Jay Greene
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Articles by Jay Greene
We ran the data on trans teen suicide panic — and found the claims are misleading Original
“You can choose between a live son or a dead daughter.” Countless parents have heard some variation of these words — from physicians, medical associations, media outlets or online activists. If children believe they’re born in the wrong body and can’t get sex-change treatments, the argument goes, they’re at high risk of committing suicide. No claim has swayed more parents to let their kids get puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones and even surgeries.
Introducing GLP-1 Support: Helping You Take Control
GLP-1s are changing the weight-loss conversation in a big way. For many people, they can feel like a long-awaited breakthrough—especially for those who feel like they’ve tried time and time again to reach their weight loss goals but have struggled for traction.
The Quackery of Columbia’s Racialized Medical Research
Reality’s Last Stand is a reader-supported publication. Please consider becoming a paying subscriber or making a one-time or recurring donation to show your support. This article was originally published by Do No Harm. A recent article by Chris Rufo and Hannah Grossman of the Manhattan Institute offers an unflattering profile of Dr. Jennifer Manly, a neuropsychologist and Columbia professor. Manly is an agitator within the pro-Hamas campus movement.
The Pork Barrel Politics of the Department of Education
As part of the debate over whether to dismantle the US Department of Education, some have argued that the department should be disbanded because it has completely failed in achieving its purpose. Student test scores have not significantly risen over the last 42 years. Gaps in achievement between different racial and income groups have not closed.
A Vast Right-Wing Conspiracy?
Josh Cowen’s new book, The Privateers, declares that “there is a vast right-wing conspiracy” that explains how “voucher advocates have managed to spread privatization plans in states across the country despite a growing number of data-backed arguments against those schemes.” Cowen also provides a brief and incomplete description of those “data-backed arguments” that fails to bolster his claim that a conspiracy is responsible for foisting choice policies on unsuspecting Americans.
A Critical Time for Critical Thought
The Student: A Short History by Michael Roth Yale University Press, 2023, $26 (cloth); 216 pages. As reviewed by Jonathan Zimmerman Every year, at convocation, my university’s president tells the incoming freshmen that they can be anything they choose. But somehow, four years later, a huge fraction of them choose to enter one of three fields: tech, banking, or management consulting. As I often tell my students, there’s nothing wrong with working in these professions.
An Experimental Evaluation of Culturally Enriching Field Trips
Title Keywords arts education, field trips, experimental design BYU ScholarsArchive Citation Holmes Erickson, Heidi; Watson, Angela R.; and Greene, Jay P., "An Experimental Evaluation of Culturally Enriching Field Trips" (2023). ScholarsArchive Data. 59.
Going-to-School Shopping
For more than a century, children in the United States have been enrolled in public schools based on where they live, and pressure to improve public education has been mainly channeled through school board elections, inter-district housing decisions, and test-based accountability. Over the past 30 years, however, charter schools, vouchers, and public-school choice programs have challenged this model.
Zoned In
Excluded: How Snob Zoning, NIMBYism, and Class Bias Build the Walls We Don’t See by Richard Kahlenberg Public Affairs, 2023, $30; 352 pages. As reviewed by Matthew Levey Richard Kahlenberg, a bespectacled, balding, Harvard-educated lawyer who grew up in a well-off suburb of Saint Paul, Minnesota, is a curious character to be called controversial.
Chief Diversity Officers Harm the Students They Say They Help
At the height of the pandemic, Congress appropriated an additional $190 billion to the nation’s schools in the hopes of preventing students from losing ground academically. One thing school districts did with that influx of cash was to hire chief diversity officers. Rather than stemming learning loss, however, chief diversity officers exacerbated the problem, especially among minority students.
Chief diversity officers harm the students they say they help Original
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! At the height of the pandemic, Congress appropriated an additional $190 billion to the nation’s schools in the hopes of preventing students from losing ground academically. One thing school districts did with that influx of cash was to hire chief diversity officers. Rather than stemming learning loss, however, chief diversity officers exacerbated the problem, especially among minority students.
Don’t Worry About ‘Book Bans’
For years, there has been a heated political controversy over “book bans.” To read the headlines and the op-eds is to know where to stand on this issue: Banning books is un-American. And banning books representing Black and LGBTQ+ students is especially reprehensible.
Enjoy the Game, but Turn Down the Sound
The Death of Public School: How Conservatives Won the War Over Education in America by Cara Fitzpatrick Basic Books, 2023, $32; 384 pages. As reviewed by Jay P. Greene Cara Fitzpatrick’s new book does not deliver on the promise of its title, for it doesn’t describe the death of public schools or even show that they have a nasty cough.
