School
On Jan. 16, Lynbrook became one of 847 institutions across the United States to receive the AP Computer Science: Principles Female Diversity Award from the College Board for the 2023-24 school year. The College Board started giving this award to schools after the 2018-19 school year, using it to encourage and reward schools for expanding female access to computer science, a male-dominated field. The award is given to schools with at least 50% female representation in at least one AP computer science exam or a higher percentage of female test-takers than the overall student population. This is the second year in a row that Lynbrook has received this award.
Community
Unionized workers at the Valley Transportation Authority, the public transportation system that has long served Santa Clara County, went on a strike on March 10, resulting in a temporary shutdown of the transit system. In response, the VTA board announced a contract offer with an 11% wage increase for workers over the next three years. The union involved, Amalgamated Transit Union Local 265, rejected this offer, claiming it failed to adequately address their complaints regarding poor pay and work conditions. On March 26, a court ordered the strike to come to an end. As of April 3, the VTA has fully restored its transit services.
National
Since his return to office, President Donald Trump has signed over 100 executive orders, influencing everything from how federal agencies hire to U.S. participation in the World Health Organization. On April 5, millions of protesters from civil rights organizations, labor unions and more gathered at parks, city halls and federal buildings, responding in a nationwide “Hands Off” march. They demanded ends to the Trump Administration’s perceived corporate takeover and “rampant corruption,” the slashing of federal funds for social welfare and public assistance programs like Medicaid and “attacks” on minority groups.
International
Trump has honed in on tariffs, claiming that they will help reinforce border security, reduce trade deficits, increase employment and prevent war. As of April 23, the Trump Administration’s tariffs apply to roughly 90 countries with which the U.S. has its largest trade deficits, each facing a 10% levy. These tariffs were put on a 90-day pause on April 9, with the exception of China, whose levy was set to 145%. In response, China raised its previous 34% retaliatory tariffs to 125%. In a recent meeting with Spain’s Prime Minister, the President of China invited the European Union to work with China in resisting Trump’s “bullying.”
