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Educators in Illinois Town Push Back On Screen Overload In Classrooms

Studies indicate that increased use of technology in schools is associated with lower test scores.


In Illinois, Galesburg District 205 will stop assigning individual Chromebooks to students in grades two through eight for the next school year.

“We are really taking a very concerted look at technology use in all of our grade levels, as we’ve seen some negative impacts towards learning and growth of students due to the tremendous amount of screen time that really developed during COVID,” Jennifer Hamm, assistant superintendent for finance and operations, told the school board.

According to TSPR, Hamm said the district is not getting rid of technology entirely.

“We’re just being very thoughtful about how much screen time our students are engaged in,” she said.

The district is moving to a different system in which students check out devices as needed. The technology will be stored in shared carts in classrooms and libraries and used only when instruction requires it.

The school district is not alone. McPherson Middle School, located in central Kansas, has transitioned into using its laptops for specific teacher-assigned activities. The Chromebooks now sit in the back of the classrooms, and children are taking notes in what they likely see as an archaic way: pencil to paper.

“This technology can be a tool. It is not the answer to education,” McPherson’s principal, Inge Esping, told Fortune.

Schools in states like Illinois and Kansas are reconsidering technology policies. Studies show that increased use of technology in schools is associated with lower test scores.

Jared Cooney Horvath, a neuroscientist and former teacher, said in written testimony before the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, & Transportation, that math and science scores have decreased as technology has been introduced in classrooms. 

Distractions are a major culprit. Horvath claimed that Gen Z is the first generation in modern history to score lower than their parents’ generation on standardized tests.

That’s why more school districts are pushing back, decreasing screen time, and focusing on old-school analog learning.

“If the goal is learning, then most situations, yes, analog learning is better than digital learning in almost every situation we’ve looked at,” Horvath told The Hill. “I think you can keep tech. It’ll just be very specific in when you’re using it, and most of the time it’ll be, teach about the tech, as opposed to using it to teach other skills through it.”

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Texas Judge Restores HUB Eligibility For Women, Minority-Owned Businesses—For Now

The judge's ruling comes after several business owners and a trade association sued the state of Texas and acting Comptroller Kelly Hancock over emergency rules that removed women and minorities from the HUB program.


A Texas judge has temporarily reinstated rules for the state’s Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) Program. This means women and minority-owned business owners can qualify for the state’s program—for now.

The judge’s ruling comes after several business owners and a trade association sued the state of Texas and acting Comptroller Kelly Hancock over emergency rules that removed women and minorities from the HUB program. The plaintiffs also sued the state for stripping them of their HUB certifications.

According to the Texas Tribune, the judge ordered the reinstatement of six businesses that sued the Comptroller’s office over the emergency rules.

State lawmakers passed bipartisan legislation during the 1990s to boost minority- and women-owned businesses seeking state contracts. While the program does not set quotas for the number of HUB-certified businesses, it sets goals that state agencies have strived to meet.

The plaintiffs include businesses in the Houston area, one in the Fort Worth region, and the greater Houston chapter of the National Association of Minority Contactors, a non-profit trade association representing 155 minority- and women-owned contractors. In addition to Hancock, the lawsuit names the leaders of the Texas Department of Transportation, Texas Health and Human Services Commission, and the Texas Facilities Commission.

The plaintiffs argue that all these departments implemented Hancock’s changes to the HUB program.

HUB Program In Texas

According to the Comptroller’s Office, HUB businesses received 3,634 contracts totaling more than $4 billion in 2024. While GOP state lawmakers pushed for legislation to kill the HUB Program entirely, the bill failed in both chambers.

In October, Hancock announced that his office would not issue new certifications or renewals while the program was under review.

The move coincided with the Trump administration’s policies of ending diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. Hancock’s office took things a step further by citing emergency powers to restructure the program, removing all women and minority businesses, and limiting the eligibility to service-disabled veteran business owners.

