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States leading nation on the biggest education battles gripping classrooms revealed in first-ever report
FIRST ON FOX: The escalating battle over what children should be taught in public schools continues to drive America’s culture wars, and a new report ranks every state on some of the most contentious issues affecting today’s classrooms.
Red states dominated the ranking, which measures all 50 states and Washington, D.C., on issues spanning parental rights, diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), gender and sexuality, teacher and union policies, and foreign influence, according to Defending Education’s first-ever Rankings on Integrity in State Education, released Thursday.
Tennessee claimed the top spot, followed by Alabama, Florida, North Carolina and Iowa, while Washington, D.C. ranked last, followed by Rhode Island, California, Oregon, and Illinois.
The rankings do not account for test scores or graduation rates. Instead, the report said it is designed to show how states are approaching hot-button issues as parents demand greater transparency in their children’s education.
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«For the first time, parents have a single resource to see how their state handles the issues they’ve voiced concerns about over the last five years, empowering them to evaluate local schools and hold leaders accountable at the ballot box,» Paul Runko, senior director of strategic initiatives at Defending Education, said in a statement to Digital.
Of the report’s five categories, the parental rights category ended in a four-way tie, with North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia earning the top spot. Each was awarded points for policies that give parents more say over student gender transitions, sex education instruction and whether their children participate in those lessons.
Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina and South Carolina, all red states, received perfect scores on teacher policies. According to the report, laws governing teacher unions, strikes and collective bargaining, along with work authorization requirements, were key factors in the scoring.
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Iowa, Missouri and West Virginia topped the report’s DEI category after receiving high marks for laws restricting DEI initiatives and other policies related to restorative justice, teacher diversity and antisemitism.
Another major flashpoint in education has been a growing conversation on gender identity and transgender athletes competing in women’s sports. The report examined state policies blocking LGBTQ-specific curriculum, restricting transgender athlete participation, and state nondiscrimination and anti-bullying laws related to gender identity, finding Alabama, Florida and Indiana tied for the highest scores.
But the report went further than policies shaping the classroom. Seven red states received perfect scores for laws limiting Chinese government influence in education, including Confucius Institutes, China-backed language and cultural education centers. Alabama, Florida, Indiana, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee and Texas aced the category.
In another statement to Digital, Dr. Terry Stoops, director of government affairs at Defending Education, congratulated the frontrunners.
EXCLUSIVE: HOUSE COMMITTEE PROBES CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS OVER HIDING ‘GENDER AFFIRMATION’ FROM PARENTS
«If your state is at the top of Defending Education’s rankings, congratulations!» he said. «You live in a state with public school policies that prioritize sound academics over shameless antics.»
Stoops also blamed elected leaders for the lowest-scoring states, accusing them of having «sacrificed educational excellence at the altar of social justice.»
«For parents in bottom-feeder states who value rigor over ridiculousness, the choice is either fight or flight,» he said.
Despite more blue states embracing DEI and social justice policies, the report said it wants parents to have a clearer picture of where their state stands on education and how those policies could impact their children and future generations.
politics, education, culture opinion, dei, states rights, republicans elections
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Billion-dollar power link connecting Israel to Europe hits roadblock in bitter regional feud
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UNITED NATIONS — Cyprus Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos accused Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of «hypocritical and provocative» rhetoric over Gaza while warning that Ankara is trying to obstruct a major energy project linking Israel, Cyprus and Europe.
«Turkey has been making threats and has been acting on threats against Cyprus, especially in the exclusive economic zone,» Kombos told Fox News Digital in an on-camera interview on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly.
Kombos pointed to the Great Sea Interconnector, a planned subsea electricity cable linking Israel to Cyprus and Cyprus to Greece, connecting the island to Europe’s power grid.
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Cyprus Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos speaks during a press conference at the Foreign Ministry in Nicosia, Cyprus, September 5, 2025. (Yiannis Kourtoglou/Reuters)
«The main project of the electrical connection between Greece-Cyprus and then Cyprus-Israel has been blocked by Turkey because of illegal claims they have in terms of delimitation in the exclusive economic zone,» Kombos said.
