RED STORM RISING...PRESIDENT BIDEN TRIES TO DEFUSE A FIGHT OVER UKRAINE.

MORE THAN NEW MATH...NEW REQUIREMENTS MAY BE COMING TO GRADUATE HIGH SCHOOL.

AND NOT FADE AWAY....WHY DOES A CERTAIN SOMEONE STILL DOMINATE THE NEWS.

STAY TUNED FOR IVORY TOWER, NEXT.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ GOOD EVENING.

WELCOME TO IVORY TOWER.

I'M DAVID CHANATRY, FROM UTICA COLLEGE.

I'M JOINED THIS WEEK BY NINA MOORE FROM COLGATE UNIVERSITY, KRISTI ANDERSEN FROM THE MAXWELL SCHOOL AT SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY, LUKE PERRY FROM UTICA COLLEGE AND CHAD SPARBER, FROM COLGATE UNIVERSITY.

PRESIDENT BIDEN HAS A MAJOR FOREIGN POLICY CHALLENGE ON HIS HANDS, AS RUSSIA APPEARS TO BE PREPARING THE GROUND TO INVADE UKRAINE.

BIDEN AND VLADIMIR PUTIN TALKED FOR TWO HOURS ON TUESDAY IN AN EFFORT TO REACH SOME COMMON GROUND.

TENSIONS DID NOT DIE DOWN, HOWEVER, AS PUTIN LATER SAID THE TREATMENT OF RUSSIANS IN UKRAINE IS “REMINISCENT OF GENOCIDE.

” HOW FAR SHOULD BIDEN GO TO DETER PUTIN?

>> WELL, FIRST IT'S GOT TO BE MORE THAN JUST THE U.S.

IT'S GOT TO BE THE WEST BROADLY SPEAKING.

AND HERE I THINK PUTIN UNFORTUNATELY CORRECTLY SENSES A WEAKNESS.

LET'S TALK ABOUT SANCTIONS, FOR EXAMPLE, AND NATURAL GAS.

PRICE OF NATURAL GAS IN EUROPE HAS GONE UP NINE TIMES IN THE COURSE OF A YEAR.

AND ON TUESDAY IT JUMPED 8% ON FEARS THAT THE U.S. WAS GOING TO TRY TO PUSH GERMANY TO CANCEL ITS PIPELINE INTO RUSSIA.

AND IT'S HARD FOR ME TO BELIEVE THAT 80 MILLION COLD GERMANS ARE GOING TO BE OKAY WITH SANCTIONS ON GAS COMING INTO THE COUNTRY.

IF WE WERE TO TURN DOMESTICALLY AND THINK ABOUT WHAT WE COULD DO, THERE IS AN INTERESTING NEW BOOK BY I THINK IT'S CASEY MICHAEL, A FELLOW AT THE HUDSON INSTITUTE, CONSERVATIVE THINK TANK CALLED AMERICAN CLEPTOCRA CY.

IT DESCRIBES HOW U.S. BANKS AND REAL ESTATE MARKETS FUNCTION AS SORT OF A WAY OF MONEY LAUNDERING SCHEMES FOR FOREIGN OLIGARCHS.

SO IF YOU COULD IMAGINE US CRACKING DOWN ON THAT KIND OF ACTIVITY, THAT'S GOING TO MAKE THESE WEALTHY RUSSIANS-- >> ISN'T THAT THE SORT OF THING WE TRIED BEFORE WITH LIMITED EFFECT?

>> WELL, NO, I THINK THIS BOOK MAKES THE CASE THAT WE HAVEN'T DONE ENOUGH.

>> IS THIS THE THING THAT DAVE IS TALKING ABOUT, THE SWIFT, THE SOCIETY FOR WORLDWIDE INTERBANK TUMENTS THAT BIDEN-- COMMUNICATIONS THAT BIDEN IS THREATENING TO KICK RUSSIA OUT OF THAT SO THEY CAN'T SEND-- THIS CUTS DOWN ON THEIR ABILITY TO HAVE INTERNATIONAL MONETARY TRANSACTIONS?

>> I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE SPECIFICS OF ONE PLAN VERSUS ANOTHER.

