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Penn in the News
A round-up of Penn mentions in local, national, and international media.
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Penn In the News
Is Temujin Kensu a 'ninja killer' or wrongfully convicted man?
Marissa Boyers Bluestine of the Law School’s Quattrone Center for the Fair Administration of Justice said the constitutional protections that allow those convicted of crimes to appeal verdicts are not aimed at determining if the accused committed a crime or not. “The end result is that we have potentially tens of thousands of people in prison who committed no crime,” she said. “And they cannot get relief.”
Penn In the News
The reckoning with Dr. Seuss’ racist imagery has been years in the making
Ebony Elizabeth Thomas of the Graduate School of Education spoke about a decision by Dr. Seuss Enterprises to stop publishing six of the late author’s books which contain racist imagery. “We know now that there are anti-Asian stereotypes in ‘And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street.’ ‘The Cat in the Hat’ is minstrelsy,’” she said. “When we know better, we can do better.”
Penn In the News
Schools face a substitute teacher crisis. These districts are getting creative to fix it
Richard Ingersoll of the Graduate School of Education and the School of Arts & Sciences commented on how some states and school districts have lessened requirements for substitute teachers in order to meet demand. "When there's difficulty filling classrooms, often the reaction is let's lower the bar, let's widen the gate," he said. "That's disastrous to do that. Basically, you're sacrificing qualifications because you think it's an emergency."
Penn In the News
No bad dogs? Pet owner's personality can affect canine training success, study finds
Lauren Powell, a postdoc in the School of Veterinary Medicine, spoke about research she led that found links between dog behavior and the personalities of owners. “Extroverted owners were more likely to see improvements in dogs’ fearful behaviors and introverted owners less so,” she said. “Introverted owners may find it tough to leave their dog or give it space if it is required as part of the dog’s treatment.”
Penn In the News
As law enforcement braces for more violence, state Capitols come into focus
Anne Berg of the School of Arts & Sciences said images of violence at the U.S. Capitol may result in fewer rallies and public events organized by extremists. However, she said, “I'm personally less worried about the next two weeks than I am about the next several years.”
Penn In the News
Democrats have a new tool to undo Trump's 'midnight rule-making.' But there's a catch
Cary Coglianese of the Law School spoke about the seldom-used Congressional Review Act, which allows Congress to overturn federal rules with a simple majority and prohibit federal agencies from reissuing similar rules without their approval. “If there’s a type of rule that the incoming administration would really like to ensure never gets adopted again, the CRA is a good way to do that,” Coglianese said.
Penn In the News
Joe Biden could send a message to Black Americans with this reparations bill
Mary Frances Berry of the School of Arts & Sciences said President-elect Joe Biden should support a bill that will create a commission to explore giving reparations to the Black American descendants of enslaved Africans. “Given the role that Black people played in the election, getting him nominated and saving his campaign—there’s no reason they shouldn’t support this bill,” said Berry. “This is one of the best ways to make good on their promise to attack systemic racism and white supremacy and elevate the economic and social condition of Black people.”
Penn In the News
Whatever happened to Trump's 'Opening Up America Again' task force?
Research from the Penn Wharton Budget Model found that interventions targeting individual behaviors like mask-wearing are more effective at reducing COVID-19 infections at a lower economic cost than business shutdowns.
Penn In the News
The hidden COVID-19 health crisis: Elderly people are dying from isolation
Joshua Uy of the Perelman School of Medicine said isolation increases the aging process in elderly nursing home residents. “You see increased falls, decrease in strength and ability to ambulate. You see an acceleration of dementia because there is no rhythm to your day,” he said. “There isn’t a single part of a person’s life that isn’t affected.”
Penn In the News
Women who inspire: Culturists breaking through during COVID-19
Alison Buttenheim of the School of Nursing helped found “Dear Pandemic,” a project that recruits doctoral-degree-holding women to answer complex questions about the coronavirus on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.