The roughly €1.9 billion Great Sea Interconnector is designed to carry up to 1,000 megawatts across more than 1,200 kilometers of subsea cable. The EU has committed €657 million to the Cyprus-Crete section, which is intended to end Cyprus’ isolation from the European electricity system and eventually connect Israel more directly to the European market.
TRUMP’S MIDDLE EAST ENERGY VICTORIES ARE A HUGE REMINDER OF AMERICA’S DOMINANCE
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan speaks during a rally in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in Istanbul, Turkey, October 28, 2023. (Dilara Senkaya/Reuters)
The project has faced financial delays and geopolitical tensions tied to competing Greek and Turkish maritime claims in the Eastern Mediterranean.
«The fact that we have someone challenging all the bases and all the norms of international law cannot be the answer to how we plan the future of our people,» Kombos said.
Those tensions also framed his sharp response to Erdoğan’s speech at the U.N. General Assembly.
«We decided to stay in the room and hear Mr. Erdogan’s speech,» Kombos said, referring to himself and Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides. «And we are both, at the same time, thinking that this is hypocritical and provocative.»
Kombos said Erdoğan’s appeals to the U.N. Charter stood in stark contrast to Turkey’s record on the divided Mediterranean island.
«It’s an ongoing violation, an act of aggression, of invasion, of occupation,» he said. «So it’s a very clear example of a distance between rhetoric and action, words and deeds.»
MIDDLE EAST TAKES CENTER STAGE AT UN AS REGIONAL LEADERS CONFRONT IRAN WAR, GAZA AND HOUTHI THREAT
Cyprus’s President Nikos Christodoulides addresses the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) at UN headquarters in New York City on September 23, 2026. (Mike Segar/Reuters)
Erdoğan delivered a blistering attack on Israel during his Sept. 22 U.N. address, accusing the Israeli government of refusing to end its «occupation» and saying Gaza had become «the most inhumane and shameful concentration camp of our time.» He also accused Israel of having a «genocidal mindset.» Israel has repeatedly rejected allegations that it is committing genocide in Gaza.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when a coup backed by Greece’s then-military junta was followed by a Turkish military intervention that left the island split. The internationally recognized Republic of Cyprus controls the south, while the northern third is administered by Turkish Cypriots with Turkey’s support. The self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is recognized only by Turkey, and a U.N.-patrolled buffer zone separates the two sides.
Efforts to reunify the island have repeatedly stalled. The U.N.-backed framework has centered on a bizonal, bicommunal federation, while Turkey has in recent years backed a two-state solution.
Kombos said Cyprus wants negotiations to resume from where they broke down in 2017 but argued that progress ultimately depends on Ankara.
«We need Turkey to give the green light to the Turkish Cypriot leadership,» he said, adding that a two-state approach «runs contrary to everything this very organization and the United Nations Security Council have decided.»
The U.N. has recently stepped up efforts to revive the process. Secretary-General António Guterres traveled to Cyprus from July 28–29, meeting separately and jointly with Christodoulides and Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhürman in an effort to advance talks toward a «comprehensive and sustainable settlement.»
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Navy guided missile destroyer USS The Sullivans docks at Larnaca Port amid rising tensions in the Middle East. Cyprus, Friday, December 6, 2024. (Danil Shamkin/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Kombos also raised concern over the possibility of Turkey obtaining U.S. F-35 fighter jets.
«This is something that is of concern to us, of course, as well as to other countries in the region,» he said. «We cannot just accept this as the usual day at the office. This is something that’s important. It’s upsetting regional balances.»
At the same time, Cyprus has moved significantly closer to Washington.
Kombos said the U.S.-Cyprus relationship is «probably right now at the highest level we have ever been,» pointing to strategic dialogue, military cooperation, joint exercises and work to make Cypriot facilities compatible with assets used by the U.S. and NATO partners.
