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Radian Group CEO sells $699,156 in stock
No. 7 Tennessee dispatches UT Martin to remain undefeatedDec 14 (Reuters) - Elon Musk's artificial intelligence startup, xAI, said on Saturday that its new version of the Grok-2 chatbot will be available for free to all users of the social media platform X. "As always, Premium and Premium+ users get higher usage limits and will be the first to access any new capabilities in the future," the artificial intelligence startup said , opens new tab in a blog. xAI has been quietly testing a new version of the Grok-2 model over the past few weeks, it said. Sign up here. Reporting by Nilutpal Timsina in Bengaluru; Editing by Sandra Maler Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. , opens new tab
NEW YORK , Dec. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- This December, Mount Sinai Hospital's Department of Urology, under the leadership of Ash Tewari, MBBS, MCh, FRCS (Hon.), DSc (Hon.), System Chair of Urology at Mount Sinai , invites you to the Sixth International Prostate Cancer Symposium and World Congress of Urologic Oncology—a four-day event that promises to be a landmark gathering for urology and robotic surgery professionals worldwide. From December 11-14, 2024 , leading experts and innovators will convene at Mount Sinai Hospital to explore groundbreaking advancements in research, clinical practices, and surgical techniques. This program offers an unparalleled opportunity for education, collaboration, and innovation in the ever-evolving field of urologic oncology. Attendees can look forward to a dynamic lineup that includes: Over 100 global leaders in urologic oncology will share their expertise, including: This year's symposium is more than an educational event; it's a chance to connect with top professionals, engage in thought-provoking discussions, and experience cutting-edge technology. From live surgical demonstrations to holographic presentations by international experts, the program is designed to push the boundaries of urology and robotic surgery. Don't miss this opportunity to be part of a global gathering of thought leaders and innovators. Register now to secure your place at this extraordinary event. For additional details and registration, visit: https://mountsinaiurologycme.com To relive the excitement, check out highlights from last year's symposium: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRbrhe5kQ-c Join us at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City this December as we shape the future of urology and robotic surgery! Media Contact: Michael Inocencio , 19143146029, michael.inocencio@mountsinai.org View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mount-sinai-hospital-to-host-sixth-international-prostate-cancer-symposium-and-world-congress-of-urologic-oncology-302325194.html SOURCE Mount Sinai Hospital
No. 7 Tennessee dispatches UT Martin to remain undefeated
Back trouble and brain fog bothered suspect in UnitedHealthcare CEO killing, his posts show Social media posts from Luigi Mangione show the man suspected of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson underwent successful back surgery last year that alleviated debilitating chronic pain. He repeatedly posted on Reddit about his recovery and offered words of encouragement for other people with similar conditions. But notably absent from the posts are explicit concerns about corporate greed within the health insurance industry. Those appear to have surfaced only later: in the handwritten manifesto recovered this week by police. Despite recent revelations about a potential motive, Mangione’s descent into rage and violence remains largely a mystery. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.