IT'S JUST A BROAD SYSTEM OF THE WAY THAT IT BECOMES-- THE U.S. BECOMES A SAFE HAVEN FOR DIRTY MONEY.

>> THE SWIFT BANKING MESSAGING SYSTEM THAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT HAS BEEN FLOATED OUT THERE AS A POSSIBILITY TO KICK RUSSIA OUT OF THERE.

BUT THAT'S WROUGHT WITH BLOWBACK, RIGHT?

BECAUSE THERE WILL BE REPERCUSSIONS TO OTHER COUNTRIES THAT DO BUSINESS WITH RUSSIA.

AND I THINK, TO ME, THAT'S RUN OF THE THINGS WE HAVE TO CONSIDER THAT EVEN IN 2014, AFTER RUSSIA HAD ANNEXED CRIMEA AND SANCTIONS WERE IMPOSED, MOSCOW DIDN'T RETREAT.

IT DIDN'T MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

AND AT LEAST IN TERMS OF REMAINING OR CONTINUING TO CONTROL CRIMEA, I THINK PART OF THAT IS BECAUSE WE HAVE TO BE MUCH MORE INTENTIONAL ABOUT CALCULATING SOME OF THE REASONS THAT PUTIN IS STRONGLY INTERESTED IN CRIMEA.

ONE OF THEM IS SIMPLY WHAT HE CONSIDERS TO BE FAMILY TIES; THAT THERE ARE SOME EIGHT MILLION ETHNIC RUSSIANS WHO HE SEES HIMSELF AS PROTECTING FROM WESTERN AGGRESSIONS THERE.

BUT THEN SECONDLY ARE THE OTHER KINDS OF ECONOMIC TIES BESIDE THOSE THAT CHAD MENTIONED.

NAMELY THAT RUSSIA IS UKRAINE'S SECOND LARGEST TRADING PARTNER BEHIND CHINA.

AND SO THAT'S ANOTHER THING THAT PUTIN IS USING IN HIS CALCULOUS.

BUT I THINK MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT A LEADER WHO IS PRETTY MUCH, YOU KNOW, A STEP AWAY FROM A DICTATOR, WHO WANTS TO GO BACK TO THE GLORY DAYS OF THE SOVIET UNION BEING A SUPER POWER AND SHORT OF THAT, HE DOESN'T WANT TO SEE UKRAINE BE DRAWN INTO WESTERN INFLUENCE BY JOINING NATO OR, FOR THAT MATTER, OTHER WESTERN ORGANIZATIONS INCLUDING E.U.

>> SO IS IT SUCH AN UNREASONABLE DEMAND, LUKE, I'LL ASK ENTHUSIASM-- I'LL ASK YOU THIS ONE, TO GIVE PUTIN A WRITTEN GUARANTEE THAT UKRAINE WON'T JOIN NATO?

>> I THINK THAT'S VERY DIFFICULT FOR WESTERN LEADER TO AGREE TO AND THAT CERTAINLY IS A MAIN STICKING POINT FOR PUTIN.

I DON'T THINK HE HAS A STRONG INTEREST IN EVADING UKRAINE WHOLESALE.

IT'S THE LARGEST COUNTRY COMPLETELY IN EUROPE.

FORTUNATELY FOR UKRAINIANS THEY HAVE EXPERIENCED INVASIONS OVER THE LAST HUNDREDS OF YEARS, AUSTRIAN EMPIRE, POLISH RESPECT, SOVIET UNION, THEY'RE IN A GEOPOLITICAL POSITION THAT IS VERY DIFFICULT AND I THINK PUTIN IS TRYING TO MAXIMIZE HIS LEVERAGE TO KEEP UKRAINE OUT OF NATO AND OUT OF THE E.U.

AND WHAT HE HAS SEEN IS THAT UKRAINE IS DIVIDED.

EASTERN UKRAINE DIFFICULT VIEDS WITH RUSSIA BUT THE REST OF THE COUNTRY HAS SHIFTED TO A PRO-WEST DIRECTION AND I THINK HE IS TRYING TO DO ALL HE CAN WITH THESE MANEUVERS TO TRY TO KEEP THAT INTEGRATION THAT NINA MENTIONED.

