Boy, 7, fatally shoots 2-year-old brother after finding gun in glove box
KABC
(RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Cailf.) — A 7-year-old boy fatally shot his 2-year-old brother after finding a gun in the glove box, according to authorities in California.
The shooting unfolded just before 4 p.m. Monday in the cab of a truck that was in a parking lot in Rancho Cucamonga, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department said.
The shooting appeared to be accidental, sheriff’s department spokesperson Gloria Huerta told ABC News.
The boys’ mom had just parked at a shopping center and was outside of the car, unloading items to bring inside, at the time of the shooting, Huerta told Los Angeles ABC station KABC.
The investigation is ongoing; once completed, a report will be sent to the district attorney’s office for review, the sheriff’s department said.
The type of gun and its registration information have not been released.
“Gun safety is a huge responsibility, but it is also a moral obligation that we have to our children,” Huerta told KABC.
Hundreds of children in the U.S. unintentionally shoot themselves or someone else every year, according to the nonprofit Everytown for Gun Safety.
Last year, there were 411 accidental shootings by children — the highest number Everytown for Gun Safety had seen since it began tracking the incidents in 2015.
So far this year, there have been at least 270 unintentional shootings by children, causing at least 99 deaths, according to the organization.
(WASHINGTON) — The Department of Health and Human Services directed recipients of grant funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to immediately halt all programs, personnel and activities related to “gender ideology,” according to an email obtained by ABC News.
“You must immediately terminate, to the maximum extent, all programs, personnel, activities, or contracts promoting or inculcating gender ideology at every level and activity, regardless of your location or the citizenship of employees or contractors, that are supported with funds from this award,” the email stated.
It also said that “any vestige, remnant, or re-named piece of any gender ideology programs funded by the U.S. government under this award are immediately, completely, and permanently terminated.”
The email from HHS follows President Donald Trump’s executive order — Defending Women From Gender Ideology Extremism And Restoring Biological Truth To The Federal Government — which directed the federal government to recognize only two sexes: male and female.
The latest directive from the HHS impacts any entity that receives CDC funds, such as local health departments and clinics across the country, and it affects any programs supported by the nearly $4.5 billion spent by the CDC last year to aid health departments across all 50 states.
HHS sent a similar memo to recipients specifically receiving foreign assistance funds regarding DEI programs. That memo said, “You must immediately terminate, to the maximum, all programs, personnel, activities, or contracts promoting ‘diversity, equity, and inclusion’ (DEl) at every level and activity, regardless of your location or the citizenship of employees or contractors, that are supported with funds from this award,” according to a copy obtained by ABC News.
ABC News previously reported a memo that was sent to HHS officials on Wednesday directing sub-agencies such as the CDC to remove “all outward facing media (websites, social media accounts, etc.) that inculcate or promote gender ideology” by 5 p.m. on Friday.
As of Friday evening, government webpages on HIV, LGBTQ+ issues and public health were taken down, according to a subsequent report by ABC News.
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(TALLAHASSEE, FL) — Educators, students and advocates across the Florida higher education system spoke out Monday against the recent removal by the state of hundreds of general education courses that touch on race, gender, and sexual orientation, calling the restrictions “censorship” during a webinar hosted by the United Faculty of Florida union.
“I chose to pursue a career in education to engage students in critical thinking, adaptability and global competence — skills that are essential to success and societal contribution,” said Jeniah Jones, a Florida State College at Jacksonville professor. “Restrictions on diversity, equity and inclusion in the curriculum … undermine this mission by narrowing students’ understanding of the world and their role in it.”
Educators also argue that limiting general education options may also make it harder for students to fulfill their general education requirements.
A slate of directives and policy changes from Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and the State University System of Florida’s Board of Governors in recent years has changed the landscape around what colleges and universities can say about race, politics, gender and sexual orientation.
DeSantis signed SB 266 in 2023, which prohibits universities from expending state or federal funds to promote, support, or maintain any programs or campus activities that relate to diversity, equity and inclusion.
DeSantis touted the legislation at the time, saying in a statement: “Florida has ranked No. 1 in higher education for seven years in a row, and by signing this legislation we are ensuring that Florida’s institutions encourage diversity of thought, civil discourse and the pursuit of truth for generations to come.”
SB 266 amended a state statute requiring universities to go through an intensified review process to ensure that their general education course offerings are in compliance with the restrictions.
Schools are unable to offer classes that include “identity politics” or that are “based on theories that systemic racism, sexism, oppression, and privilege are inherent in the institutions of the United States and were created to maintain social, political and economic inequities,” according to the Florida statute.
At Florida State University, at least 432 courses from the college’s general education curriculum were removed in part because of the rules, according to meeting minutes from the Board of Trustees.
ABC affiliate First Coast News reported in November 2024 that University of North Florida removed 67 courses from the university’s list of general education options.
FSU told ABC News that the courses would be offered as electives instead of being able to fulfill general education requirements. UNF told First Coast News the same, that the courses will still be offered and available as electives.
The state university system’s Board of Governors also later restricted state funding toward diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, including “political or social activism.”
Florida Commissioner of Education Manny Diaz, Jr. had applauded the move: “Higher education must return to its essential foundations of academic integrity and the pursuit of knowledge instead of being corrupted by destructive ideologies.”
Marsilla Gray, a University of South Florida Ph.D. student and graduate assistant, said that professors are losing the freedom to discuss “not only the latest research in a deep and unbiased manner, but also the ability to connect how these findings relate to our society as a whole” based on these changes.