Happy 111th birthday, Milton Friedman, your wish has come true
On the occasion of his “eleventy-first” birthday, the hobbit Bilbo Baggins famously disappeared. On July 31, we celebrate what would have been the 111th birthday of another man who was diminutive in size but larger than life in spirit: Milton Friedman. Were he to reappear today, he would likely marvel at how much progress has been made on issues about which he cared so deeply.
Happy 111th birthday, Milton Friedman, your wish has come true
On the occasion of his “eleventy-first” birthday, the hobbit Bilbo Baggins famously disappeared. On July 31, we celebrate what would have been the 111th birthday of another man who was diminutive in size but larger than life in spirit: Milton Friedman . Were he to reappear today, he would likely marvel at how much progress has been made on issues about which he cared so deeply.
The Book Ban Mirage
Abstract: The advocacy organization PEN America is the primary source for claims that there is widespread book banning underway in American schools. But PEN America’s claims hinge on a definition of “ban” that most Americans would not recognize. In order to assess PEN America’s claims by the common definition of “banned,” i.e., made unavailable, we reviewed the 2021-2022 index of banned books against online school library card catalogs.
The Book Ban Mirage
by Jay P. Greene, Max Eden, and Madison Marino ABSTRACT The advocacy organization PEN America is the primary source for claims that there is widespread book banning underway in American schools. But PEN America’s claims hinge on a definition of “ban” that most Americans would not recognize. In order to assess PEN America’s claims by the common definition of “banned,” i.e., made unavailable, we reviewed the 2021-2022 index of banned books against online school library card catalogs.
Justice Jackson's Trifecta of Wrong on 'Research' on Racial Preferences
In her dissenting opinion to the Supreme Court’s decision to strike down racial preferences in university admissions, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson managed to pull off a trifecta: She was factually incorrect in describing the results of a study that should not be believed, which wouldn’t provide practical support for her argument even if it were accurate and credible.
From Harvard, Hope
The classic grade school writing assignment for the first week of school is “what I did on my summer vacation.” Although, sadly, I’m no longer in grade school and it’s not yet September, what follows is a variation on the theme: “what I learned last semester at the Kennedy School.” As an academic visitor attached to the Program on Education Policy and Governance, I had the privilege of organizing this spring’s colloquium series, featuring seven speakers from here at Harvard and around the...
Dispelling the Fiction of "Book Bans"
“What we’re seeing here is a resurgence of widespread censorship in America,” Nadine Farid Johnson recently told The Wall Street Journal. Johnson is the Washington director of PEN America and co-author of its report claiming to identify 2,532 books banned in public schools during the 2021-2022 school year. PEN America advocates on behalf of poets, essayists, and novelists, and it shows: Its report is almost as fictional as the work of the writers it represents.
Think Deep, Aim High
A Nation at Thought: Restoring Wisdom in America’s Schools by David M. Steiner Rowman & Littlefield, 2023, $80, 225 pages. As reviewed by Matthew Levey In the four decades since A Nation at Risk warned that American schools were failing, we’ve increased education spending, tried to improve curriculum and teacher training, unleashed market forces, attended to the “whole child,” and imitated Finland—among other efforts. Yet millions of K–12 students still read, write, and add as poorly as ever.
The Fine Art of School Engagement
From their earliest years, children use art for learning and self-expression. Preschoolers draw, paint, and build to understand and depict their surroundings. They learn their letters by singing the alphabet song. And they immerse themselves in stories to learn about their natural and social worlds, from books read by caregivers and during dress-up and imaginative play. Yet the arts maintain a precarious position in K–12 public education.
As Private-School-Choice Spreads, Implementation Is Imperative Original
America is in the midst of a parental choice revolution. In the past few months, five states—Arizona, Arkansas, Iowa, Utah and West Virginia—have adopted education savings account, or ESA, programs, which extend private-school-choice eligibility to all or most K-12 students. These programs provide students with public resources for an array of education expenses, including tuition, micro-schooling, homeschooling, education therapies, and tutoring.
Tip 39: Don’t Cram Original
Outsmart Your Brain: Why Learning Is Hard and How You Can Make It Easy by Daniel T. Willingham Gallery Books, 2023, $28.99; 336 pages. As reviewed by Stephen M. Kosslyn In Outsmart Your Brain, Daniel Willingham has written three useful books in one, seamlessly integrated and mutually reinforcing. The book in the foreground offers a series of tips and advice to help students learn effectively and, more generally, navigate the school experience.
