by Jeroslyn JoVonn

March 12, 2024

Will Smith Joins ‘Dear Friend’ Janet Hubert To Celebrate Girl Power At Book Event

The former "Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" co-stars have been on amicable terms since reconciling in 2020.

Will Smith was happy to join his “dear friend” Janet Hubert at her book event for JG and the BC Kids, her creation that champions book smart and street smart children.

The former Fresh Prince of Bel-Air co-stars have been on amicable terms since reconciling in 2020. On March 7, Smith took to Instagram to share a video recap of his appearance at Hubert’s book event where he read to a crowd full of young girls.

“WOW!! Thank U to my dear friend @janethubertformyfanspage for inviting me to help you bring your amazing project JG and the BC Kids to the world!” he captioned the post.

“It was a blast and a pleasure to be able to show 200 students from @embracegirlpower a taste of your genius, Janet!! Ok – who we showing the project to next??”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Will Smith (@willsmith)

The two shared heartfelt banter after hugging it out on stage.

“Oh my God! Thank you for coming, baby!” Hubert told the Academy Award-winning actor.

“Oh man, this is beautiful. This is beautiful,” he replied.

“You haven’t changed a bit,” Hubert said while touching Smith’s cheek.

“Oh, this ain’t nothing but the finest nuts and berries,” he jokingly replied.

The King Richard star went on to read to the children and offer some words of affirmation and encouragement. “Dare to be different. I am bold. I am confident. I am me,” he had the girls chant.

This was a moment, considering the decades Smith and Hubert spent not speaking during after she departed the hit show in 1993. The pair sat down for an emotional reconciliation on the HBO Max special celebrating 30 years of the classic sow in November 2020.

A year later, she opened up about the “very good relationship” she has with Smith after talking out their differences.

“We text each other back and forth all the time,” Hubert told People. “I meant it with all my heart when I hugged him, because I saw that little boy, that little 21-year-old boy. Had we had an opportunity to talk back then, I think this would have never happened.”

KIM MULKEY, coach, LSU, Cardoso, fight, basketball

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

March 12, 2024

Kim Mulkey Comments On Kamilla Cardoso Striking Flau’jae Johnson: ‘I Wish She Would’ve Pushed Angel Reese’

The height difference between two players involved in an on-court melee (Kamilla Cardoso stands at 6-foot-7, while Flau’jae Johnson is 5-foot-10) caused Lousiana State University head coach Kim Mulkey to say that she wished that Cardoso “would’ve pushed Angel Reese. Don’t push a kid; you’re 6’8.”

During the SEC Women’s Basketball Tournament this past weekend, a fight occurred between the University of South Carolina and LSU. South Carolina center Kamilla Cardoso knocked LSU guard Flau’jae Johnson to the ground on the basketball court.

At the press conference after the contest between the two schools, Mulkey was stern in her assessment of the much taller Cardoso going after Johnson, who is almost a foot shorter.

“No one wants to be a part of that,” Mulkey said. No one wants to see that ugliness, but I can tell you this: I wish she would’ve pushed Angel Reese. Don’t push a kid. You’re 6’8.″ Don’t push somebody that little. That was uncalled for, in my opinion. Let them two girls who were jawing, let them go at it.”

“I wish she would have pushed Angel Reese. … You 6’8”, don’t push somebody that little.”

Kim Mulkey speaks after Kamilla Cardoso pushed Flau’jae Johnson in LSU-SC scuffle 😳 pic.twitter.com/AOUaVlrbKS

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 10, 2024

According to On3.com, the fight between the teams occurred with just two minutes remaining in the title game. Johnson pushed South Carolina guard Ashlyn Watkins after she taunted her when Johnson committed a foul. In doing so, Cardoso goes to attack Johnson and knocks her to the ground, causing both teams to react and leave their respective benches. Johnson’s brother jumped over the scorer’s table to defend his sister. He was later escorted out in handcuffs for intervening when he leaped to the floor.

Although the game was practically over, several players who left their bench were ejected from the contest, including Cardoso.

Cardoso issued an apology for her role in the melee.

I would like to extend my sincerest apologies for my actions during today’s game. My behavior was not representative of who I am as a person or the South Carolina program, and I deeply regret any discomfort or inconvenience it may have caused. I take full responsibility for my…

— Kamilla_Cardoso (@Kamillascsilva) March 10, 2024

The South Carolina Gamecocks emerged victorious, keeping their undefeated season going. They beat the LSU Tigers 79-72 to take home this year’s women’s Basketball Tournament.