“It directly impacts student preparedness for both young scientists who want to go on to careers as researchers, physicians and educators, but also for non-STEM majors, for whom their few natural science Gen-Eds may be their only exposure to critically evaluating scientific statements and tying that to what they learn in their social science and humanities courses,” she said on the Monday call.
Robert Cassanello, a University of Central Florida history professor, said the restrictions are reminiscent of past pressures from political groups — including religious prohibitions on teachings of evolution or anthropology as well as Cold War-era prohibitions on the discussion of communism or socialism.
“When the legislature has tried to interfere with curriculum, it never produced good outcomes,” said Cassanello, in the press call.
Leah Sauceda, a Florida State University student, said a general education requirement on Latin American history led her to seek a history degree as well as an international affairs major.
“My classes helped me realize the study of history isn’t about the past, as contradictory as that sounds, but rather it is a tool to understand how the past is inextricably linked to the present and all possible futures,” she said on the Monday call. “History helps us understand the world and our place in it. It is heartbreaking to think that the same transformative opportunity I had can be taken away from future students because the Board of Governors would rather us ignore history than learn from it.”
The calls against DEI removals in higher education come as President Donald Trump implements anti-DEI restrictions on a federal level via several executive orders.
The Board of Governors declined ABC News’ request for comment.
(NEW YORK) — South Carolina schools are facing a lawsuit over restrictions on what can be taught about racial inequality in K-12 public schools.
The state’s Budget Proviso 1.79 states that no state funding should go toward certain “concepts” touching on race or sex — including unconscious racism, sexism or other form of oppression.
Among the restrictions, the budget prohibits anything that causes “an individual should feel discomfort, guilt, anguish, or any other form of psychological distress on account of his race or sex” or that “fault, blame, or bias should be assigned to a race or sex, or to members of a race or sex because of their race or sex.”
It also restricts “teaching certain literary or historical concepts” of “historical or past discriminatory policies.”
The language mirrors other “divisive concept” or anti-“critical race theory” legislation seen in more than a dozen states nationwide, which have impacted the lessons, discussions, books, and programs schools and students can engage in.
The Legal Defense Fund and Tyler Bailey of Bailey Law Firm, LLC, filed a federal civil rights lawsuit on behalf of South Carolina educators, students, the local NAACP conference and author Dr. Ibram X. Kendi to challenge these restrictions.
Plaintiffs argue that the restrictions are a form of “censorship” in a state with a deep-rooted racial history including the 1739 Stono slave rebellion, the racially motivated Mother Emanuel AME Church shooting in 2015, and the state’s role in the Confederacy.
Plaintiffs say the vague guidelines violate the free speech of teachers and students, infringing on “accurate, comprehensive education on race-related issues” for South Carolina students.
“We must provide an education that prepares them as citizens to read widely, think critically, and understand that complex issues have multiple, varied perspectives,” said plaintiff Ayanna Mayes, a high school librarian, in a written statement.
She claimed, “The State of South Carolina is muzzling and tying the hands of the brilliant, highly trained educators it has certified and dis-serving its bright, talented students.”
In a statement to the South Carolina Daily Gazette, a spokesperson for the state’s education department defended the restrictions and argued that the state is dedicated to teaching the good and bad of history.
“This meritless lawsuit does not diminish our dedication, nor does it identify any shortcomings or legal defects,” a spokesperson told the outlet in a statement. “The South Carolina Department of Education will continue to seek meaningful opportunities to build bridges across divisions, honor the richness of our shared history, and teach it with integrity, all while ensuring full compliance with state law.”
The state Department of Education, Gov. Henry McMaster, and the Lexington County School District Three, all named in the lawsuit, have not yet responded to ABC News’ requests for comment.
School District Five of Lexington & Richland Counties told ABC News it cannot comment on pending litigation.
A student plaintiff in the case said in a written statement that South Carolina’s decision to eliminate Advanced Placement credit for its African American Studies course among the other restrictions has impacted her educational trajectory.
“Understanding this history is crucial for my future medical career, as it will help me better diagnose, treat, and care for patients of color,” said the student plaintiff in a written statement. “Without this knowledge, healthcare disparities can worsen, leading to inadequate treatment and even death.”
Plaintiff Mary Wood, an AP English teacher, said the budget proviso prevents “citizens armed with truth and empathy, who think critically and challenge oppressive systems which benefit few and harm many.”
In full, the budget proviso states: “(1) one race or sex is inherently superior to another race or sex; “(2) an individual, by virtue of his race or sex, is inherently racist, sexist, or oppressive, whether consciously or unconsciously; “(3) an individual should be discriminated against or receive adverse treatment solely or partly because of his race or sex; “(4) an individual’s moral standing or worth is necessarily determined by his race or sex; “(5) an individual, by virtue of his race or sex, bears responsibility for actions committed in the past by other members of the same race or sex; “(6) an individual should feel discomfort, guilt, anguish, or any other form of psychological distress on account of his race or sex; “(7) meritocracy or traits such as a hard work ethic are racist or sexist, or were created by members of a particular race to oppress members of another race; and “(8) fault, blame, or bias should be assigned to a race or sex, or to members of a race or sex because of their race or sex. “Nothing contained herein shall be construed as prohibiting any professional development training for teachers related to issues of addressing unconscious bias within the context of teaching certain literary or historical concepts or issues related to the impacts of historical or past discriminatory policies.”
