upworthy

Policy

Education

Fired National Park Education Ranger shares heartbreaking post on losing his 'dream job'

"Share this truth widely."

via Brian Gibbs/Facebook

Brian Gibbs and son at Effigy Mounds National Monument.

On Friday, February 14th, Brian Gibbs, a National Park Ranger at Effigy Mounds National Monument in Iowa, learned he was terminated as part of the Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) move to decrease the federal workforce. Gibbs was one of thousands of federal probationary workers terminated that day. Officials have targeted probationary workers employed for less than one or two years because they have fewer job protections or rights to appeal.

While working at Effigy, Gibbs’ job was to educate children, from kindergarten through high school, about more than a dozen American Indian tribes associated with the park. “My job was to teach people about the sacredness of this site, and people … who built the mounds and tribes and still continue to come to the park,” he told CNN.

The reason for his termination felt strange to Gibbs, who says that he exceeded expectations in his most recent evaluation. “According to the letter I received, I ‘failed to demonstrate fitness or qualifications for continued employment’ because my ‘subject matter, knowledge, skills and abilities do not meet the department’s needs,’” Gibbs told Today.com. Now that he is unemployed, Gibbs’ big concern is for his family. He and his wife have one child, and are expecting another in the summer.

In the wake of the mass federal layoffs of over 77,000 people, Gibbs bravely put a face to the story by making a heartbreaking post about losing his job and the National Park Rangers' importance in American life.

“I am absolutely heartbroken and completely devastated to have lost my dream job of an Education Park Ranger with the National Park Service this Valentine’s Day,” Gibbs wrote in his post. “Access to my government email was denied mid-afternoon and my position was ripped out from out under my feet after my shift was over at 3:45pm on a cold snowy Friday. Additionally, before I could fully print off my government records, I was also locked out of my electronic personal file that contained my secure professional records.”

Gibbs then listed a litany of roles he assumed as a ranger, father, and American citizen.

"I am an oath of office to defend and protect the constitution from all enemies foreign and domestic... I am the protector of 2500 year old American Indian burial and ceremonial mounds... I am the one who told your child that they belong on this planet. That their unique gifts and existence matters ... I am the lesson that showed your children that we live in a world of gifts- not commodities, that gratitude and reciprocity are the doorway to true abundance, not power, money, or fear," Gibbs wrote.

To raise money for his family during a time of need, Gibbs has partnered with Des Moines-based Raygun to create three shirts honoring those who work for the National Parks Service. Two of the shirts quote his viral post, "Gratitude and reciprocity are the doorway to true abundance, not power, money, or fear." A third shirt has a Ranger hat with the quote: "DON'T TREAD ON ME."


national parks, brian gibbs shirt, raygunRaygun x Brian Gobbs shirts.via Raygun


It’s disheartening to see a man lose the job that he loved so much. But Gibbs's brave post, which appealed to America's better angels, was a wonderful way to humanize the thousands of federal workers who have lost their jobs and the countless who will in the coming months. It can be hard to empathize with federal employees when they’re in offices we’ve never seen or states we’ll never visit. But America’s National Parks are the undisputed gems that make America great, and when those who work to protect them are under threat, it’s a call for all Americans to take notice.

From Your Site Articles
national parks
Policy

Everyday activists buy up $10 million in student debt then wipe it away for 3,000 people

They bought the debt for just $125,000, proving change can happen without a billionaire’s help.

Photo by Element5 Digital on Unsplash

3,000 students at HBCU Morehouse College had their student debt erased.

Credit and debt are part of a system that is frequently stacked against borrowers, and it can be harshest on those most vulnerable to its traps. In a powerful move that leverages the system against itself, a group of debt activists recently canceled nearly $10 million in student loan debt for $125,000. The effort benefited thousands of former students from Morehouse College, a historically Black institution in Atlanta.

The activists, part of the Debt Collective and its sister organization, the Rolling Jubilee Fund, purchased the debt from the college for about one penny on the dollar. Buying debt involves purchasing unpaid loans at a steep discount because the lender deems them unlikely to be repaid. They then erased the balances of 2,777 accounts, wiping the slate clean for students whose loans were in collections since Fall 2022 or earlier.

Morehouse College, whose alumni include figures like Martin Luther King Jr., fully supported the effort. The cancellation means that these borrowers can now access their transcripts and diplomas—something many of them were previously unable to do due to the financial burden.

This remarkable debt cancellation demonstrates a path forward for broader student loan relief, especially for graduates of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), who are disproportionately affected by student debt.