Here’s What the Hanukkah Story Can Teach Us About Today’s Culture War
The story of the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah is actually the story of a culture war—one similar in many ways to the conflicts raging in modern America. The need to engage in and prevail in a culture war is a central lesson of the holiday, and the fact that ancient Israelites did so paved the way for Jewish continuity and survival over the last two millennia.
JAY P. GREENE: Here’s What The Hanukkah Story Can Teach Us About Today’s Culture War
The story of the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah is actually the story of a culture war — one similar in many ways to the conflicts raging in modern America. The need to engage in and prevail in a culture war is a central lesson of the holiday, and the fact that ancient Israelites did so paved the way for Jewish continuity and survival over the last two millennia.
UK cracks down while US doubles down on 'gender affirming' care
American lawmakers need to follow the lead of another country and put the brakes on "gender affirming" procedures for children. Health officials in the United Kingdom are acknowledging the damage being done by pushing puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones onto children at exactly the same time as the Biden administration is demanding that education and health professionals endorse these "affirmative" treatments or face penalties.
UK cracks down while US doubles down on ‘gender affirming’ care
By Jay Greene, Op-ed contributor | Tuesday, August 16, 2022 American lawmakers need to follow the lead of another country and put the brakes on “gender affirming” procedures for children. Health officials in the United Kingdom are acknowledging the damage being done by pushing puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones onto children at exactly the same time as the Biden administration is demanding that education and health professionals endorse these “affirmative” treatments or face penalties.
Revocable Living Trust Benefits - San Francisco Bay Times
By Jay Greene, Esq., CPA– The Revocable Living Trust One of the most common phrases used in estate planning is the “Revocable Living Trust” (RLT). It may seem that everyone has a revocable living trust, or has considered creating one. Revocable living trusts are a popular and powerful tool for individuals and families planning for their future, but what exactly is a revocable living trust?
The UK cracks down while the US doubles down on 'gender affirming' care
[This piece has been published in Restoring America to highlight how U.S. institutions are pushing so-called "gender affirming care" onto the public despite obvious risks.] American lawmakers need to follow the lead of another country and put the brakes on “gender affirming” procedures for children.
The UK Cracks Down While the US Doubles Down on 'Gender Affirming' Care
American lawmakers need to follow the lead of another country and put the brakes on “gender affirming” procedures for children. Health officials in the United Kingdom are acknowledging the damage being done by pushing puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones onto children at exactly the same time as the Biden administration is demanding that education and health professionals endorse these “affirmative” treatments or face penalties.
Planning for Long-Term Care - San Francisco Bay Times
By Jay Greene, Esq., CPA– Who Needs Long-Term Care? Long-term care is defined as a service that helps to meet the medical and non-medical needs for individuals with a disability, illness, or for those who cannot provide sufficient day-to-day care for themselves. The enrollees of long-term care programs can be any age, but the truth is, as we get older, the possibility of enrolling into long-term care programs becomes increasingly more likely.
Palatial Schools for the Progressive era
From Factories to Palaces, a biography of school architect C. B. J. Snyder, opens a view onto a lost and glorious world of public education in New York City. Early 20th-century Progressives believed that mass public education could combine democracy and excellence. Their hopes shaped the 408 new schools and additions that Snyder designed during his 1891 to 1922 tenure as New York’s superintendent of school buildings. To a degree, Progressives’ hopes were fulfilled.
In New Book, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos Emerges as a Modern Alyosha
With much the same characters and plot lines as The Brothers Karamazov, though absent its gripping prose, Hostages No More evokes memories of Fyodor Dostoevsky’s masterwork on good and evil. Former Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos admits she does not have “a way with words,” but larger-than-life forces and personalities propel themselves straight through the vanilla writing and overwhelm Horatio Alger-style vignettes about families who chose their schools.
Tackling the “Exodus” Claim
Critics of education choice claim that introducing and expanding choice programs will lead to a massive exodus of students that will dismantle public-school systems by “defunding” them. For instance, one critic claims that vouchers “could dramatically destabilize public-school systems and communities.” Legislators in states such as Indiana, Ohio, and West Virginia claimed that school-choice bills introduced in their states would destroy public schools.
Puberty Blockers, Cross-Sex Hormones, and Youth Suicide
June 13, 2022 32 min read Download Report Senior Research Fellow, Center for Education Policy Jay P. Greene is a senior research fellow in The Heritage Foundation’s Center for Education Policy. Summary Lowering legal barriers to make it easier for minors to undergo cross-sex medical interventions without parental consent does not reduce suicide rates—in fact, it likely leads to higher rates of suicide among young people in states that adopt these changes.