“In this country, the legislature passes the laws, not the comptroller, and Texas is no different,” Alphonso David, president & CEO of the Global Black Economic Forum, and lead counsel for the plaintiffs, wrote in a statement. “Acting Comptroller Hancock took a program created by statute and rewrote it without any legal authority. His actions are baseless and unlawful and must be reversed.”

Travis County District Judge Amy Meachum set a trial date for the suit on Nov. 9.

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FanArcade Launches ‘Release The Iceman’ For Drake Fans

This is in anticipation of his new album, Iceman.


Canadian heartthrob Drake has been teasing his next release, Iceman, but no release date has been announced yet. An 8-bit style game named “Release the Iceman” has been released by FanArcade that allows fans to interact via a “playtition,” a combination petition and game created by Marcus Brown.

According to Hot 97, the game has been produced so people can contribute to a shared objective that may “unlock” the album. The initiative was posted on social media.

People may have seen Brown’s work before, as he produced a similar game for Drake’s nemesis, Kendrick Lamar, during the rappers’ beef, when he released a browser game tied to “Not Like Us.”

“People don’t just want to watch culture, they want to play it,” Brown recently told BLACK ENTERPRISE. “That moment showed me there was a demand for culturally authentic gaming experiences with a low barrier to entry.”

According to ESPN, the rapper’s album rollout has been seen in several places, most recently at a Toronto Raptors home game at Scotiabank Arena in Drake’s hometown, where a display of seats seemingly covered with ice was on view. The two seats were at courtside, where the Canadian rapper usually sits when he attends games at the arena.

Music fans are still supporting the Thank Me Later recording artist, even after his beef with Lamar divided hip-hop fans. Hip-Hop property Kurrco recently reported that Drake has reached a new all-time high of almost 89 million monthly listeners on Spotify, breaking his previous record of 88.71 million. He currently has the most listeners of any rapper on the music streaming platform.

Drake’s last solo album was For All The Dogs, released Oct. 6, 2023.

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Bronny James ‘B9’ Trademark Filed By Nike Rejected By US Patent And Trademark Office

The logo was rejected due to a "likelihood of confusion" with an already registered mark.


A little more than a month after reports that Nike had applied for a trademark for a “B9” logo for Los Angeles Lakers player Bronny James, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) denied the application.

According to ESPN, the USPTO rejected Nike’s “B9” logo due to a “likelihood of confusion” with an already registered mark. An examination by attorney P. Scott Craven determined that the logo was too similar to the one owned by Back9 Golf Apparel, a company based in Austin, Texas.

“The marks are similar in appearance, sound, and commercial impression,” Craven wrote to the sneaker brand in his refusal letter. “In addition, the marks are essentially phonetic equivalents and, thus, sound similar.”

Nike has three months to appeal the ruling.

Trademark attorney Josh Gerben of Gerben IP said that there may be a way for the brand to get the logo approved. Nike could approach Back9 Golf Apparel to request the company’s consent to Nike’s use of the trademark. Back9 could agree to allow Nike’s trademark, and the USPTO could then grant Nike’s registration.

“The refusal makes sense,” Gerben said. “This is not out of left field. Technically, this is a sound refusal by the government. Nike has got its work cut out for them to work around it.”

Bronny already has three approved trademarks: “Bronny,” “Bronald,” and the signature “B J Jr.” Those were approved in 2022 by a different trademark company.

Sports Illustrated reported that after the sneaker debuted in January in Bronny’s hometown of Cleveland, Nike filed the trademark on March 2. The sneaker is part of LeBron’s signature collection, the Nike LeBron Witness 9. The trademark was filed on the same day that the “Bronny James” colorway was released. The footwear can be purchased online on the Nike website for $115.

Nike recently posted a photo of the latest Bronny sneaker.

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New Responsible Influence Certification Program Aims To Build Transparency In The Creator Economy

A new certification program for content creators aims to strengthen trust and transparency when promoting products and services.