Earlier this month, Washington renewed Cyprus’ exemption from U.S. International Traffic in Arms Regulations restrictions for fiscal year 2027, allowing transfers of US defense articles and services. Cyprus is also eligible for U.S. Foreign Military Sales and the Excess Defense Articles program.
The Greek frigates Psara, left, and Kimon sail off the coast of Limassol, Cyprus, on Wednesday, March 4, 2026. (Petros Karadjias/AP Photo)
«We want to make sure that we are an active, useful partner in the international system,» Kombos said, arguing that Cyprus’ location and close ties with Israel, Gulf states, Europe and the US give it an increasingly important regional role.
united nations, europe, turkey, recep tayyip erdogan, general assembly
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FAA breaks controller hiring record after chief warned system was ‘chronically understaffed’
FIRST ON FOX: The Federal Aviation Administration broke its all-time record for air traffic controller hiring this year, bringing on 2,235 trainees as the agency works to reverse years of staffing shortages across the nation.
The FAA surpassed its fiscal year 2026 goal of hiring 2,200 air traffic controller trainees, marking the most hired in a single fiscal year in agency history, the Department of Transportation told Digital exclusively.
The agency also reached its highest certified controller staffing level in a decade, with 11,027 certified professional controllers as of Sept. 30, up from 10,694 at the end of fiscal year 2025, according to the DOT.
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«We’re recruiting, hiring, and training more air traffic controllers than ever before—and the numbers show it,» Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy told Digital.
«Thanks to President Trump, we’ve shaved months off the hiring pipeline, dramatically expanded our collegiate training programs, and inspired thousands of young gamers to pursue this exciting career,» Duffy said. «This is an important milestone, but not the finish line as we work to reverse decades of staffing shortages.»
The record comes less than five months after the FAA unveiled an aggressive three-year workforce plan aimed at rebuilding a controller workforce strained by staffing shortages, mandatory overtime and lengthy training timelines.
FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford had offered a stark assessment of the problem during congressional testimony last December, warning lawmakers that the agency would «never» reach adequate staffing under its previous structure.
REAGAN NATIONAL AIRPORT MAKES DRASTIC CHANGE FOLLOWING DEADLY 2025 MIDAIR COLLISION
«We’ll never catch up,» Bedford said. «The system is designed to be chronically understaffed.»
The FAA’s 2026-2028 Air Traffic Controller Workforce Plan, first reported by Digital in May, called for hiring 2,200 controller trainees in fiscal year 2026, 2,300 in fiscal year 2027 and 2,400 in fiscal year 2028.
The agency finished the fiscal year 35 trainees above its first benchmark.
The latest numbers also show growth among controllers who have completed training and become fully certified.
The FAA entered fiscal year 2026 with 10,694 certified professional controllers and ended it with 11,027, a net increase of 333. The agency’s workforce plan identifies 12,563 certified professional controllers as the staffing target needed to meet forecast demand.
That leaves the FAA 1,536 certified controllers below its target as it enters fiscal year 2027.
WHEN AIRLINE PILOTS SAY THERE ARE SAFETY ISSUES, WE NEED POLICYMAKERS TO LISTEN AND ACT
The DOT told Digital it does not have an exact timeframe for reaching that benchmark, but said the administration is «supercharging» hiring and expanding its Enhanced Air Traffic Collegiate Training Initiative.
The record follows another major hiring year in fiscal 2025, when the FAA brought on 2,028 controller trainees, its highest total since 2008.
The administration has moved to accelerate the hiring and training pipeline as the FAA contends with retirements and other workforce losses.
The FAA said in its May workforce plan that roughly 4,000 controllers were in the training pipeline at the time, including approximately 1,000 previously certified controllers training at new facilities.
Becoming a fully certified controller can take more than two years for a new hire, depending on the complexity of the facility where they are assigned.
The administration has also worked to retain experienced controllers while accelerating the pipeline for new ones. Nearly 400 retirement-eligible controllers were retained through a new bonus structure, while DOT says changes to the hiring process have shaved more than five months off the time it takes to bring on new recruits.