"This nearly $10M of student debt cancellation will put thousands of Black folks in a better position to be able to save for retirement, purchase a home or start a small business."

— Braxton Brewington, Debt Collective spokesperson

A bold step in the fight for debt relief

The Debt Collective has advocated for student debt cancellation for over a decade. Their efforts began with buying up debt and freeing people from collections, including millions of dollars in student and carceral debts. Last year, the group bought and canceled $1.7 million in debt for students at Bennett College, another HBCU.

Their latest action at Morehouse comes at a critical point in the national conversation about student loans. President Biden's broader student debt cancellation plan was struck down by the Supreme Court earlier this year, leaving millions of borrowers in financial limbo.


via GIPHY


This cancellation sends a clear message that large-scale relief is possible.

"President Biden has yet to make good on his campaign promise to eliminate all student debt held by HBCU graduates. We’re doing our part, and it’s time Biden does his."

— Braxton Brewington

The real impact of student debt

Student debt is a significant barrier to financial stability for millions of Americans. This burden is especially heavy for Black borrowers, who are more likely to take on loans and face more significant financial challenges after graduation.

Morehouse President David A. Thomas acknowledged that debt discourages many students from attending college and pursuing their dreams. "Debt has proven itself to be one of the strongest deterrents in a prospective student's decision to attend college and inhibitors in alumni’s socioeconomic success post-graduation," he said.


via GIPHY


With Morehouse's support, the Debt Collective and Rolling Jubilee Fund are working to level the playing field for these students and their future careers. The college also aims to become a need-blind institution by 2030, further reducing financial barriers to education.

"Partners like the Debt Collective and Rolling Jubilee are making the investment to help level the financial playing field for our students and alumni."

— David A. Thomas, President of Morehouse College

A call for national action

The Debt Collective’s success raises an important question: If private organizations can buy and cancel debt, why can’t the federal government do the same? The group argues that its work proves there are real solutions to the student loan crisis. It’s calling on President Biden to follow through on his promise to cancel student debt for HBCU graduates and the broader American student population.


Debt Activists Bought $10M in Student Debt for $125,000 — and Canceled It All
byu/hopopo inUpliftingNews


They’ve even launched a tool to help borrowers petition the Department of Education for relief under the Higher Education Act. Over 30,000 borrowers have already used this tool in just two months to request cancellation.

As the movement for debt relief grows, activists are urging people to speak out, get involved, and push for large-scale change. The more we demand action, the closer we come to a future where education doesn’t trap people in financial hardship but instead opens the door to opportunity.

From Your Site Articles
student loans
Education

Norway banned smart phones in schools and it has been very good for young girls

Should they be banned in schools everywhere?

via Yan Krukau/Pexels

A group of students staring at their phones.

The Norwegian government is spearheading a significant initiative to prohibit students from having smartphones in schools. This move comes in the wake of compelling studies demonstrating the positive impact of removing these devices from students’ hands and allowing them to focus more on their learning.

The effects have been particularly beneficial for girls.

Over the past few years, smartphone bans have cropped up in several school districts throughout Norway, allowing researchers to study how the bans affected students. Sara Abrahamsson, a postdoctoral fellow at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, analyzed students at 400 middle schools and found that the bans had psychological and academic benefits.

The Norwegian Institute of Public Health published the results.

1 Girls made fewer appointments for psychological help

The study found that there was a significant decrease in the number of visits that girls made to see a psychological specialist for mental health issues. “Relative to pretreatment this is a significant decline by almost 60% in the number of visits,” Abrahamsson wrote in the study.

2. Steep drop in bullying

The study shows that girls experienced a 46% reduction in bullying after smartphone bans were enacted and boys had a 43% reduction.

smartphone, smartphone ban, norway

Boys looking at memes on a smartphone.

via Max Fischer/Pexels

3. Improved grades for girls

The study revealed that introducing a smartphone ban at the beginning of middle school improved girls' GPAs and increased their chances of enrolling in an academic-oriented high school track versus a vocational study. On the other hand, the ban appeared to have no notable effect on boys’ GPA, teacher-assigned grades, or likelihood of pursuing an academic high school track.

4. The ban had a more significant effect on economically disadvantaged girls

The study found that the ban resulted in greater benefits for economically disadvantaged girls regarding academic performance, appointments for psychological symptoms and the probability of attending an academically focused high school.

The positive impact that the bans have on girls is significant, given the fact that studies show they’ve been the most deeply affected by the rise in mental health issues amongst young people that have coincided with smartphone adaptation.