Cruise into this holiday season with a non-traditional vacation
December 12, 2024 This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlightedthe following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: fact-checked trusted source proofread by Jodi Heckel, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign The Midwest played a central role in the growth of Black freedom movements in the 20th century. It was a key site for incubating and expanding the ideas of political activist Marcus Garvey, not only in the U.S., but globally, said University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign professor of African American studies and history Erik S. McDuffie. McDuffie examined the influence of Garvey and the importance of the Midwest in the growth of Black internationalism and radicalism in his new book, " The Second Battle for Africa: Garveyism, the U.S. Heartland and Global Black Freedom ." McDuffie said the book is deeply personal and tied to his family history and Midwestern roots. He grew up in suburban Cleveland in a family that was interested in history, politics and global events and that hailed from St. Kitts, Canada and the U.S. His great-grandfather was a Garveyite who once introduced Garvey at a 1923 Detroit rally. Garvey, who grew up in Jamaica around the turn of the 20th century, campaigned for the self-determination and autonomy of Black people, the end of colonial rule in Africa, race pride and connections between Africa and the African diaspora. His ideas emerged at a time of global upheaval following World War I. He founded the Universal Negro Improvement Association, which claimed 6 million members worldwide in the 1920s and was the largest Black protest movement in history at that time. "Garveyism is the most potent social, political, cultural and spiritual force in the Black world from the early 20th century forward. So many movements, formations and institutions across the African world—not just the Midwest and the U.S., but in the Caribbean, Africa and beyond—directly or indirectly were inspired by Garveyism," McDuffie said. "You can't talk about Black people in the 20th century without talking about Garvey." The Midwest was particularly suited for its role as a hub of Black political activism, McDuffie said. He described the region as "the dialectic of opportunity and oppression." Black people viewed the North as a promised land where they could be free from slavery. They could vote. Midwest cities were manufacturing centers, with automobile plants, steel mills and rubber plants bringing millions of people from around the world to work in those industries. Black men could earn higher wages than they could find elsewhere, McDuffie said. "What makes it distinct is the way Black people found unique political and economic opportunities that they couldn't find anywhere else in the world," he said. Their political and economic power helped make the UNIA branches in Midwestern cities some of the largest and most influential in the world, with Chicago, Detroit and Cleveland particularly important, McDuffie wrote. Chicago became the site of Johnson Publishing Company and Third World Press Foundation, important publishers of Black literature, magazines and news, and Malcolm X College. At the same time, the Midwest was the site of virulent racial oppression and violence, with lynchings, Ku Klux Klan activity, laws restricting the freedoms of Black citizens and a white settler colonialism perspective, McDuffie said. Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matter— daily or weekly . "These forces came together, and then Garvey was talking about race pride, self-determination and a free Africa. It helped radicalize Black people in unique and important ways," he said. The politics of some Black nationalists embraced Black settler colonialism in Africa, anticommunism, capitalism and heteropatriarchy. They at times collaborated with white supremacists on their common ground of separation of the races and colonization of Liberia for Black people who wanted to live freely in Africa, McDuffie said. While some of Garvey's ideas leaned toward the right wing, they transcend the ideological spectrum of Black thinking, McDuffie said. Many activists inspired by Garvey rejected those ideas for more leftist views. "Most people appreciated how he inspired pride, encouraged them to build institutions and advance autonomy, and his anticolonial message," McDuffie said. Women played a critical role in grassroots community work and in leadership roles in the UNIA, and they promoted the empowerment of Black women. McDuffie wrote about the influence of Louise Little, the mother of Malcolm X who was born in Grenada and later lived in Nebraska and Michigan. She was instrumental in cultivating a Black radical perspective in her children and laid the foundation for the work of Malcolm X, who maintained a lifelong connection to the Midwest, particularly Detroit, McDuffie said. He also wrote about James Stewart, who succeeded Garvey as UNIA president-general and moved its headquarters to Cleveland, then later to Liberia. Garveyism inspired independence campaigns in Africa and the Caribbean. It inspired new movements, including Rastafarianism and the Nation of Islam, which was founded in Detroit. Garveyism also was critical to shaping the Civil Rights and Black Power movements, McDuffie said. The continuing impact of Garveyism is seen today in the field of African American studies, which was established as the result of activism in the 1960s and '70s, and in the Black Lives Matter movement, he said. "It's not accidental that Ferguson, Missouri, and Minneapolis were the sites where Black Lives Matter truly went global, given the unique intersections between opportunity and structural violence against Black people," McDuffie said. "There's a tendency among scholars to erase the Midwest when talking about the global African diaspora. I really want to emphasize the importance of the Midwest in shaping 20th-century Black life." Provided by University of Illinois at Urbana-ChampaignNoneThe healthcare industry unfortunately undertakes the highest cost of a data breach out of all industries. This can be anywhere up to $7.13 million lost in a single cyberattack. Personal identifiable information (PII), protected under the U.S. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act ( HIPAA ), is often thought of as being exchanged between doctors and patients or between facilities. Protected health information (PHI), however, includes every bit of identifiable information in medical records that are created and used in a healthcare setting, including laboratories. To keep laboratory information safe, managers must first understand why cybersecurity is important. Cybersecurity keeps cyber threats at bay. These can be internal or external threats. Cyberattacks are often malicious and intended to garner valuable information that is then distributed or used for nefarious purposes, such as identity theft and fraud. Some of the most common types of cyberthreats include: Learning about these threats and how to prevent them is crucial to the security of the laboratory data. Healthcare risk management depends on your ability to predict and thwart cyberattacks. Knowing how to keep patient information safe not only prevents a laboratory from violating HIPAA but also keeps patients safe, costs down, and operations running smoothly. Preparing a solid risk management plan for any healthcare facility should be a top priority. After all, your patients are the reason you keep in business. Protecting their information is essential for compliance, reputation, and efficiency and requires adequate training and preparation. It is important to understand the source of vulnerabilities in your laboratory to protect personal data. There are external and internal cyber threats that include malicious outside sources, such as cyber attackers and hackers, and malicious or noncompliant internal sources, such as employees. Preventing both involves figuring out any vulnerable points in your laboratory information systems (LIS). Vulnerabilities that laboratories may encounter include outdated software and systems, which could be susceptible to security breaches if not regularly updated with the latest patches. Even better, strive to implement the latest in healthcare laboratory tech nology. It’s more likely to be up to date and receive support from developers when there are vulnerabilities in the software. Cloud computing can be safer than on-site data storage, as long as you pick the right cloud-based software with plenty of positive reviews and accolades. If a laboratory selects to move to cloud-based storage for your lab, it is necessary to ensure that personnel are ready to navigate the implementation and any learning curves. For instance, cloud-based storage is generally safe unless the user makes an error like sending data to the wrong address or leaving uploaded data open on-screen. Inadequate access controls pose another risk, as unauthorized personnel gaining access to sensitive data could compromise patient confidentiality. Weaknesses in network security, such as insufficient firewalls or unencrypted communication channels, also present problems. Furthermore, human factors, such as employee negligence or lack of awareness about cybersecurity practices, can contribute to vulnerabilities. Conducting thorough risk assessments allows healthcare laboratories to prioritize and address these issues before things go awry. LIS are only as secure as their users. You can equip the lab with the most updated technology but, without proper data management , data is open to costly attacks. To enhance protection, laboratories should adopt a combination of technical and procedural measures. Encryption protocols should be employed for data to safeguard data from unauthorized access. Access control mechanisms, including role-based access and strong authentication, can restrict system entry to authorized personnel only. As aforementioned, regularly updating and patching software and systems is crucial to address potential vulnerabilities. Intrusion detection systems can also help you identify and respond to any unusual activities promptly. Putting all of these protocols in place is a useful start, but managers must educate staff on how to maintain compliance. Conducting regular cybersecurity training for staff is essential. Training sessions should cover topics such as recognizing phishing attempts, creating strong passwords, and understanding the importance of data security. If employees do not understand the magnitude of cybersecurity in healthcare, they will not take as many measures to protect information and may inadvertently leave systems open to attacks. Simulated exercises and real-world scenarios can be incorporated to reinforce this importance and have staff regularly practice. As a laboratory implements these security protocols, it is important to make sure to track how well they are working. One possibility is to establish metrics by which lab managers can track and measure cybersecurity attempts. Then, managers can proactively tweak them along the way to enhance security and update training. By consistently updating protocols and providing ongoing training, healthcare laboratories can establish a proactive cybersecurity culture that effectively mitigates risks and protects patient information. Dr. Tim Sandle is Digital Journal's Editor-at-Large for science news.Tim specializes in science, technology, environmental, business, and health journalism. He is additionally a practising microbiologist; and an author. He is also interested in history, politics and current affairs.