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

March 12, 2024

Seattle Woman Responsible For $6.8M Pandemic Fraud Scheme Sentenced To 5 Years In Prison

Paradise Williams will serve five years for scamming the federal government.

A Seattle woman who obtained millions from the government through several federally funded pandemic assistance programs has been sentenced to five years in prison.

The United States Attorney’s Office of Western District Washington announced that 29-year-old Paradise Williams, who ran a ring that obtained more than $6.8 million in pandemic benefits fraudulently, was given five years in prison for wire fraud and money laundering. Officials stated that she funded a lifestyle that afforded her luxury cars, lavish trips, cosmetic surgery, jewelry, and designer goods through her ill-gotten gains.

“Paradise Williams was relentless in her efforts to steal pandemic benefits throughout the entire duration of our national emergency, and it is unconscionable that she funded a life of luxury by stealing millions in taxpayer funds that should have prevented King County residents from being evicted in the winter,” said U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman in a written statement. “Combatting pandemic fraud is a priority for our district, and we will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to hold individuals accountable for exploiting a national crisis.”

From June 2020 to February 2022, Williams was able to submit more than 125 fraudulent applications for the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Emergency Rental Assistance Program funds administered by King County, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Program, and Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act unemployment benefits. She included over 50 associates, including her five codefendants, to siphon over $3.3 million. They were able to do so by posing as fake tenants, landlords, and small business owners seeking financial help due to the coronavirus pandemic. While applying for assistance, Williams and the other people involved in the scheme created falsified bank statements, tenant ledgers, and landlord attestations.

She received more than $2 million in financial assistance, allowing her to spend frivolously on luxurious items and trips.

At her sentencing, U.S. District Judge John H. Chun said, “These were serious and terrible crimes. [Williams and her codefendants] stole from programs designed to help members of their community during the pandemic.”

Her codefendants, D’Arius Jackson, Tia Robinson, Rayvon Peterson, and David Martinez, had already pleaded guilty to the charges. Jackson was sentenced to three years in prison, and Robinson to 18 months. The other two defendants will have their sentencing this week and next. Martinez is scheduled for sentencing on March 11, and Peterson is scheduled for sentencing on March 18.

Under the arrangement agreed to by Williams, she will pay restitution of $2,791,241 to the U.S. Department of the Treasury and $512,730 to the U.S. Small Business Administration. She will also forfeit $2,023,104 and a Lexus sedan and a Range Rover SUV that she bought with illegal funds.

HBCU, Athletic Conference, Stillman College, Voorhees And Wilberforce University, HBCUAC

by Daniel Johnson

March 12, 2024

Streaming Networks Provide HBCUs With Media Deals To Help Generate Revenue

HBCUs have been neglected, both from a funding standpoint and the standpoint of recognition and visibility.

Since the HBCU+ network was launched in 2021 by Urban Edge Network, its Chief Revenue Officer Hardy Pelt and Founder, alongside Todd Brown, it has continued to expand. Currently, the HBCU+ platform reaches over 300 million mobile devices around the world. As Brown told The Shadow League, “HBCUs represent 101 Black communities because there is no HBCU that is not a Black community. When you see the economics of $1.6 trillion in the marketing space. HBCU+ is a vehicle to reach an untapped market of people ages 12 to 80 and heavily female.”

HBCUs have been neglected in terms of funding and from a standpoint of recognition and visibility. The latter was helped tremendously when Jackson State hired NFL Hall of Fame cornerback Deion Sanders to be its head coach in 2020. Sanders brought attention and top prospects like his son, Shedeur Sanders, and Travis Hunter to Jackson State and, by extension, other HBCUs.

The funding, however, is less easily remedied on an institutional level, which Dr. Al-Tony Gilmore, Distinguished Historian Emeritus of the National Education Association, explained in an article. The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education states, “The decline in the athletic programs at these schools may now be irreversible, and only an improbable massive infusion of money could restore the sports programs they have lost since integration. As it should be, these schools center their financial priorities and energies on infrastructure, academic programs, faculty, and on raising money and increasing their small endowments.”