One of the most disturbing trends is the dramatic rise in suicide rates among girls in developed nations.

smartphones in schools, norway, smartphone ban

Students taking a selfie in school.

via RDNE Stock Project

Jonathan Haidt, author of “The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness” and advocate for banning smartphones in schools, explained why smartphone use is more damaging for girls than boys.

“There is a special relationship between social media and girls,” Haidt told “The Reason Interview with Nick Gillespie” podcast. “When boys get together … they're likely to organize themselves into groups to compete [on multiplayer video games].”

“Girls are much more interested in talking about relationships. Who is on the outs with whom? Who's dating who? They have a more developmental map of the social space,” Haidt continued.

When there is conflict within peer groups, social media poses a much greater threat to girls.

“Boys' aggression is ultimately backed up by the threat of physical domination and punching or pain, " Haidt continued. “Girls' aggression is equal in magnitude, but it's aimed at relationships and reputation. It's called relational aggression. Video games, if anything, prevent boys from getting in fights. … The platform settles everything. But girls' relational aggression is amplified. The worst year of bullying is seventh grade. I'm really focused on middle school.”


This article originally appeared on 4.25.24


From Your Site Articles
smartphones
Education

Away for a Day is making schools smartphone-free to improve grades and mental health

We should value academics and mental health more than technology.

via RDNE Stock Project/Pexels

A classroom of kids staring at their phones.

We have reached a tipping point where people are beginning to realize that the great social experiment of giving smartphones to children and teens has been disastrous for their mental health. Since young people started using smartphones about 15 years ago, there have been tremendous spikes in anxiety, depression and self-harm.

Big tech companies, such as Meta, have claimed there is no causal evidence that smartphones and social media are responsible for the mental health crisis. But we know that the rise in mental health problems began when young people started using smartphones and studies show that when kids take a break from social media for over a week, their mental health improves.

“There's enough data out there to show that it's not just correlational anymore. Clearly, some of this is causal and we're at this breaking point,” Lisa Tabb from Away for the Day told Upworthy.

The Away for a Day (AFTD) movement is working to reverse that trend by giving parents and schools resources to remove smartphones from the classroom. Tabb is also a former TV news producer and the co-producer of “Screenagers,” the first feature documentary to explore the impact of screen technology on kids and offer parents and families proven solutions that work.

Smartphones in schools are a tremendous distraction, even if they are just in a student’s pocket or backpack. “If you give them a warm chocolate chip cookie in their pocket and say, don't eat it. It's just not fair. It's just not fair,” Tabb told Upworthy. “And science shows that kids are distracted not only by their own device but everybody else's devices, too.”

Studies show that test scores increase when smartphones are taken out of the classroom.

Smartphones expose students to dangerous, inappropriate content online and are associated with depression and anxiety. “We're worried about the very, the very big, scary stuff that can happen online, but we're more concerned about all the tiny microaggressions that happen throughout the day when kids are seeing their friends online that went to a party that they weren't invited to,” Tabb said.

away for the day, screenagers, smartphonesSmartphones are bad for focus.via Away for the Day

That’s why AFTD is pushing for smartphones to be taken out of schools or, at least, out of students’ pockets and backpacks. “Phones don’t necessarily have to be left at home. It just has to be phones off their person,” Tabb told Upworthy.

“We believe having phones and smartwatches put away in lockers so the devices are physically away from the students is the best practice,” ATDE writes on its website. “If your students do not have lockers, we suggest that phones are put in places like hanging pocket holders, baskets, locked safes, or Yondr pouches. For those schools where this is not logistically possible, having students put their phones in their backpacks is the next best choice.”

Most schools confiscate students' phones if they are out at an inappropriate time and either the student or their parent must pick them up from the office after school. At Corte Madera High School in Portola Valley, California, students who violate the rule multiple times will have to check their phones in the office before the school day begins and pick them up after the final bell.



Creating a phone-free school day is a lot of work for students, teachers and administrators, but the benefits of having schools where mental health and academics are prioritized over technology are priceless.

“I have a great story about a middle school principal told me a few years ago,” Tabb told Upworthy. “The school had an electronic hall pass system and one year, 1800 students used the pass to visit the school counselor. This was when students were allowed to have their phones with them all school day. The following year, she instituted an away-all-day policy and the use of the hall pass to see the counselor literally went down to 10.”

Parents, students, teachers, and school administrators who want to implement phone-free policies in their schools can learn more and get free toolkits to get started Away for the Day’s website.

From Your Site Articles
smartphones
Trending Stories