As the creator economy surges with projections to top $250 billion in 2026 and $500 billion by 2030, the Center for Industry Self-Regulation’s Institute for Responsible Influence has launched a new program to promote transparency across the rapidly growing industry.

On April 13, the Institute for Responsible Influence, part of the Center for Industry Self-Regulation, announced its Responsible Influence Certification Program, an initiative designed to help creators meet truth-in-advertising standards while guiding brands and agencies to partner with influencers in more transparent and accountable ways.

“Certified creators will signal to brands and consumers their professional commitment to creating content that meets the highest standards of honesty, accountability, and transparency,” Eric D. Reicin, president and CEO of BBB National Programs and the Center for Industry Self-Regulation, said in a press release.

Backed by a coalition of brands, agencies, and industry groups—including TikTok, the American Association of Advertising Agencies, the Association of National Advertisers, the American Advertising Federation, and the Interactive Advertising Bureau—the program aims to boost trust in influencer marketing. It features a 90-minute, scenario-based curriculum grounded in real-world practices.

“The launch of the Responsible Influence training and certification program underscores the industry’s commitment to responsible, transparent creator marketing,” said Francis Stones, global head of Brand Safety at TikTok. “Creators are the lifeblood of TikTok, and we’re proud to partner with the Center for Industry Self-Regulation and its Institute for Responsible Influence (IRI) on an initiative that raises standards across the marketplace. Creators who complete IRI training give brands confidence that they understand advertising standards, supporting a safer, healthier advertising ecosystem for both brands and consumers.”

The program includes a 90-minute interactive course built around real-world scenarios that covers FTC Endorsement Guides, advertising standards, and responsible brand partnerships. Creators who complete the training and pass the assessment earn the Institute for Responsible Influence Certification Seal, gaining access to ongoing resources and a searchable database designed to help brands connect with vetted, transparency-trained creators.

The launch comes as the creator economy surges, with more than 200 million creators worldwide and over 2 million earning six figures through brand deals, digital products, and subscriptions—often with high profit margins. About 86% of U.S. marketers now work with paid creators, fueling a $37 billion industry that influences millions of consumers.

But trust hasn’t kept up: while 58% of consumers have made purchases based on creator recommendations, only 5% fully trust influencer content. Transparency remains key, with 71% saying clear disclosures build trust and 70% saying hidden sponsorships feel misleading.

“The creator economy thrives when it’s built on trust. Our partnership with the Institute of Responsible Influence reflects what we’ve always believed at #paid, that the most powerful collaborations happen when creators and brands share that foundation of trust,” said Bryan Gold, chief executive officer, #paid. “The Responsible Influence Certification Program brings more education and knowledge to creators, so creators can become professionals and brands can continue to succeed partnering with creators.”

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Sexual Assault Awareness Month: ‘Online Rape Academy’ Exposes Men Seeking To Learn Abuse Tactics

As a part of CNN's “As Equals series” on gender inequality, reporters went undercover on websites and chatrooms like Motherless and Telegram where men seek advice on best practices to sexually manipulate their partners.


During Sexual Assault Awareness month, a new and troubling expose from CNN puts the spotlight on the hidden, online world of men secretly wanting to learn the best ways to sexually abuse the women that love and trust them — their own partners. 

As a part of the “As Equals Series” on gender inequality, reporters went undercover on websites and chatrooms like Motherless and Telegram, where men seek advice on best practices to sexually abuse and manipulate their partners. Some porn websites highlight so-called “sleep” content, with more than 20,000 videos of men filming themselves lifting the closed eyelids of women to show a state of sleeping or being sedated, with some “eyecheck” videos gaining 50,000 views. 

The “sleep” content is often categorized with descriptive tags like #passedout and #eyecheck. In one “Zzz” chat group, a user admitted to wanting to do this to his “mrs,” but was fearful of an overdose. But another user jumped at the opportunity to show the “proper” way. “Always start low. You’re thinking of a long game so if its first time isn’t enough, up the dose,” the user responded. 