HBCU+, as Sports Illustrated reports, has been a player in disrupting the media landscape, represented by the meeting between Brown and Pelt. Like the creation of the institutions whose sports teams they broadcast, HBCU+ was born out of a desire to create equality for Black-owned media companies. The network has also allowed the universities access to a revenue stream that had previously only been enjoyed by predominantly white-owned media institutions. HBCU+ has also integrated with Amagi, which will allow the HBCU partners to maximize revenue and create a source of income for the athletic departments, helping them get more money.

Byron Allen’s Allen Media Group has also entered this space. In January, Allen’s free streaming digital platform, HBCU GO, signed an eight-year deal with the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, giving them exclusive rights to broadcast all SIAC events through 2032. Allen said in a statement to Sports Video, “This is a historic moment. The HBCU GO team is excited to partner with SIAC to distribute their conference games to a broader audience. We are committed to bringing the best of HBCU culture and sports to our global platforms.”

SIAC Commissioner Anthony Holloman believes that the partnership will open new doors for the conference. “We are thrilled to announce our partnership with HBCU GO,” Holloman told Sports Video. “Through this innovative streaming platform, we invite fans from around the world to join us in celebrating the indomitable spirit of SIAC sports and culture. This new era of digital engagement opens doors to boundless opportunities and ensures that every thrilling moment will be etched in the memories of our dedicated supporters. We extend our sincere gratitude to HBCU GO for their invaluable collaboration, and we can’t wait to share the excitement and passion of SIAC sporting events with fans everywhere.”

by Sharelle B. McNair

March 12, 2024

NAACP Challenges Black Student-Athletes To Boycott Public Colleges Over Florida’s Anti-DEI Legislation

Some HBCUs will welcome them with open arms!

NAACP President Derrick Johnson called for Black student-athletes to boycott sports programs following Florida’s ban on state-funded diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.

The CEO’s letter comes just 10 days after the University of Florida eliminated all diversity, equity, and inclusion positions due to a state rule. The move left close to 30 people unemployed and pushed buttons for prominent alums, including NFL Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith. He issued his thoughts on Twitter, saying he is “utterly disgusted” and that the school’s minority athletes should “be aware and vocal about this decision.”

In a letter to current and future NCAA athletes, Johnson challenged them to “choose wisely.”

“Diversity, equity, and inclusion are paramount to ensuring equitable and effective educational outcomes,” Johnson wrote. “The value Black and other college athletes bring to large universities is unmatched. If these institutions are unable to completely invest in those athletes, it’s time they take their talents elsewhere.”

pic.twitter.com/NkMvqkkHJa
— Emmitt Smith (@EmmittSmith22) March 3, 2024

The letter, co-signed by Leon W. Russell, chair of the NAACP’s National Board of Directors, said the issue goes beyond sports and politics and is more about protecting the “progression of our culture.”

“This is not about politics. It’s about the protection of our community, the progression of our culture, and most of all, it’s about your education and your future,” the letter read. “This is not simply about sports; it’s about acknowledging and advocating for the rights and supports of Black students within educational environments.”

After signing Senate Bill 266 banning public colleges and universities from using state or federal funding for diversity programs, failed presidential candidate and governor Ron DeSantis seems unmoved by pushback from diversity advocates. Hoping for a response to Johnson’s letter, a DeSantis spokesperson directed media back to the governor’s initial celebration tweet, where he called DEI “toxic.”

DEI is toxic and has no place in our public universities.

I’m glad that Florida was the first state to eliminate DEI and I hope more states follow suit. https://t.co/oThvwowKu6
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) March 1, 2024

Boycotting state athletic programs could negatively affect Florida’s economic stance. According to the Department of Education, the University of Florida, Florida State University, and the University of South Florida generated more than $177 million in revenue between July 2021 and June 30, 2022.

As home to some of the most prominent football and basketball programs in the country, Johnson recognizes that some Black student-athletes don’t have the luxury to decide to boycott. “While it is our duty to spread awareness and encourage action around these egregious assaults, we also recognize that protest can come at a price,” Johnson said.

“The sad reality is, for many Black student-athletes, collegiate sports may be their sole opportunity at achieving the upward mobility necessary to propel them into their rightful places in society.”

Some leaders in other cities, like the mayor of Birmingham, Randall Woodfin, are encouraging Black student-athletes to find programs in other states that accept DEI programming, as more than 30 states have introduced or passed over 100 bills either restricting or regulating DEI efforts.

Black women voters, Mississippi, boot camp, Georgia, black voters, Georgia

by Daniel Johnson

March 11, 2024

Trump Campaign Allegedly Paid $750K To Investigate Election Fraud

Block wrote an op-ed for the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel in which he said that every single claim of voter fraud he was asked to look into was proven to be false.