>> IT ASSUMES THAT NATO IS ON THE TABLE.

I DON'T THINK THEY'RE LOOKING FOR UKRAINE TO BEING A MEMBER GIVEN ITS CORRUPTION AND SORTED PROBLEMS.

>> I THINK PART OF WHAT IS OUT THERE IS WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THAT WILL FORESTALL UKRAINE'S ADMISSION TO NATO AS A WAY OF ENCOURAGING.

>> DID THE UNITED STATES MAKE A MISTAKE BACK, I THINK IT WAS DURING THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION WHEN WE EXPANDED NATO EASTWARD AND, YOU KNOW, PUTIN WAS LIKE DON'T DO THAT.

APPARENTLY WE HAD MADE SOME SORT OF AT LEAST VERBAL AGREEMENT WE WOULDN'T, BUT THEN WE DID.

>> I DON'T THINK IT'S A MISTAKE AND I THINK THE BALTIC COUNTRIES AND OTHER FORMER SOVIET UNIONS ARE GRATEFUL TO BE IN AND IT HAS WORKED OUT PRETTY WELL.

I THINK.

>> AMERICANS ARE READY TO DEFEND LITHUANIA?

>> AMERICANS ALONG WITH NATO.

I DON'T KNOW THAT THEY'RE READY FOR ALL THAT.

>> THAT'S THE POINT, ISN'T IT?

ARTICLE 5 COMMON DEFENSE?

>> I THINK THAT IS ASSUMING-- THERE IS SOME ASSUMPTION THAT WON'T HAPPEN IF WE ARE ALL THERE TOGETHER AND WE ARE ALL A THREAT TO THE SOVIET UNION.

>> AND WEAPONS SYSTEMS.

IT'S NOT JUST THE COMMON PACT.

PUTIN IS CONCERNED ABOUT WESTERN WEAPONS SYSTEMS BEING DEPLOYED CLOSE TO THEIR WESTERN BORDER.

>> THE THING OF IT IS, AS FAR AS OTHER WESTERN ALLIES, THE FACT IS GERMANY IS SAYING THAT IT'S OKAY, FOR EXAMPLE, WITH PREVENTING THE COMPLETION OF THE NORD STREAM 2 PIPELINE, BUT GERMANY IS HEAVILY RELIANT UPON RUSSIA FOR ITS ENERGY.

SO WHEN IT COMES RIGHT DOWN TO IT, ARE WE, IN FACT, GOING TO SEE GERMANY SAY, OKAY, WE ARE RELATIONSHIP TO CUT OURSELVES OFF AT THE KNEES TO SAVE UKRAINE.

I DON'T SEE THAT GOING ON.

>> I THINK THAT'S THE MAIN POINT.

IT'S JUST NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.

>> NOW WE HAD AN INTERESTING EMAIL EXCHANGE AMONG "IVORY TOWER" PANELISTS THIS WEEK PROMPTED BY A VIEWER'S LETTER.

HE WROTE IN AND WONDERED WHY HASN'T DONALD TRUMP FADED INTO THE SUNSET LIKE OTHER EX-LOSING PRESIDENTS.

IT HAS BEEN ALMOST A YEAR SINCE HE LEFT OFFICE AND RULES THE G.O.P.

FROM MARA LAGO.

LUKE, A YEAR AGO YOU SAID ON THIS PROGRAM HE WOULD FADE AWAY.

DO YOU STILL THINK THAT'S WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN?

>> YES.

I THINK HIS SHADOW IS LINGERING LONGER AND DARKER THAN I ANTICIPATED, AND KRISTI AND OTHERS MADE THAT ARGUMENT AND THEY MADE IT WELL.

I THINK HE IS RICH AND HE IS A MEDIA HOG AND HAS A PROMINENT VOICE.

BUT WHEN YOU THINK OF WHERE THINGS ARE TODAY COMPARED TO THE LAST FOUR YEARS WHEN HE WAS PRESIDENT, HE HAS MUCH LESS POSITION IN AMERICAN GOVERNMENT AND THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, FOR THAT MATTER HE DOESN'T EVEN TALK TO TRUMP, McCONNELL DOESN'T SEEK HIS APPROVAL OR ADVICE ON STRATEGY OR POLICY.

THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MAKING WAVES AND RIGHTING THE SHIP AND WHEN TRUMP WAS CAPTAIN, THE REPUBLICANS LOST THE HOUSE.

THEY LOST THE SENATE, THEY LOST THE WHITE HOUSE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 28 YEARS.

SO UNTIL UNLESS HE WINS THE NOMINATION OF THE PARTY AGAIN, HE IS IN A LESSER POSITION THAN HE WAS A YEAR AGO AND NOW MY COLLEAGUES WILL TELL ME WHY I'M WRONG.

>> WE RECOGNIZE YOU AS THE EXPERT.

>> YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO THAT.

>> THAT'S THE FACT, RIGHT.

THE REST OF US ARE GOING TO READ THE TEA LEAVES.

THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF IT IS WHATEVER YOUR VIEWS ARE, REGARDING McCONNELL, THE PEW RESEARCH CENTER DID A RECENT-- IT'S ANNUAL POLITICAL TYPOLOGY SURVEY WHERE IT SHOWED THAT BETTER THAN HALF OF REPUBLICAN VOTERS ACTUALLY STILL BACK TRUMP, NOT JUST AN YEAH, HE'S OUR GUY BUT THEY STRONGLY BACK TRUMP.

THAT FACT PLUS HE IS ALREADY MAKING MOVES.

I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO WAIT UNTIL 2024 TO SEE IF THIS GUY IS GOING TO STIR OF WATERS AND HERE ARE SOME WAYS HE IS DOING THAT.

>> I WOULD SAY HE IS MAKING SOME MOVES BUT SOME OF THOSE MOVES ARE THINGS LIKE PROMPTING HERCHEL WALKER TO RUN FOR SENATE.

>> I AM TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING MUCH BIGGER THAN THAT: FOR EXAMPLE, HE IS ENDORSING MORE CANDIDATES THAN HE DID IN 2018 AND 2020 WHEN ALL OF THE DEBATES WHEN HE ENDORSED ONE NOT SOLELY BECAUSE OF HIM THAT HE IS PUSHING CHALLENGERS TO THE INCUMBENT REPUBLICAN SECRETARIES OF STATE IN KEY ELECTIONS.

HE SERVED AS SIGNALING TO OTHER REPUBLICAN LEADERS THAT I CAN COME AFTER YOU AND I THINK THAT'S THE FEAR THAT THEY'RE GOING TO GET PRIMARIED BECAUSE HE IS SUPPORTING INCUMBENTS.

>> WHAT HE IS TRYING TO DO IS AFFECT THE ELECTORAL SYSTEM.

>> RECOGNIZING THAT I JOINED THE PARTY OF REAGAN, A MAN WHO WON THE PRESIDENT PRESIDENCY WHEN I WAS THREE YEARS OLD.

THE POINTER BEING THAT THE CULT OF PERSONALITY HAS LONG STAYING POWER.

BUT IN TERMS OF THE ELECTION ISSUES, I GO BACK TO THE VIRGINIA GUBERNATORIAL ELECTION AND I THINK THAT THAT GAVE REPUBLICANS THE PLAYBOOK FOR WINNING ELECTIONS IN PURPLE STATES AND IN CONTESTABLE ELECTIONS NATIONAL ELECTIONS AND I DON'T THINK THAT TRUMP SICK FANTS OR NEVER TRUMPERS STAND A CHANCE IN THOSE.

I THINK YOU HAVE TO BE A TRUMP APOLOGIST.

SOMEBODY WHO DIDN'T COME OUT AND DENOUNCE TRUMP, DOESN'T REALLY LIKE HIS BOMBAST BUT ULTIMATELY LIKES HIS POLICIES LOWER TAXES DEREGULATION AND SOME OF HIS POPULOUS NONSENSE, THE ANTITRADE OR ANTI-IMMIGRANT RHETORIC UNFORTUNATELY, BUT ABOVE ALL, I THINK THESE REPUBLICANS, IF THEY WANT TO WIN, THEY'RE GOING TO RUN ON LEFT WING EXCESSES.