Another Motherless user, said to be located on the North African coast, claims to have a business selling “sleeping liquids”—a bottle of the liquid, described as “tasteless and odorless,” for roughly $175 each, to any address in the world. “Your wife won’t feel anything and won’t remember anything,” he said.

To showcase its worth, users sometimes livestream the abuse in real time for $20; however, cryptocurrency is the preferred method of payment. Like a user in West Africa who claimed his wife was sleeping, he heard snoring. He then climbed on top of her before the video ended. 

While some men push being careful to avoid getting caught, that’s not always the case—some just outright confess. “We worry about who’s coming behind us, walking down the street, or who’s even friending us on Facebook. You know, we worry about going to our car late at night in a car park, but we don’t worry about who you lie next to. I didn’t realize I had to,” Zoe Watts said.

She was a victim of her husband of 16 years and mother to their four children, who confessed to his disturbing ways on a random Sunday in 2018. 

He admitted that the sexual abuse had been going on for years. “He just sort of said… ‘I’ve been using our son’s sleeping medication to put in your last cup of tea at night, to tie you down, take photographs and rape you,’” she remembered. “At the end of a very busy day… I was just grateful I had a cup of tea before I went to bed, because I was so tired and didn’t have to make it,” she said. 

“You don’t expect anything other than innocence to come from your partner. I’ve had people say: ‘Yeah, but he’s your husband,’ or ‘but you weren’t awake.’ ‘So… it’s not the same as being taken down an alleyway, is it?”  

While Watts’ abuser is serving an 11-year sentence for rape, sexual assault by penetration, and drugging, his victim continues to struggle with using the word rape to describe what happened to her, labeling it as too painful. 

She’s not alone, as troubling data from the World Health Organization shows close to one in three women around the world are subjected to sexual violence by their partner during their lifetime, a figure that has barely changed since 2000. In 2025, 316 million women, with 11% being age 15 or older, experienced physical or sexual abuse by an intimate partner. 

The progress on limiting the amount of violence within intimate partner violence has been incredibly slow, with the decline only reaching 0.2% annually in the last 20 years.

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Kimora Lee Simmons at the Hollyrod 2023 Designcare Gala held at The Beehive on July 15, 2023 in Los Angeles. (Photo: Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images)

Christopher John Rogers Taps Kimora Lee And Daughters For New Old Navy Collection

Christopher John Rogers infuses Old Navy’s latest designer collection with bold color, playful patterns, and vibrant energy—arriving just in time for spring style.


Christopher John Rogers was tapped to lead Old Navy’s second designer collaboration, and its bold versatility and vibrant color palette make it clear why.

The Old Navy x Christopher John Rogers collection, priced from $24.99 to $84.99, launched online and in select stores nationwide on April 15. It follows the brand’s first designer collaboration with Anna Sui in October 2025, led by Zac Posen, Gap Inc.’s executive vice president and creative director, and Old Navy’s chief creative officer.

“For our second collaboration after Anna Sui, I knew that the person I wanted to work with was Christopher,” Posen told WWD of the new collection. “First and foremost, because of his work and how he interprets American codes of style and the classics, as well as the synergy of the celebration of joy, and of color and pattern.”

The 46-piece collection features a vibrant mix of clothing and accessories in bold, optimistic hues—a reflection of John Rogers’ signature use of color. Designed with Posen, the lineup encourages shoppers to mix and match styles with ease. Following past collaborations with J.Crew and Target, the Baton Rouge native was drawn to Old Navy and the opportunity to create a versatile, playful collection.

“What I’ve always really been interested in is this idea of self-authorship and self-articulation and giving the customer lots of different options, whether it be an amazing jersey top, a button-down blouse, a dress, a skirt, a pair of utilitarian cargos, and a coordinating jacket — all things that we’re known for being able to offer. I’m echoing Zac with amazing value and quality without losing any declarativeness with the product, which is really exciting to me,” John Rogers said.

