POTUS grad speech, internship ethics, vocational ed, MS desegregating, and more: Required Readings, 05.17.16

In a speech delivered at the 250th commencement ceremony at Rutgers University, President Obama assailed anti-intellectualism in the country while promoting “facts, evidence, reason, logic, an understanding of science.”

An issue close to my heart, and my wallet: Should colleges charge for academic credit earned from unpaid internships?

Vocational education is making a comeback, with a bit of rebranding as career and technical education.

More than 60 years after the Brown decision, a Mississippi school district has been ordered to desegregate its schools.

No-loan, full-ride scholarships to elite universities still leave plenty of financial gaps for poor students, including food insecurity and textbook costs.

In other money matters, a 13-year-old was detailed by police for trying to pay for her school lunch with a $2 bill. Which, even though currently it is the rarest denomination of U.S. currency, is still U.S. currency.

Getting my vote for headline of the week: School Teaching Creationism With Video From Islamic Sex Cult

Why, why why?

• Why all Americans need a liberal arts education, as demonstrated by the Trump campaign (in a related vein, Trump, dog-whistle politics, and the Ivies)
• Why smart kids shouldn’t use laptops in class
• Why Dr. Seuss’s Oh, the Places You’ll Go is a lousy graduation gift

What interesting news have you read lately? Send your Required Readings to SoD via our contact form.