How to cover online manipulation of students — without exacerbating the problem Online extremism and radicalization are affecting students, educators, and families. We need prevention-focused media coverage that doesn’t sensationalize outlier scenarios.

My latest on @alexanderrusso.bsky.social The Grade is about discussing, and journalists covering, stories of online manipulation of kids & the importance of covering red flags & ways that kids can be better protected from predatory content @perilresearch.bsky.social open.substack.com/pub/alexande...

Sure - ping me at AlexanderRusso@gmail.com

Important story by @eshockmanwrites.bsky.social

“We had reached a saturation point”... ICE agents were “literally swarming all over the schools, day in and day out, in the morning, in the middle of the day ... on the weekends. We just decided that we couldn't even have a bigger target on our back.”

‘Time to speak up’: In Columbia Heights, school leaders stepped in to protect families as ICE surged As federal immigration agents descended on Columbia Heights families, the school superintendent expected to stay silent. Then federal agents came for 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and his father, and s...

Every word of this @eshockmanwrites.bsky.social @mprnews.org piece about teachers in Columbia Heights crossing a Rubicon of trauma will hit you in the soul.

Strike dilemma, Epstein and education, & homeschooling in Chicago: 🏆 Best Education Journalism of the Week 🏆 (2/13/2026) All the best education journalism, media commentary, & newsroom changes.

📌 SFUSD strike raises tough questions
📌 They’re even homeschooling in Chicago now
📌 The Epstein Files & education

📣 Favorite Substacks & interview previews in a special new section! 📣

🏆 Best Education Journalism of the Week 🏆(2/13/2026)
alexanderrusso.substack.com/p/teachers-s...

Why's a Georgetown economist covering Montgomery County schools? “Journalists can’t probe and provide context in the same way I can,” says the Georgetown professor behind a new Substack. However, she doesn’t have to “explain everything” the way journalists do.

I really enjoyed this conversation on The Grade about why I started writing about MCPS: as a parent, I couldn't figure out what was going on. Thanks @alexanderrusso.bsky.social for the great stories and strategies. alexanderrusso.substack.com/p/whys-a-geo...
Interested? noraegordon.substack.com

Why's a Georgetown economist covering Montgomery County schools? “Journalists don’t probe and provide context in the same way I can,” says the Georgetown professor behind a new Substack. However, she doesn’t “explain everything” the way journalists have to.

“Journalists don’t probe and provide context in the same way I can." - @NoraEGordon

NEW: Why's a Georgetown economist covering Montgomery County schools? alexanderrusso.substack.com/p/whys-a-geo...

ICE interference, "We are the media now," & WaPo ed beat layoffs 🏆 Best Education Journalism of the Week 🏆 (02/06/26) All the best education journalism, media commentary, & newsroom changes.

NEW: All the best education journalism, media commentary, & newsroom changes.

ICE interference, "We are the media now," & WaPo ed beat layoffs: 🏆 Best Education Journalism of the Week 🏆 (02/06/26)

alexanderrusso.substack.com/p/ice-interf...

ICE interference, "We are the media now," & WaPo ed beat layoffs 🏆 Best Education Journalism of the Week 🏆 (02/06/26) All the best education journalism, media commentary, & newsroom changes.

NEW: All the best education journalism, media commentary, & newsroom changes.

ICE interference, "We are the media now," & WaPo ed beat layoffs: 🏆 Best Education Journalism of the Week 🏆 (02/06/26)

alexanderrusso.substack.com/p/ice-interf...

Hi @eshockmanwrites.bsky.social - I know you must be exhausted, but I'd love to bring your insights and experiences covering the Minneapolis ICE story to other journalists.

Here are some questions. A sentence is fine. I'm also asking @bzosiad.bsky.social, @bethhawkins.bsky.social, & others.

Hi, Beth -- I know you must be exhausted, but if you're willing to share a sentence or two I'd love to bring your insights and experiences to other education journalists.

The 'softness' of traditional day-to-day news Watch now | Media columnist Dan Kennedy thinks legacy journalism needs to strengthen day-to-day news coverage and add nontraditional approaches — but not a wholesale reinvention.

I talked with @alexanderrusso.bsky.social of The Grade recently about journalism's shaky present and uncertain future. I hope you'll watch and listen. alexanderrusso.substack.com/p/bridging-t...

I just got off the phone with Elizabeth's dad...she and her mom were freed tonight! Updated story: sahanjournal.com/education/co...