The collection’s rich hues—like golden olive and burnt orange—are designed to feel both wearable and special, giving customers everyday pieces with standout appeal, John Rogers said. The silhouettes blend his signature sculptural style with Old Navy staples, from high-waisted barrel jeans and oversized denim shirts to printed midi skirts, matching sets, and halter tops. Utility-inspired pieces balance more feminine looks, while highlights include bold prints, colorful dresses, swimsuits, and a summer-ready canvas tote.

To bring the Old Navy x Christopher John Rogers collaboration to life, the brand tapped Kimora Lee Simmons and her daughters Ming Lee Simmons and Aoki Lee Simmons to star in the campaign—marking their first joint fashion moment since the iconic Baby Phat campaigns of the early 2000s.

“This campaign was such a delight to shoot 🥰 with my family. Thank youuu @oldnavy,” Aoki wrote on Instagram.

John Rogers intentionally chose the mother-daughter trio to front the campaign, highlighting the “dynamism” of who can participate in and express themselves through fashion.

“So, regardless of age, regardless of identity or body type, really sort of providing people, again, with the tools to self-express is really important,” John Rogers said. “These three ladies were a really fun expression of that and obviously, great personalities as well.”

Just hours after launch, the Drop-Waist Midi Skirt from the Old Navy x Christopher John Rogers collection was already sold out online. With standout pieces perfect for spring, shoppers are encouraged to browse the collection while supplies last.

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Mark Pitts Exits RCA Records To Launch New Venture ‘Cofvnders’ Producing Usher And Chris Brown’s Tour

Mark Pitts is stepping down as President of RCA Records to launch his new multimedia management company, Cofvnders.


Mark Pitts is stepping down as president of RCA Records to launch his new venture, Cofvnders, a multimedia management company already gaining traction with the announcement of Usher and Chris Brown’s “The R&B Tour.”

The longtime music executive announced on April 14 that he will step into a consulting role with RCA Records and Sony Music, continuing to support artists he helped develop, Variety reports. Through his new company Cofvnders, based in New York and Los Angeles, Pitts will also play a key role in producing “The R&B Tour” alongside Live Nation.

“I’m proud of everything we built at RCA. I feel blessed to have played a part in shaping some of the most important careers in music, but even more importantly, in leading and helping guide the lives of young women and men. That’s legacy,” Pitts said in a statement. “I’m looking forward to continuing to work with RCA and Sony Music in a new capacity, while also feeling more energized than ever about what I’m building with Cofvnders. After more than 25 years in this business, to still feel this level of excitement is a blessing in itself.”

With more than 30 years in the industry, having got his start under Sean “Diddy” Combs at Bad Boy Records, co-managing acts like The Notorious B.I.G. and Faith Evans before co-founding ByStorm Entertainment with Wayne Barrow in 1998 and going on to sign artists including J. Cole, Miguel, and Ro James, Pitts is now utilizing his connections and expertise with global reach in mind.

Now, through Cofvnders, Pitts has partnered with attorney and entrepreneur Tamayu Takayama to launch the Tokyo Sound Continuum, a songwriting initiative connecting U.S. producers with Japanese creatives, backed by Japan’s Agency for Cultural Affairs. The effort marks the start of a broader plan to elevate Japanese talent on the global stage.

The Brooklyn native has continued shaping the culture behind the scenes. Pitts held roles at Arista Records, contributing to Usher’s diamond-certified album “Confessions,” before becoming President of Urban Music at Jive Records, where he signed a young Chris Brown and managed J. Cole.

Following the Jive-RCA merger, he was named President of Urban Music at RCA Records and, in 2021, was promoted to president under CEO Peter Edge. During his tenure, he also helped develop artists like Latto. Now, Pitts is focused on building global connections as music consumption continues to evolve and tapping into his decades-long relationships with Usher and Chris Brown to produce what’s expected to be the R&B tour of the year.

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WNBA Will Play Internationally In 2027

'Next year, we expect that we'll do something outside of North America as a true global game,' said WNBA commissioner, Cathy Engelbert.