The FAA has also expanded its Enhanced Air Traffic Collegiate Training Initiative, allowing qualified graduates of participating college programs to bypass the FAA Academy and report directly to facilities for on-the-job training.
The hiring surge comes as the Trump administration undertakes a broader overhaul of the nation’s air traffic control system, backed by $12.5 billion for upgrades including telecommunications infrastructure, new radios and radars, and electronic flight strips. The FAA is also expanding simulator-based training and exploring artificial intelligence and machine learning tools to better manage air traffic demand.
The record-setting year marks the first step in the FAA’s three-year hiring push. The agency is targeting another 2,300 controller trainees in fiscal year 2027 and 2,400 in fiscal year 2028.
«This is an important milestone,» he said, «but not the finish line.»
transportation, politics, administration, public sector
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El día después del fallido atentado contra el avión de Flydubai: cuáles son los nuevos desafíos de seguridad que enfrenta Israel
El intento de atentado terrorista contra un vuelo de Flydubai que volaba el miércoles a Israel plantea nuevos desafíos para el gobierno de Benjamin Netanyahu. Más allá de la estricta seguridad aérea civil israelí, el incidente trae a la memoria los secuestros de aviones que conmocionaron al país en los años 70, a menos de un mes de las elecciones legislativas del 27 de octubre.
El problema es claro. Israel cuenta con una seguridad extrema en sus aeropuertos, que incluyen agentes armados a bordo de sus vuelos internacionales y sistemas antimisiles en su aerolínea de bandera El Al. Pero no puede controlar del mismo modo la salida de los vuelos internacionales que llegan desde un país extranjero. Tampoco a sus pilotos.
“No es ningún secreto que los vuelos son un fin atractivo para países enemigos y grupos terroristas. Si el avión es secuestrado y obligado a aterrizar en territorio hostil, los secuestradores tienen a decenas e incluso cientos de pasajeros israelíes como moneda de cambio. Y si los secuestradores estrellan el avión, podrían estar matando a más civiles israelíes que una docena de atentados suicidas o ataques con cohetes exitosos”, advirtió el diario Times of Israel.
Israel estuvo el miércoles al borde de vivir uno de los días más trágicos desde los brutales ataques de Hamas el 7 de octubre de 2023. De hecho, el país se preparó “para una serie de escenarios catastróficos: desde un accidente en territorio israelí o en un país vecino, hasta la necesidad de derribar el avión para evitar un ´doble desastre´, o su secuestro con fines de negociación», escribió el influyente portal Ynet.
Cómo son las medidas de seguridad aeroportuarias
Los agentes israelíes saben que perpetrar un atentado terrorista en uno de sus aeropuertos o en alguno de los vuelos de sus líneas aéreas es virtualmente imposible. La seguridad es total.
Las medidas incluyen:
- Interrogatorios a los pasajeros y control de equipajes. Agentes entrenados buscan indentificar eventuales sospechosos y revisan cada objeto o valija con sistemas de última generación.
- Seguridad a bordo. Las aerolíneas israelíes cuentan con agentes armados a bordo de todos sus vuelos internacionales.
- Defensa en el aire. Sistemas antimisiles están instalados en los vuelos internacionales de El Al.
- Puertas selladas. Las cabinas de mando son a prueba de balas. Deben permanecer cerradas con llave durante todo el vuelo. Incluso, hay un sistema de doble puerta. Siempre una de ellas estará bloqueada cuando el piloto o su copiloto salgan al baño.
Pero poco puede hacer para controlar lo que pasa en un aeropuerto de otro país y mucho menos en una aerolínea foránea que traslada a pasajeros israelíes, como el caso del vuelo de Flydubai. La mirada ahora se dirige además a los pilotos de las líneas aéreas extranjeras.
“Puede ser que a partir de ahora Israel exija nuevos controles cruzados de los pilotos que vuelan a su pais. Puede ser una posibilidad o que esto implique aumentar el alerta”, dijo a TN el analista Said Chaya, director del Núcleo de Estudios de Medio Oriente (NEMO) de la Universidad Austral.
Terrorismo
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