Guinyard added eight rebounds and five assists for the Skyhawks (4-7). Josue Grullon scored 23 points while shooting 8 for 16, including 7 for 13 from beyond the arc and added eight rebounds. Matija Zuzic shot 6 for 14, including 5 for 12 from beyond the arc to finish with 17 points. The Tigers were led in scoring by Noah Brooks, who finished with 14 points and two blocks. Champion Christian, a member of the Association of Christian College Athletics, also got 11 points from Adrian Brown. KJ Younge finished with nine points and three steals. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .
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Police say suspect in UnitedHealthcare CEO killing wasn't a client of the insurer
( MENAFN - PR Newswire) NEW YORK, Dec. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Report with market evolution powered by AI - The global trampoline market size is estimated to grow by USD 978.4 million from 2024 to 2028, according to Technavio. The market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 5.12% during the forecast period. The report provides a comprehensive forecast of key segments below- Segmentation Overview Get a glance at the market contribution of rest of the segments - Download a FREE Sample Report in minutes! 1.1 Fastest growing segment: The round trampolines segment dominates the global trampoline market due to their widespread popularity and basic design. Round trampolines are the most common type, featuring steel frames and spring coils for bouncing. They offer a focused bouncing area, making them suitable for both backyard recreation and professional use. JumpSport's DoubleBounce round trampolines, with extra mats for safety, cater to both beginners and professionals. Round trampolines' lightweight circular frames ensure durability and ease of construction. Their availability and affordability contribute to their heavy sales. However, the segment may face competition from rectangular, square, and smart trampolines, leading to steady but slower growth. Analyst Review Trampolines are popular recreational and fitness equipment known for their strong fabric and frames, typically made of steel. The folding mechanism allows for easy storage and transport. Elasticity is provided by springs or a springless design, making bouncing fun and effective for astronauts training and gymnasts honing their skills. Trampolines have gained popularity in various settings, from the Olympics to trampoline parks, catering to both children and adults. With increasing health consciousness, trampolines offer numerous physical activity benefits, promoting fitness and well-being. Safety enhancements ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for all. Trampoline parks feature wall-to-wall trampolines, foam pits, and dodgeball arenas, providing opportunities for social interaction, entertainment, and digital integration. Despite the risks, injury rates are relatively low due to continuous improvements in design and technology. Market Overview Trampolines are a popular source of fun and physical activity for people of all ages, from children to adults. The core components of a trampoline include a strong fabric mat, supportive frames made of steel, and elasticity provided by springs or a folding mechanism. Trampolines have gained popularity due to their association with astronauts and gymnasts, who use them for training. The Olympics have featured trampolining as a sport since 2000, bringing it into the limelight. Trampolines offer numerous health benefits, such as improving lung capacity, muscle tone, heart health, and enhancing coordination and muscular strength. However, safety is a concern, and trampoline parks and e-commerce platforms have responded with kid safety technology, water resistance, climate resistance, and injury rate reduction measures. Innovations in trampoline technology include springless trampolines, smart trampolines with sensors, and interactive experiences like foam pits and dodgeball arenas. Trampolines provide a unique blend of physical fitness, social interaction, entertainment, and learning opportunities for individuals seeking an active lifestyle. With the Olympic spotlight on trampolining and the growing awareness of health benefits, the trampoline market continues to evolve, offering new and exciting experiences for aspiring athletes and fitness enthusiasts alike. To understand more about this market- Download a FREE Sample Report in minutes! Key Topics Covered: 1 Executive Summary 2 Market Landscape 3 Market Sizing 4 Historic Market Size 5 Five Forces Analysis 6 Market Segmentation 7 Customer Landscape 8 Geographic Landscape 9 Drivers, Challenges, and Trends 10 Venodr Landscape 10.1 Springfree Trampoline Inc 10.2 Stamina Products Inc 10.3 Multiplay International Ltd 10.4 Sino Fourstar Group Co. Ltd 10.5 Eurotramp Trampoline Kurt Hack GmbH 10.6 Vuly Trampolines Pty Ltd 10.7 Airmaster Trampoline (U.S.) 10.8 Domi Jump Inc 10.9 Skywalker Holdings LLC 10.10 JumpSport Inc 11 Vendor Analysis 12 Appendix About Technavio Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios. Contacts Technavio Research