Abby McCloskey: I love data, but K-12 standardized tests have lost the plot
Student test scores aren’t looking good, and schools aren’t being held accountable for poor results. That’s not even considering whether the right things are being tested. I learned this the hard way. My family is zoned for a high-performing public elementary school in Texas — one where students consistently score...
Gavin Mitsdarfer: Student teachers should be paid for their work
I knew from an early age that someday I would be a teacher. Throughout my childhood, teachers were always there for me, giving me the safe spaces I needed. When I faced bullying as a young high school student and the loss of my father after my first year of...
Letter to the editor: Government hypocrisy
Regarding the article “Pittsburgh looks to charge $5 an hour for on-street parking near NFL Draft” (April 1, TribLive): A City Council member proposes an increase for city parking and parking fines while the latest issue from the federal government is a call to rein in “out of control college...
Letter to the editor: Reschenthaler’s silence
Recent statements from President Donald J. Trump, including threats to target Iranian infrastructure and rhetoric suggesting “complete and total regime change,” are not just reckless; they raise serious legal and moral concerns. Intentionally targeting civilian infrastructure and openly contemplating regime change risk violating international law and endangering countless innocent lives....
Editorial: For some, staying home during NFL Draft isn’t an option
In preparation for the vast crowds expected to flood Pittsburgh for the NFL Draft, proactive steps are being taken. Businesses are allowing — or encouraging — employees to work from home. Pittsburgh Public Schools will have students attend remotely. Allegheny County courtrooms won’t close down, but they won’t be working...
Lori Falce: Constitution Under Construction: Pleading the FifthVideo
A window might look clear and bright and simple — just a slice of glass that lets in light and keeps out the cold. But like a drawbridge, it is more complicated than it looks, relying on a balance of weight and counterweight to grant or deny access. So does...
Letter to the editor: Invest in our youth, not data centers
Proponents of massive data centers often promise a digital frontier of high-tech growth, but a sober analysis reveals a different reality. These billion-dollar projects certainly provide a “blue-collar gold rush” during construction, creating a temporary surge in high-paying trade jobs. However, once the ribbon is cut, the “high-tech” job engine...
S.E. Cupp: An open letter to Trump voters
Tuesday morning, the president of the United States threatened genocide against another nation, all because he does not know how to get out of a war he started to distract Americans from his terrible economy, disastrous immigration headlines and attempts to bury the Epstein files. “A whole civilization will die...
Letter to the editor: Protesters should get over it
When I see coverage of the “No Kings” protests on TV, I change the channel. You people lost the election. Get over it. We lost the election in 2020, and we had to put up with Joe Biden and Kamala Harris for four years and a news media that covered...
Letter to the editor: Francis will bring fresh perspective to District 57
This year, Westmoreland County residents finally have a choice for Pennsylvania House of Representative in District 57. Frankly, the right-wing platform of fewer regulations, a stagnant minimum wage, an absence of affordable health care and constant attacks on free and fair elections is stale and out of touch. Democratic candidate...
Laurels & lances: Blastoff & beer
Laurel: To blasting off. The University of Pittsburgh is reaching for the stars. This week, all eyes were on the skies as Artemis II took off with the most ambitious space mission in decades. The 10-day trip sent four astronauts toward the moon, circling the far side before returning with...
Letter to the editor: Trump, the great dealmaker
People have often justified the president’s personal failings by arguing that they make him a good deal-maker. The Iran crisis shows me why this argument fails. President Trump wants the Europeans to deploy military forces to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz. This follows a year of insulting Europe and...
Paul Kengor: A note to Trump supporters — the pope is being the pope
In a striking scene last Friday, the new American pontiff, Pope Leo XIV, carried the cross through all 14 stations of the Via Crucis at the Colosseum. This historic event occurs every Good Friday, with each station representing a moment along Christ’s path to Calvary. Each moment is recounted prayerfully...
Cal Thomas: Pope Leo’s flawed war doctrine
Pope Leo XIV used part of his Palm Sunday message to castigate the United States for attempting to stop Iran from becoming a nuclear power and threatening the world with mass destruction. In doing so, the “American Pope” confused the real enemy in the war. Addressing thousands in St. Peter’s...
Jonah Goldberg: Why Trump’s antics don’t work on our allies
It is among the most familiar patterns of the Trump era. First, the president says or does something weird, rude or otherwise norm-defying. Some elected Republicans object, and the response from Trump and his minions is to shoot the messenger. The dynamic holds constant whether it’s big (Jan. 6 pardons)...
Letter to the editor: Driving off the AI cliff
AI is driving us “down a cliff road. A mistake will kill you. Now we’re driving at 75 instead of 25.” That’s from the head of safety at Anthropic. AI bots have lied, deceived, threatened violence, generated self-harm in kids, blocked shutdowns and monitoring and done other things they were...
Letter to the editor: Noncitizens don’t vote — period
The writer of the letter “The Constitution and noncitizen voting” (March 31, TribLive) provides a lengthy review of a set of constitutional amendments that tell us what we already know: Noncitizens can’t vote. He should have cut that part short and focused instead on the equally important fact that noncitizens...
Editorial: Is a Knox Box a simple way to speed emergency response?
Good government is a constant battle to keep people safe without stepping on personal freedom. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates automotive deaths decreased by 45% to 65% because of seat belt use. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention credits helmets for reducing motorcycle deaths by up to...
Letter to the editor: SAVE America Act must be passed
The Save America Act is designed to protect and insure election integrity by requiring photo ID in order to vote in all U.S. elections. Twenty-one states already require photo ID, and another 12 require some other form of personal ID to vote. Over 170 out of 196 representative democracies around...
William Akoto: How Iranian hackers pose a threat to U.S. critical infrastructure
Michigan might be more than 6,000 miles away from the war in Iran, but, virtually speaking, it’s well within striking distance. An Iran-linked group calling itself Handala claimed responsibility for a March 11 cyberattack on Portage, Mich.-based medical device maker Stryker Corp. Handala said the attack was in retaliation for...
Tim Derdenger: Hosting the NFL draft is less about weekend beer sales and more about long‑term brand value
When the NFL Draft arrives in Pittsburgh this month, city officials are sure to tout projected economic impact figures. They will likely point to the $73 million generated by Green Bay, Wis., and the surrounding area in 2025, the $213 million generated by Detroit in 2024 or the $164 million...
Letter to the editor: Veterans deserve better care
Several million young Americans went off to serve their country in Vietnam. More than 55,000 never came home alive. Nearly 500,000 died back home from wounds and mental ailments. A mistaken war. An erroneous report from a tugboat captain in the Gulf of Tonkin to the secretary of defense to...
Editorial: Building the workforce Western Pennsylvania needs
It would be easy to look at the closure of schools such as Triangle Tech and assume demand for skilled trades is slipping. That isn’t what the data shows. National Student Clearinghouse data, in fact, shows vocational education enrollment increased nearly 14% in fall 2024. The reasons for those closures...
Letter to the editor: AI requires human wisdom
AI robots will automate repetitive tasks in industry. This will increase productivity. Innovation will be spurred by an increase in research and experimentation. Farming will be augmented and more precise with climate adaptive assistance. But what of the loss of jobs? The December 2025 issue of Time magazine featured the...
Chris Koopman and Kevin Frazier: The problem with pausing data centers
Congress is now being asked to pause data center construction. In March, Sens. Bernie Sanders and Alexandria
Ocasio-Cortez announced a bill to halt the buildout of the infrastructure that makes advanced AI possible. The framing is familiar: the pace is too fast, the risks too great, the window to act...