Are More Highly Educated Individuals More Antisemitic? Findings Based on a New Approach to Measuring Antisemitism Using Double Standards
Abstract: Empirical research on antisemitism typically measures antisemitism based on self-reported surveys. This approach, however, is limited by the possibility of social desirability bias. That is, respondents who are more sophisticated may be more likely to detect the purpose of the measure and adjust their answers, giving socially desirable responses that fail to reveal their antisemitism.
During COVID, the more prestigious the college, the lower the quality of education
“Most Americans in most of the country can now go mask free,” President BidenJoe BidenBiden to visit Poland during Europe trip Former DC judge, Penn law professor to introduce Ketanji Brown Jackson at hearing US concludes violence against Myanmar's Rohingya was genocide: report MORE declared in the State of the Union Address. But at a Harvard seminar held on the same day, the speaker was masked and largely unintelligible apart from the slides that fortunately accompanied the verbiage.
An Experimental Evaluation of Culturally Enriching Field Trips
Heidi H. Erickson*, Angela R. Watson and Jay P. Greene Heidi H. Erickson is an assistant professor of educational leadership at Brigham Young University. Angela R. Watson is a Senior Research Fellow at the Institute for Education Policy and an assistant professor at Johns Hopkins University School of Education. Jay P. Greene is a Senior Research Fellow at the Heritage Foundation. ↵* Corresponding author.
Learning Best Outside of the Classroom? The Benefits of Culturally Enriching Fieldtrips for New York City Kids
New York City has some of the finest educational institutions in the world. I’m not referring to its universities, like Columbia or NYU, and I am certainly not referring to its public schools. I’m talking about its cultural institutions—its art museums, theaters, symphonies, dance companies and historical centers, both natural and human. If the city’s public schools would make full use of these world-class assets, the quality of education might well improve.
The Civic Education We Need
Albert Cheng & Jay P. Greene Current Issue Although they are frequently pitted against each other, contemporary approaches to education on the left and right often begin from a common assumption: that prejudice and violence toward others is the result of ignorance.
Opinion | Our research shows many DEI staff target Israel on Twitter
Progressive Jews face a conundrum with respect to university diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. They earnestly support campus initiatives to attract students and faculty from a variety of backgrounds, learn different perspectives, elevate outcomes for the disadvantaged and reduce hate and bias. But it is also becoming painfully clear that many DEI staffers charged with pursuing these laudable goals are betraying their mission, at least when it comes to Jews.
Josh Angrist and the Search for Truth
“There’s no such thing as a research emergency,” one of my old bosses used to say. Try telling that to Josh Angrist, one of the 2021 winners of the Nobel Prize in economics, which he shared with David Card and Guido Imbens. When I was working closely with Josh and living in Cambridge, my then-boyfriend, now-husband quickly learned that if my cell phone ever rang before 8:30 a.m. or after 10 p.m., there was only one person who could be on the phone: Josh.
State Level Success for School Choice
2021 was a banner year for private school choice. Fourteen states expanded their programs, and seven states launched new ones, opening up enough seats (on paper) to serve at least 4.5 million students. These results are all the more remarkable when one considers that 30 years after the first school choice program was established, private school choice serves only 1.3 million students (About 17.6 million students are eligible). Was this all just a flash in the pan?
Equity Elementary: “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion” Staff in Public Schools
Chief diversity officers (CDOs) charged with promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) goals have become ubiquitous on college campuses.REF Now this institutional arrangement is being exported to the K–12 education system. Many public school districts, especially large districts in Democratic states, have imitated their higher-education counterparts and created senior administrative positions and offices ostensibly to close achievement gaps and advance certain social goals.
Rethinking Old Tactics to Advance School Choice
For over three decades, the private school-choice movement has largely pursued a bipartisan legislative strategy. The calculus was simple: Democrats tend to oppose school choice, but if enough of them could be won over to join widespread Republican support, it would produce legislative victories. To court these Democrats, the choice movement has favored designing programs that give priority to Democratic concerns.
The Merits of Meritocracy
Michael Sandel’s The Tyranny of Merit and Adrian Wooldridge’s The Aristocracy of Talent both address the widespread support for meritocracy that characterizes modern America. Wooldridge acknowledges the challenges raised by meritocracy but sees the concept as a central force in improving human well-being. Sandel, as his book title suggests, has a much less favorable view of meritocracy.
Funding Research that Is Useful and Used
In 2022, the Institute of Education Sciences will celebrate its twentieth anniversary. The Institute’s mission is to expand understanding of education systems. Its impact on the direction of our nation’s education research has been inarguable. Thanks to IES, we know far more now than we did 20 years ago about which strategies will yield improved educational outcomes for which students and under which conditions.
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