Jesse Maida Media & Marketing Executive US: +1 844 364 1100 UK: +44 203 893 3200 Email: [email protected] Website: SOURCE Technavio MENAFN15122024003732001241ID1108995365 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.With more than 800 million monthly active users worldwide, Snapchat is one of the more popular messaging services. It's particularly widely used by younger people. One reason for its popularity is the way that messages disappear after a period of time — the default is 24 hours — creating a sense of security for users. However, Snapchat is hackable — indeed, the FBI went so far as to put out a call for victims last year after hackers were able to access photos of victims for blackmail. In this piece we’ll look at the ways hackers can compromise your Snapchat account, and what you should do if it happens. How To Know If Your Snapchat Is Hacked There are a number of ways in which a Snapchat account can be hacked. You may have reused a password from another site that they already have access to, or responded to a phishing attempt. Using public wifi can also be risky, or you may have unwittingly downloaded malware. There are a number of signs that your account may have been compromised. You may spot spam being sent from your account, find that new contacts have been added or discover that he the mobile number or email address associated with your account has been changed without your consent. You may also get an alert from the company telling you that someone has logged in to your account from an unfamiliar location, IP address or device. All of these are pretty conclusive evidence that someone has hacked your account. Sign 1: Strange Activity If your account appears to have a mind of its own, this is a strong sign that you've been hacked. It may be sending out strange Snaps and messages that contain spam, or new contacts may be being added without your permission. You may also find that your settings have been changed, with the mobile number or email address associated with your Snapchat account no longer one that you recognize. Sign 2: An Alert From The Company To help protect users' security, Snapchat will send you a message when a change is made to your account — and if it wasn't you that made it, that's a sign that there's something wrong. It will also alert you if someone logs into your account from a different location, IP address or device; again, if there's no valid reason for this, it's a sign that your account may have been hacked. Sign 3: Having To Continually Re-authenticate If you find that you're being asked to re-authenticate your identity every time you log in, that could be a sign that you've been hacked. What's happening here is that someone else is logging into your account from a different device or location meaning that when you come to use it yourself, you need to re-login to the app. What Should You Do If Your Snapchat Is Hacked? If you realize that your Snapchat account has been hacked, you should move quickly to change your password, to something hard to guess and completely different to any passwords you use elsewhere. You should also enable two-factor authentication, via My Profile and Settings. This should make sure that the hackers can't get back in. Verify your email and mobile number, and check for any unauthorized linked devices — you can easily remove them if you find any. And it's a good idea to warn all your contacts that you've been hacked, and that they should ignore any dodgy messages from you, especially any containing links. Step 1: Change Your Password It's basic cyber hygiene to use unique passwords for every site — but it's surprisingly common for people not to bother. Nor should it be a simple variation on anything you've used elsewhere. If you have trouble remembering passwords — and let's face it, who doesn't — you could consider using a password manager to keep them secure and in one place. Step 2: Enable Two-Factor Authentication Enabling two-factor authentication will mean that once the hacker has been booted out, they can't just log straight back in. Turning it on means that when you log in to Snapchat for the first time from a new device, you’ll be asked to enter a Login Code. Login codes will be sent to the mobile number linked to your Snapchat account via SMS text messages. Simply go to My Profile, open Settings, tap Two-Factor Authentication then Continue, and select SMS as your verification method. Step 3: Check For Linked Devices One sign that your Instagram account may have been hacked is that someone has signed in from a device that's not yours. You can check whether that's the case — and delete or “forget” any unauthorized gadgets by going to your profile, then Settings. Click on Two Factor Authentication, select Forget Devices and then click the X button next to each device you want to forget. Click Yes when asked to confirm. Step 4: Warn Your Contacts One of the first things hackers do once they've accessed an Instagram account is try to widen their net by drawing in other victims, too. They may spread spam, or try and scam your contacts by persuading them to click on links to dodgy websites. For