ICE is ‘at the school yard gate.’ Here’s what it means that agents are getting closer. One legal expert said even up until recently, “it would have been pretty unthinkable” for ICE to come onto school grounds like agents did at Roosevelt High in Minneapolis.

@lilyalta.bsky.social has a great look at the rule and the issue. Oh and hey — @chalkbeat.org — good get hiring Lily!

2/

Minnesota Districts, Teachers Union Sue Federal Government for Targeting Schools Educators demand reinstatement of a decades-old policy prohibiting most immigration enforcement near ‘sensitive locations’ like schools and bus stops

My latest: Minnesota school districts, @educationmn.bsky.social go to court seeking reinstatement of the 'sensitive locations' rule, which would keep immigration enforcement actions away from schools, bus stops, churches, healthcare facilities, etc. Was the rule of the land for 30+ years

1/

Full-time reporting on school choice The Democrat Gazette's Josh Snyder is the only full-time mainstream school choice reporter I know of. But as choice spreads, there are likely to be others.

Josh Snyder is the only mainstream reporter I know of who's covering school choice full-time, but I'm guessing he won't be the last.

NEW: Full-time reporting on school choice open.substack.com/pub/alexande...

I'm not here much so thegrade2015@gmail or text is more direct.

I think I've been doing reasonably well sharing your and others' MPS ICE coverage in the newsletter and via X but if you want to help then pick out 3-5 great Minneapolis stories and send them to me by 1 on Thursday and I'll run them as a special section.

@alexanderrusso.bsky.social Huge bones to pick with The Grade. Only only have you now blown off three weeks of my Minneapolis reporting, you don’t seem to recall that MPR and Elizabeth Shockman exist.
They’re tearing it up. You should be embarrassed.

A former student's perspective on what it's like being part of a massive school exposé -- and what journalists need to know before they jump in:
alexanderrusso.substack.com/p/what-its-l...

"Doom is a warm blanket of helplessness that keeps you from the fight."

Mixed Year 1 for Trump, a radicalized education reporter, & ‘the new white flight.’ - 🏆Best Education Journalism of the Week🏆(01/23/2026) All the best education journalism, media commentary, & newsroom changes.

📌 A wild but mixed first year for schools under Trump.
📌"I need my devices back to do my job."

NEW: Mixed Year 1 for Trump, a radicalized education reporter, & ‘the new white flight.’ - 🏆Best Education Journalism of the Week🏆(01/23/2026)
alexanderrusso.substack.com/p/mixed-year...

The radicalization of NYT reporter Erica Green The former full-time education reporter describes how her new book is meant to counteract some of her own past coverage that helped perpetuate a destructive narratives.

“I helped feed a lot of the narratives that we now see in the book have been so consequential and detrimental.” - @ericaLG

NEW: The radicalization of NYT reporter Erica Green alexanderrusso.substack.com/p/the-radica...

Not featured in this week’s Grade, alas, are two @the74.bsky.social stories from me, in Minneapolis, and my colleague @jonapolitano.bsky.social

Sorry about that!

Remote in Minneapolis, FBI search, & 3 new education books: 🏆 Best Education Journalism of the Week 🏆 (01/16/2026) All the best education journalism, media commentary, & newsroom changes.

In this week’s newsletter:

NEW: Remote in Minneapolis, FBI search, & 3 new education books: 🏆 Best Education Journalism of the Week 🏆 (01/16/2026)

alexanderrusso.substack.com/p/minneapoli...

The necessary discomfort of debunking a feel-good education story “If something looks too good to be true, it probably is. And it’s okay to explore what’s really happening, no matter how the facade of a story makes you feel.”

“If something looks too good to be true, it probably is. And it’s okay to explore what’s really happening, no matter how the facade of a story makes you feel.”

NEW: An interview with the NYT's Katie Benner, co-author of MIRACLE CHILDREN.

alexanderrusso.substack.com/p/the-necess...

Feds & Iowa, Florida failures, & parent-centered education coverage: 🏆 Best Education Journalism of the Week 🏆 (01/09/2026) All the best education journalism, media commentary, & newsroom changes.

NEW: All the best education journalism, media commentary, & newsroom changes.

Feds & Iowa, Florida failures, & parent-centered education coverage: 🏆 Best Education Journalism of the Week 🏆 (01/09/2026)

alexanderrusso.substack.com/p/federal-fu...

Thanks for the thoughtful response, Mr. B. Glad you liked it.

This was a good bit of introspection, but I don't think the situation is quite so gloomy.

"Go to the best college you can get into *and graduate*" is still the single best form of upward mobility *at the individual level*, even if times are a bit tough right now for recent college grads.