The Trump campaign allegedly paid Ken Block $750,000 to uncover suspected instances of voter fraud in several swing states during the 2020 election, only to have several of the claims refuted within minutes. Block, a software engineer, informed the campaign that their data was incomplete and not fraudulent, and people who had the same name were incorrectly counted as duplicate voters. Block told Business Insider that although the Trump team did not pressure him, it was clear which outcome they wanted.

In Block’s book, Disproven, which releases on March 12, he chronicles his displeasure with Trump. “Former President Trump has turned losing with grace into losing with disgrace,” Block writes in the book. “He has spawned a group of losing candidates who would rather howl about voter fraud—without justification—than display the leadership qualities demanded by the positions for which they ran.”

Block continued, “Some of these failed candidates who make meritless accusations of voter fraud don’t seem to understand their own claims. Others spurn factual accuracy. For these folks, the end goal has nothing to do with winning an election. It is about raising money or profile—or worse, about undermining our republic.”

Block also wrote an op-ed for the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel in which he said that every single claim of voter fraud he was asked to look into was proven to be false. With the 2020 ballot in Wisconsin in particular, Trump officials claimed that the wrong winner of that state was certified by election officials. The actual reason Trump lost had nothing to do with voter fraud. According to Block, what caused Trump to lose was his messaging, which caused divisions within the Republican Party.

Additionally, wrote Block, the Trump campaign seemed to be incompetent at strategizing to win votes in Wisconsin. “Those 37,000 votes that Trump lost are easily explained. He told moderate Republicans to take a hike, and those lost votes confirm that these voters did as they were told. Trump would have likely won Wisconsin had he not ostracized the RINOs. How can a candidate so concerned about a few thousand imaginarily fraudulent votes be so cavalier about losing the support of millions of voters across the country?”

Block also questioned the logic of a voter fraud narrative, writing, “Trump’s underperformance meant that he lost more than 37,000 votes in 2020 in Wisconsin’s red counties alone — a fact that argues strongly against the voter fraud narrative. Why would anyone commit voter fraud in a very conservative county if it harmed the conservative candidate?”

Block ultimately concluded, “Voter fraud did not cause Trump’s 2020 Wisconsin election loss. The amazingly close race was lost because Trump’s messaging was too narrow.”

by Sharelle B. McNair

March 11, 2024

Hip-Hop Legend Chuck D Continues To Fight For Healthcare Price Transparency

The legendary rapper is pushing for legislators to pass a bipartisan bill to strengthen and expand requirements for healthcare price transparency.

Legendary rapper Chuck D brought his powerful voice to Washington, D.C. to advocate for more price transparency throughout the U.S. healthcare system.

The Public Enemy frontman performed March 5 before an audience at an event organized by Power to the Patients, a nonprofit working toward healthcare reform.

The “Fight the Power” rapper is part of a growing list of artists pushing for legislators to pass a bipartisan bill—crafted by Senators Mike Braun (R-IN) and Bernie Sanders (I-VT)—that would strengthen and expand requirements for healthcare price transparency.

The 63-year-old said the organization is looking to hip-hop to be a voice of reason in hopes of being an “extra voice to get the importance of this across.”

“You know,” he added, “you got people who are now entering their 40s, 50s, and 60s, who are, if not themselves, their families immediately surrounding them are beleaguered with the same conditions and situations,” the performer said. “So why not have a voice that actually is not only loud and relevant but also speaking to the scenario that’s taking place in their own lives?”

A 2023 report from the nonprofit group Patient Rights Advocate showed under 40% of 2,000 surveyed hospitals complied with the federal Hospital Price Transparency rule, implemented in 2021. Under the rule, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, every U.S. operating hospital is required to “provide clear, accessible pricing information online about the items and services they provide.”

There are two ways to submit the information: as a comprehensive file with all items and services; or in a display of retainable services in a consumer-friendly format.

Some of music’s heavy hitters shared the stage with Chuck D, whose real name is Carlton Douglas Ridenhour, including Fat Joe, Valerie June, and the Foo Fighters.

This was not the first time rappers have come together to advocate for the greater good. Chuck D and Fat Joe worked together in 2023 with the nonprofit for a public service announcement called “HIP HOP PSA: We Need Real Prices and Transparency in Healthcare.”