this reason, it's a good idea to alert all your friends and contacts as soon as possible. You should warn them not to respond to any messages that appear to be coming from you — especially if they contain requests for money. How Can You Recover Your Snapchat Account? If your account has been hacked and you can't access it yourself, you'll need to contact Snapchat support , and click “I think my account was compromised.” You'll need to include an email address that the team can use to contact you. You'll also need to verify your identity, for example by providing your username and the time that you lost access to your account. You won't, though, be asked for your password or My Eyes Only passcode; and it's not unheard of for hackers to contact their victims pretending to be Snapchat support staff. You should be able to get access back unless Snapchat believes you have violated its Community Guidelines or Terms of Service; if that's the case, but you think it’s been done unfairly, you can submit an appeal to Snapchat . How Can You Protect Your Snapchat Account From Hackers? The simplest, and most important step in keeping your Snapchat account safe from hackers is to have a strong, unguessable password. Don't use one you've used elsewhere; if keeping track is a problem, use a password manager. Make sure that the email address and mobile number associated with your account are accurate in Snapchat settings, so that you can verify that your account belongs to you if you ever lose access to it. And set up two-factor authentication, or login verification. Finally, never share your Snapchat account details with anyone, however much you trust them, or log in to your account using a friend’s device: this means that their device can become trusted to your account and login credentials can save to their device. Bottom Line Snapchat, like other social media platforms, is often targeted by hackers, and thousands of accounts are compromised every day. But there's no need to panic if it happens to you — it's usually quite straightforward to get back in control.( JTA ) Most of the time, as the senior rabbi of Temple Beth-El in San Antonio, Rabbi Mara Nathan’s focus is on Jewish families. But this week, she’s finding herself thinking about Christian ones, too. That’s because Texas is poised to adopt a public school curriculum that refers to Jesus as “the Messiah,” asks kindergartners to study the Sermon on the Mount and presents the Crusades in a positive light. The curriculum, Nathan said, “gives Christian children the sense that their family’s religion is the only true religion, which is not appropriate for public school education, at the very least.” Nathan is among the many Texans raising concerns about the proposed reading curriculum as it nears final approval. Earlier this week, the Texas State Board of Education narrowly voted to proceed with the curriculum, called Bluebonnet Learning. A final vote is set for Friday. The critics, who include Jewish parents and organizations as well as interfaith and education advocacy groups, say Bluebonnet — which will be optional but which schools would be paid to adopt — inappropriately centers on Christian theology and ideas. They have been lobbying for revisions since it was first proposed in May, offering detailed feedback. “The first round of the curriculum that we saw honestly had a lot of offensive content in it, and was proselytizing, and did not represent Jewish people well,” said Lisa Epstein, the director of San Antonio’s Jewish Community Relations Council. Now those critics say most of their specific suggestions have been accepted but they remain concerned. “Looking at the revision, we still feel that the curriculum is not balanced and it introduces a lot of Christian concepts at a very young age, like resurrection and the blood of Christ and the Messiah, when kids are just really too young to understand and they don’t really have a grasp yet completely of their own religion,” she added. Epstein, who testified at a hearing on the proposal in Austin on Monday, has a child in high school and two others who graduated from Texas public schools. The Texas vote comes as advocates of inserting Christianity into public education are ascendant across the country. Political conservatives are in power at the national level and the Supreme Court’s conservative supermajority has demonstrated openness to blurring church-state separation. President-elect Donald Trump has signaled support for numerous initiatives to reintroduce Christian doctrine into public schools , from supporting school prayer to endorsing legislation that would require public school classrooms to display the Ten Commandments. (One such measure in Louisiana was recently blocked by a federal judge .) In Texas, Bluebonnet’s advocates say the curriculum would elevate students’ learning while also exposing them to essential elements of cultural literacy. They note that the curriculum includes references to a wide range of cultures, including ancient religions, and that the religious references make up only a small fraction of the material. “They’ll elevate the quality of education