'Year-round school is also good for kids'

Opinion, comment and editorials of the day

A view of a Houston middle school on the first day back for students on Aug. 12, 2024.
A view of a Houston middle school on the first day back for students on Aug. 12, 2024.
(Image credit: Elizabeth Conley / Houston Chronicle via Getty Images)

'Of course schools are day care'

Jerusalem Demsas at The Atlantic

The "end of summer marks the beginning of freedom," because "school isn't just about educating kids; it's about watching them," says Jerusalem Demsas. Parents "know the dread of scrambling for sitters or rearranging their own schedule when school is unexpectedly out of session." The "problem isn't merely what school closures have done to kids; it's also what they've done to parents." Extending school "would be helpful to mothers and to the broader community."

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'We need smart laws, not fewer laws'

Jefferson Adams at Newsweek

While "deregulation is often touted as a catalyst for economic growth, the consequences of reducing the number of laws can be catastrophic, as seen in numerous recent disasters," says Jefferson Adams. Although the "rhetoric of deregulation is politically expedient, the realities of its consequences are far more complex and often detrimental to public safety and welfare." The "importance of laws in safeguarding health and welfare has been evident for years," as "disasters often prompt calls for stronger laws."

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'Dear DNC — where are the Latinos?'

Sabrina Vourvoulias at The Philadelphia Inquirer

The "hope for at least four Latino headliners at the DNC this year — which would be the most modest sign of incremental growth since the party's last quadrennial gathering — may be a bridge too far," says Sabrina Vourvoulias. Latinos "are 19% of the U.S. population," but "what was once considered a slam-dunk for Democratic Party gain, has become far less certain as the 21st century wears on." The "invisibilizing of Latino Democrats certainly doesn't help."

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'Mexico flirts with dictatorship'

Mary Anastasia O'Grady at The Wall Street Journal

Mexicans who "want to live in a pluralistic and free republic are on edge about September," says Mary Anastasia O'Grady. President Andrés Manuel López Obrador "plans to pass a set of radical constitutional amendments" before leaving office. If "he succeeds, Mexico will return to a one-party state," and "things could get a whole lot uglier considering the power of Mexican cartels." A "nation that relies on greater integration with the global economy will go backward."

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Justin Klawans, The Week US

Justin Klawans has worked as a staff writer at The Week since 2022. He began his career covering local news before joining Newsweek as a breaking news reporter, where he wrote about politics, national and global affairs, business, crime, sports, film, television and other news. Justin has also freelanced for outlets including Collider and United Press International.