For 60 seconds, hip-hop legends including Method Man, Busta Rhymes, Rick Ross and French Montana talked about the lack of transparency in healthcare, something Chuck D called a “humanitarian crisis,” having experienced the same pain of millions Americans face every day. “I mean, all we gotta do is look at our own families,” he said.

“You know, if you’re Black, and you’re Black in the United States of America, you’re immediately aware, if you wanna pay attention, to how the conditions and the costs are like two different worlds.”

With bills being created, Fat Joe thinks things are “moving in the right direction.”

According to USA Today, U.S. Representatives including Andre Carson (D-IN), Dan Goldman (D-NY), and Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona stopped by the event. “This is a legacy bill,” Fat Joe said. “This is why they send you to Washington.”

Cord Jefferson, Da’Vine Joy, Kris Bowers, Academy Awards

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

March 11, 2024

Da’Vine Joy, Cord Jefferson, And Kris Bowers Were The Three Black Winners At The Academy Awards

The 96th annual awards event turned Da'Vine Joy Randolph, Cord Jefferson, and Kris Bowers into winners.

The 96th annual Academy Awards took place on Sunday night, turning Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Cord Jefferson, and Kris Bowers into winners.

Randolph took home an Oscar for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for The Holdovers, beating out Danielle Brooks’ performance in The Color Purple musical, AP reports. Bowers won the Documentary Short Film category for The Last Repair Shop, while Jefferson won Best Writing (Adapted Screenplay) for American Fiction.

The Best Supporting Actress win was big for Black viewers as they watched Randolph and Brooks battle it out in a major category against Emily Blunt for Oppenheimer, America Ferrera in Barbie, and Jodie Foster for Nyad. Da’Vine Joy was emotional while accepting her first-ever Academy Award and speaking into existence her chance to secure another in the future.

“I always wanted to be different. Now I realize I just need to be myself,” Randolph said before shouting out the women who helped her throughout her career. “I pray to God. I get to do this more than once.”

Randolph’s role as Mary Lamb in Alexander Payne’s The Holdovers saw her portray a New England boarding school cafeteria manager dealing with grief and loss. Her Academy Award concludes her awards season sweep, with additional statues from the Screen Actors Guild, BAFTA, and Golden Globes.

Bowers won for his short documentary highlighting the Los Angeles craftspeople who work diligently to keep 80,000 musical instruments in working order for the city’s public school students.

“The Last Repair Shop is about the heroes in our schools who often go unsung, unthanked, and unseen,” Bowers said. “Tonight, you are sung, you are thanked, and you are seen.”

Deadline reports that Bowers’ experience growing up attending L.A. Unified School District schools, where he developed his talent on pianos, gave him firsthand knowledge on the topic. Bowers is a gifted Hollywood composer whose work has appeared in Ava DuVernay’s Origin, Green Book, Bob Marley: One Love, and The Color Purple.

Jefferson, who made his big-screen directorial debut, was bold during his Oscars acceptance speech, addressing any “risk-averse” film executives who might be reluctant to take a chance on more diverse screenplays and new directors.

“I’ve been talking a lot about how many people passed on this movie, and I worry that sometimes sounds vindictive,” he said. “It’s more a plea to acknowledge and recognize that there are so many people out there who want the opportunity that I was given.”

“I understand that this is a risk-averse industry; I get it,” he continued. “But $200 million movies are also a risk. And it doesn’t always work out, but you take the risk anyway. Instead of making one $200 million movie, try making 20 $10 million movies. Or 50 $4 million movies.”

Sterling K. Brown, Jeffrey Wright, and Colman Domingo were also nominated but didn’t stand a chance against Oppenheimer, which won big on Sunday, collecting statues for Best Supporting Actor, which went to Robert Downey Jr., and Cillian Murphy, who beat out Wright and Domingo for Best Actor. Oppenheimer won 13 Academy Awards in total, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Cinematography.

See the full list of winners HERE.

Secretary Marcia Fudge, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Marcia Fudge, HUD

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

March 11, 2024

BREAKING: U.S. Department Of Housing And Urban Development Secretary Marcia Fudge Announces Resignation With ‘Mixed Emotions’

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Marcia Fudge announced her resignation, a surprising departure from Cabinet.

Marcia Fudge has just announced her resignation as Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). She will step down from the role on March 22.

Fudge relayed the news on HUD’s official website. A press release shared on March 11 detailed her achievements within the organization in a role she’d held since 2021.

