By Maddison Cervantes
LOCAL
Gov. Sandoval signs bill establishing private school scholarships
On Monday, April 13, Gov. Brian Sandoval signed Assembly Bill 165 that approved a scholarship program to assist families with low- and middle-income to pay for their children’s private schooling. The bill signed in Virginia City, Nevada.
The Associated Press stated the with passage of this bill, Nevada families could have the opportunity to enroll their children in the schools of their choosing, and other lawmakers such as Senate Majority Leader Michael Roberson, R-Henderson supported Sandoval in the signing of the bill.
Companies that donate to the scholarship program will receive tax credits. The scholarships will be limited to $7,755 per student.
Democratic adversaries believe the bill to be restricting funds from the public education system, and are not truly aimed toward families in need of the scholarships.
The scholarships would be provided to families with an income that does not surpass 300 percent of the poverty level.
NATIONAL
Yale medical professor resigns over sexual harassment charges
Former Yale Nephrology Professor Rex L. Mahnensmith, now 63, has been accused of several instances of sexual harassment as the medical director of the New Haven Dialysis Clinic. Mahnensmith was removed from the clinic and Yale forced him to resign.
The Associated Press reported that the accusations were overlooked and handled secretively by the university last year.
More pressure was added to the case against the professor by two federal lawsuits filed in February. Seven current and former employees of the dialysis clinic denounce the former professor.
The plaintiff’s lawyer, Jennifer Zito, stated that Mahnensmith has been sexually harassing the staff for years, but they were advised to disregard his actions.
A Yale spokesman refused to discuss the cases and instead mentioned that the university is working to improve the issue of sexual harassment on campus.
Other unlawful acts by Mahnensmith have been exposed as well. He has been accused of discounting Yale’s and the clinic’s policies on prescribing drugs to patients.
INTERNATIONAL
800,000 forced from homes in Boko Haram violence
Approximately 800,000 children have been forced to flee their homes in northeast Nigeria due to Islamic extremism. Many have been separated from their families and are suffering from physical and emotional abuse.
Boko Haram, a militant Islamic group fighting to transform West Africa into an Islamic state, is responsible for making children account for half of the 1.5 million homeless in the African country.
A United Nations Children’s Fund report said that children have become “deliberate targets”. Sexual abuse, forced marriage, killings and kidnappings are struggles many are exposed to.
The number of refugee children has doubled in the past year and Boko Haram are using the children as weapons, and sometimes human bombs.
Maddison Cervantes can be reached at mcervantes@sagebrush.unr.edu and on Twitter @madcervantes.