being offered to all Texas students by giving them a well-rounded understanding of important texts and their impact on the world,” Megan Benton, a strategic policy associate at Texas Values, which says its mission is “to stand for biblical, Judeo-Christian values,” said during the hearing on Monday, Education Week reported . Texas Values called criticism of the proposed curriculum an “ attack on the Bible .” The Texas Education Authority solicited the proposed curriculum, which would join a menu of approved options, as part of a pandemic-era effort that waived some transparency laws, meaning that its authors are not fully known. But The 74, an education news organization, reported this week that a publishing company co-founded by former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee contributed content to the curriculum. Trump tapped Huckabee, a pastor and evangelical favorite, last week to become his ambassador to Israel . For some in Texas and beyond, Bluebonnet represents a concrete example of how the national climate could ripple out into local changes. “A lot of things, we think they’re outside of our community, or outside of our scope, like we hear these things, but are they really going to impact us?” said a Jewish assistant principal in the Richardson Independent School District north of Dallas who asked to remain anonymous. “But I think now that it’s becoming a potential reality, a friend was asking me, would Richardson adopt this? Is this something that is really going to happen in our community?” While the Supreme Court has ruled that public schools can teach about religion, they cannot prioritize one religion over another in that instruction. So Bluebonnet’s inclusion of Christian and Bible stories in lesson plans drew scrutiny from the start — which grew after the Texas Tribune reported that a panel required to vet all curriculum proposals included Christian proponents of incorporating religion in public education. In September, The Texas Education Authority’s curriculum review board published hundreds of pages of emails from members of the public along with whether the critiques had resulted in changes. Some did, the board noted, but many others were rejected. A coalition of Jewish groups submitted 37 requested changes to the initial curriculum proposal. Epstein said the San Antonio JCRC had specifically objected to language in some lessons that evoked “antisemitic tropes” and textual inaccuracies in referencing the story of Queen Esther, as well as offensive references to the Crusades and language that explained the birth of Jesus as the messiah. One passage had invited students to imagine “if you were a Crusader,” Epstein said, referring to the Christian knights of the Middle Ages who sought to conquer the Holy Land, massacred communities of Jews and are venerated by some on the Christian right . In the case of the Esther lesson, the original curriculum had recreated an aspect of the Purim story in which Haman drew lots to determine when to kill Jews in the Persian Empire — as a way to teach probability. Nathan called that particular lesson “subversively antisemitic.” “In ancient Persia [drawing lots] was a way of helping someone make a decision, and the game was called Purim,” the initial text read. “Ask students to choose a number from 1 to 6. Roll a die and ask the students to raise their hand if their number was rolled.” “This is shocking, offensive and just plain wrong,” Sharyn Vane, a Jewish parent of two Texas public school graduates, said at a September hearing, according to the New York Times . “Do we ask elementary students to pretend to be Hitler?” ( Historical simulations have widely been rejected by educators for all grades .) Both of the lessons were revised after feedback from Jewish groups and others, but Epstein and Nathan said the changes were not adequate. A new prompt asks students to describe “the journey of a Crusader” in the third-person, but it still sanitizes the murder of many Jews and Christians during the Christian quest to conquer Jerusalem, Epstein charged. And while the Purim lots activity was dropped, Epstein noted that a specific lesson plan about Esther — a beloved figure among evangelical Christians — also includes a reference to God, which the Megillah, the Jewish text telling the Purim story, famously does not do. She said that inaccuracy was not addressed in the revisions. In a statement, San Antonio’s Jewish federation, under which the JCRC operates, also acknowledged the changes that were made after its feedback but expressed concern over what it called “an almost solely Christian-based” perspective with “inaccuracies” and content that is inappropriate for elementary school students. “We are not against teaching a broad range of religious beliefs to children in an age-appropriate way that clearly distinguishes between ‘beliefs’ and ‘facts,’ and gives appropriate time and respect to acknowledging many different religions,” the federation said. “Public schools should be places where children of all religious backgrounds feel welcomed and accepted.” The newer version of the curriculum also did not address