“As a dedicated public servant for nearly five decades, I have been devoted to improving the quality of life for the people of this nation, focusing on those with the greatest need,” stated Fudge. “Having worked at every level of government, including as a mayor, then as a congressional staffer, a member of Congress, and now as the 18th Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, I have worked tirelessly to ensure that America lives up to its promise of liberty and justice for all.”

She continued by stating her belief in HUD’s mission toward affordable, quality housing nationwide, and expressed that her resignation came with “mixed emotions.”

Fudge then listed HUD’s accomplishments, including creating 2 million public and multifamily housing units, serving over 1.2 million unhoused people, and enforcing Fair Housing laws that protect against racial discrimination. The former U.S. representative also noted that wider accessibility for Americans to obtain FHA mortgages for homeownership happened during her tenure.

The announcement comes as a surprise, given that President Biden’s chief of staff assured days earlier that no other members of Cabinet would leave this year, per Politico.

Biden has since released his own statement thanking Fudge for her work.

“I’m grateful for all of her contributions toward a housing system that works for all Americans, and I wish her well in her next chapter,” expressed POTUS.

As for Fudge’s future, the longtime politician told USA Today that she was excited about leading a more private lifestyle.

“Don’t look for me to ever be on another ballot or another appointee or anything like that,” she said. “I really do look forward to being a private citizen.”

Deputy Secretary Adrianne Todman will serve as acting secretary, with the White House confirming that Biden will nominate a replacement.

by Sharelle B. McNair

March 11, 2024

Trump’s Anti-Vaccination Rhetoric Causes Uproar Among Public Health Advocates

A former Virginia congresswoman said Trump couldn't cut funding for schools with vaccine policies, thanks to state law.

Former President Donald Trump’s increased talk of anti-vaccine sentiments is causing concern for supporters and public health advocates.

During a recent campaign rally in Richmond, Virginia, the GOP presidential frontrunner admitted that he would cut funding for public schools that push vaccine policies and implement mandates.

“I will not give one penny to any school that has a vaccine mandate or a mask mandate,” he said to a crowd of cheers.

https://twitter.com/ProudElephantUS/status/1766626072479625594

After announcing it repeatedly, the Trump campaign claims his anti-vaccination stance is only toward school, but public health advocates worry this may lead to a trend of declining child vaccination.

Paul Offit, a pediatrician and vaccine expert at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, thinks someone of this caliber pushing this narrative can be dangerous.

“Trump is an important voice. He has a big platform. And he uses that platform, in this case, to do harm,” Offit told The Hill. “Because he’s implying by saying that we shouldn’t mandate vaccines, vaccines are in some ways ineffective or unsafe.”

The irony is that the Trump administration spearheaded Operation Warp Speed, a government-implemented partnership that assisted companies with new technology to create two effective and safe COVID-19 vaccines in less than a year.

However, many voters are against anti-vaccination, especially in schools. “I appreciate Trump’s current outlook on vaccines. However, he’s part of the problem the vaccines created,” one voter said on Twitter. “It would do him well to explain the original push of vaccines, admit he was wrong, and apologize for his part in pushing them.”

Another highlighted the fact that diseases and viruses of the past—such as measles in Florida—are making a vast comeback because of the decline in vaccinations. “Sounds like measles, polio, and other preventable diseases are going to make a huge comeback,” @Stephen_WuzHere wrote. “Anyone got an iron lung?”

Former Virginia Congresswoman Barbara Comstock tweeted how his ideology wouldn’t work given state law.

“Trump said in Richmond that he will take all federal funds away from public schools that require vaccines,” she wrote. “Like most states, Virginia requires MMR vaccine, chickenpox vaccine, polio, etc. So Trump would take millions in federal funds away from all Virginia public schools.”

Trump said in Richmond, that he will take all federal funds away from public schools that require vaccines. Like most states, Virginia requires MMR vaccine, chickenpox vaccine, polio, etc. So Trump would take millions in federal funds away from all Virginia public schools.
— Barbara Comstock (@BarbaraComstock) March 3, 2024

And Virginia isn’t the only state. According to The Intelligencer, all 50 states have legislation mandating specific vaccination for students, starting with Massachusetts being the first to issue school immunization requirements in 1853. Several states have mandates in alignment with the recommended childhood vaccination schedule from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which are set by state law.

“These laws often apply not only to children attending public schools but also to those attending private schools and day care facilities,” the CDC said, according to its website.