The WNBA is looking into playing some games overseas starting in 2027.

According to ESPN, after negotiating a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with the league’s players and free agency leading to record contracts, the commissioner, Cathy Engelbert, is turning her sights to the international space. Engelbert said that the WNBA will be expanding league play, via exhibition and regular season, outside of North America for the first time next year.

The league is preparing to host games in Canada with its first expansion team outside the United States, the Toronto Tempo, prompting discussion of the league also playing in other countries.

“We’re heavily looking at that,” Engelbert said. “Obviously, this year we have the FIBA World Cup. Next year, we expect that we’ll do something outside of North America as a true global game.”

With the Tempo starting play this year and another expansion team, the Portland Fire, joining the league this season, the WNBA recently announced that three additional expansion teams will join the WNBA over the next three years. Cleveland will begin playing in 2028, then Detroit in 2029, with Philadelphia starting in 2030.

Engelbert also discussed the recent free agency period, which saw several players inking million-dollar deals for the first time in league history.

“I’m pretty emotional seeing 23 million-dollar contracts signed only two days into free agency,” Engelbert said. “Now these players can build real generational wealth.”

Those contracts were made possible after the league and its players signed a new CBA, guaranteeing that the players make more money and receive more benefits. That includes housing adjustments for players, 401(k) contributions, and money given to former players.

The commissioner also commented on the league’s growth, saying she was “thrilled with the trajectory and growth, and was really looking forward to the next few years.

Training camps will be open Sunday, April 19, with the regular season scheduled to start May 8. This will be the 30th anniversary of WNBA play.

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Yeah, Right! White House Pushes Report Claiming DEI Hinders Productivity

Authors of the report, released by the Council of Economic Advisers as part of the annual Economic Report of the President, pushed that civil rights-based legislation led to “reductions in discrimination [that] served as a boon to the U.S. economy.”


Another day, another attack on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) as the White House released a report claiming the practice of encouraging hiring managers on the basis of race hurts productivity by leading to inefficient management and undercuts economic growth, the Wall Street Journal reports. 

“There is nothing inherently less productive about minority workers or minority managers,” the report reads. “The issue is rapidly promoting unqualified workers in order to meet racial quotas set forth by DEI.” 

Authors of the report, released by the Council of Economic Advisers as part of the annual Economic Report of the President, pushed that civil rights-based legislation led to “reductions in discrimination [that] served as a boon to the U.S. economy” and based their claims on federal data broken down by industry, state and year in an effort to track Black, Hispanic and indigenous people representation within management roles – without covering gender, sexual orientation or Asian representation. 

The study found the demographics rose by less than one percent between 2005 and 2015, then by four times that amount between 2015 and 2023. DEI opponents argue that such policies both unfairly and illegally discriminate based on race in addition to stigmatizing people from targeted groups who get jobs on merit. Senior White House leaders like Vice President JD Vance seemingly agree, claiming “DEI is evil” in a 2025 X post. 

Since taking office last year, President Donald Trump has ramped up efforts to eradicate DEI in federal and private hiring and college admissions, and the report is likely to add additional context to the ongoing debate of its benefits. For years, DEI advocates have argued that such practices counter implicit bias that systemically holds back disadvantaged groups and helps companies relate better to their customer base in addition to unlocking hidden talent — especially in specific spaces like academia. 

A study led by Colorado State University doctoral student Hanna McCaslin and members of Associate Professor Sara Bombaci’s lab found that a number of DEI initiatives in higher education are seen as widely effective by faculty and students. After surveying 611 respondents, including 328 faculty members and 269 undergraduate and graduate students, data revealed that DEI opportunities for educators only strengthen communities through individual practices that face minimal political scrutiny. 

Opinions of effectiveness were consistent throughout identity groups. Some initiatives were valued a little higher by specific populations such as women and participants from historically underrepresented racial and ethnic groups who emphasized family care support and anonymous feedback systems, while women also highlighted the importance of equity in advancement and childcare.

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