of their name, image or likeness. The Fair Pay to Play Act, which will go into effect in 2023, strikes at the heart of NCAA rules requiring student-athletes to maintain amateur status. We'll talk about what the law could mean for the state's college athletes and how the NCAA is responding.

In early September, neighbors on Clinton Park alley in San Francisco's Mission Dolores neighborhood sparked controversy by placing boulders on the sidewalk to obstruct drug dealing and homeless camping. For residents and activists, the boulders quickly became a symbol of the city's inability to adequately address its ongoing homelessness crisis. While the boulders were removed on Monday, San Francisco Public Works Director Mohammed Nuru said he'd support resident wishes for some sort of barrier on the sidewalk in the future. We'll discuss the dispute over the boulders and where the city stands with solutions to the homelessness crisis.

When San Franciscans elect a new district attorney this November, it will be the first time in over a century that an incumbent hasn't been in the race. With current DA George Gascón stepping down, four candidates--all attorneys with experience working within San Francisco's criminal justice system--are vying for the position. We'll hear from the candidates on their vision for the top prosecutor role in San Francisco and their approach to issues like police use of force, illegal drug use, homelessness and more.

As part of the House's impeachment inquiry, three committee chairmen subpoenaed Secretary of State Mike Pompeo Friday for documents relating to President Trump's phone call with Ukraine President Volodymr Zelensky. We'll discuss the latest developments.

sujatha baliga, an attorney and director of the Restorative Justice Project at Impact Justice, was selected this week to receive a MacArthur "genius" award for her work reducing youth incarceration while addressing the complex needs of crime victims. baliga, a survivor of childhood sexual abuse, says that personal experience propelled her toward restorative justice work, which she says "invites truth-telling on all sides." baliga joins us to talk about her award-winning work.

Randy Shilts was one of the first journalists to cover and convey the magnitude of the 1980s AIDS epidemic. Shilts, who was openly gay, reported on the crisis for the San Francisco Chronicle and authored the landmark books “And the Band Played On: Politics, People and the AIDS Epidemic" and "The Mayor of Castro Street: The Life and Times of Harvey Milk." Shilts died from AIDS in 1994. Sacramento State professor Andrew Stoner joins us to talk about the life and legacy of Randy Shilts, and his new book, “The Journalist of Castro Street.”

When House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced an official impeachment inquiry into President Trump on Tuesday, she reversed her previous resistance to impeachment proceedings. This stance had put her at odds with progressive House Democrats, several of whom have been calling for an impeachment inquiry for months. This hour we'll look at her political acumen, how she got to this moment, and why she’s resisted earlier calls for impeachment.

Jacqueline Woodson has drawn wide acclaim for her young adult novels, and though her new novel is for adult readers, it centers on the experience of a black girl growing up in America. "Red at the Bone" paints a nuanced picture of two families brought together by a teen pregnancy, and it explores the ways decisions made in youth keep a hold on our lives. Forum talks to Woodson about her new novel and about her role as National Ambassador for Young People's Literature.