the federation’s concerns about language referring to Jesus as “the Messiah,” written with a capital “M,” and references to “the Bible,” rather than “the Christian Bible” specifically, as the federation had urged the curriculum’s creators to adopt. The Austin branch of the Anti-Defamation League, which was also involved in the efforts, also applauded the revisions that had been made thus far but said it still “reject[s] the current version of the proposed curriculum.” “We agree that students should learn the historical contributions of various religious traditions, but ADL’s analysis of the originally proposed curriculum found that a narrow view of Christianity was overwhelmingly emphasized, there were few mentions of other faiths and the curriculum baselessly credited Christianity with improved societal morality,” the group said in a statement. “Although improvements have been made, the materials still appear to cross the line into teaching religion instead of teaching about religion.” Criticism to the curriculum goes far beyond the Jewish community. Texas AFT, the state’s outpost of the American Federation of Teachers, a leading teachers’ union, also opposes the proposal. “Texas AFT believes that not only do these materials violate the separation of church and state and the academic freedom of our classroom, but also the sanctity of the teaching profession,” the union said in a statement . Some Republicans on the Texas Board of Education expressed reservations about the curriculum’s quality and age-appropriateness, separate from its religious content. And nonpartisan and interfaith groups like Texas Impact and Texas Freedom Network have also been involved in efforts to oppose the curriculum, as has the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty. Epstein said a Sikh parent also testified at one of the hearings, asking for her faith’s traditions to be incorporated into lesson plans to provide more religious perspectives. Nathan said that when she testified against the proposal at a September hearing, her allies were diverse. “Some of the people who were against it were not Jewish, and just were [against] the way that the curriculum was being put together pedagogically,” she said. “But there were both Jewish and non-Jewish people there, and also some Christian folks who were there who were opposed to such an overtly Christian curriculum.” Marian Neleson, who has a 14-year-old daughter and a 12-year-old son in the Frisco Independent School District, said it has never been easy to be a Jewish family in her area. “There’s always concerns as a parent when there’s just a handful of other Jewish children in a majority Christian school,” said Neleson, who is active in her local interfaith alliance. “From how the school celebrates, how they do their calendars. Do they remember that there is a Jewish holiday, and then they schedule major school functions on High Holy Days?” Now, she’s worried that her own district could face pressure to adopt the new curriculum, if it is approved. “These kind of curriculums are promoting one interpretation, one religion’s view, and I feel like that’s not very respectful of people who come from different backgrounds and different faiths and different religions,” Neleson said. She added, “I do think that the Frisco school district particularly does try to be inclusive and try to recognize the diversity of the community, but I know that there’s always pressure from groups who are trying to promote one agenda in the schools.” The Richardson assistant principal said she saw in the financial incentive to adopt the curriculum — districts that do so will get up to $60 per student — an inappropriate assertion of support by the state. Many Texas districts are cash-strapped after legislators declined to substantially increase school funding last year. “There is such a push in education for high-quality instructional materials,” said the assistant principal, who has three elementary school-aged children. “They’re pushing this so hard, and even potentially putting up funding for it if you adopt it, but it’s not a truly high-quality curriculum.” In a Facebook post after Tuesday’s preliminary vote, Vane encouraged parents to reach out to members of the state’s education board to urge them to oppose the curriculum. “It’s not over yet,” she wrote. Nathan said she’s not sure how much opponents of the curriculum can do if it’s approved, but she stressed the importance of local advocacy — especially since the curriculum is not required. “I think reaching out to your local school board and communicating with local teachers in your community is going to be key,” she said. “If this occurs, what do I need to do in my local school district to make sure that there’s programming that balances the perspective?” But she signaled that the intensity of the proposed curriculum would undercut any counter-programming by representatives of other faiths. “It’s not presented as, ‘Here’s what Christians believe,’” Nathan said about Bluebonnet. “It’s presented as, ‘Here is the truth.’ There’s a difference.”Tre Carroll scores 18 as Florida Atlantic fends off Texas State 89-80