SO PHRASES LIKE DEFUND THE POLICE AND CRITICAL RACE THEORY, THOSE THINGS ARE NOT GOING TO GO AWAY AND THEY'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO PLAGUE PROGRESSIVE CANDIDATES IN CONTESTABLE ELECTIONS.

>> UNFORTUNATELY, IF YOU HEARD THEM TALKING ABOUT THIS BIG POLL NPR AND SOMEBODY DID YESTERDAY, THE DEMOCRAT MESSAGES ARE NOT GETTING THROUGH.

PEOPLE, EVEN PEOPLE WHO RECEIVED , YOU KNOW, CHILD CARE TAX CREDITS AND SO ON, ARE STILL NOT CONVINCED THE DEMOCRATS ARE HELPING THEM OR DON'T FEEL THAT THESE POLICIES HAVE BEEN HELPFUL TO THEM, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, PROBLEMATIC FOR THE DEMOCRATS FOR SURE.

I THINK YOU ARE RIGHT, CHAD, ABOUT THE KIND OF.

THE REPUBLICANS HAVE PUSHED TRUMP AWAY JUST A BIT BUT NOT COMPLETELY.

AND LUKE, YOU SAID IN HIS DEFENSE OF YOUR PREDICTIONS, I STAND BY MY CONTENTION THAT MOVING AWAY FROM TRUMP IS CLEARLY THE STRATEGICALLY WISE THING TO DO.

A LITTLE BIT MOVING AWAY FROM TRUMP.

AND THE EXAMPLES ARE A GOOD ONE.

FOR ME ONE BO BOTTOM LINE IS THE WAY THAT MOST REPUBLICANS HAVE NOT MOVED AWAY FROM TRUMP IS THAT THEY STILL BELIEVE IN OR SAY THEY BELIEVE IN THE BIG LIE.

I MEAN THE IDEA THAT THE ELECTION WAS RIGGED, THE IDEA THAT DONALD TRUMP IS STILL THE LEGITIMATE PRESIDENT IN A WAY.

AND THAT IS SCARY TO ME AND REALLY MAKES ME LESS OPTIMISTIC ABOUT, AS YOU SAID, THE PARTY, THE REPUBLICAN PARTY WILL GO BACK TO BEHAVING NORMALLY.

>> THE REPUBLICANS ARE NOT MONOLITHIC AS CHAD JUST ILLUMINATED AND I THINK SOME OF THEIR DIFFERENCES ARE-- I'M LOOKING AT THE PARTY IN GOVERNMENT AND THEY'RE NOT LOOKING TO TRUMP IN TERMS OF HOW TO GOVERN AND STRATEGICALLY HOW TO REGAIN POWER.

YOU AND NINA ARE FOCUSING ON PARTY AND ELECTORATE.

YOU ARE RIGHT, THE POLLS SHOW HE IS POPULAR AND HAS INFLUENCE BUT TO ME THE POWER LIES WITH THE PEOPLE IN GOVERNMENT MORE SO THAN THE ELECTORATE.

THE PRIMARY BATTLE IS GOING TO SORT OUT WHO ACTUALLY IS GOING TO BE THE NOMINEE.

I DON'T THINK WE ARE THERE YET.

>> THE PEOPLE IN POWER ARE DEPENDENT ON THOSE WHO PUT THEM IN POWER AND WHO MAY OR MAY NOT PUT THEM BACK IN POWER.

AND I WANT TO SAY JUST THIS LAST PIECE AND THAT IS, I AGREE THAT YEAH, THERE HAS TO BE SOME PUSHBACK AGAINST THE BIG LIE.

BUT IN ADDITION TO THAT, THERE ARE SOME VERY DEEP GRIEVANCES THAT THOSE WHO ARE STRONGLY BACKING TRUMP HAVE AND REPUBLICANS HAVE TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO SPEAK TO THOSE GRIEVANCES IN WAYS THAT ARE CREDIBLE BECAUSE AS MANY OF THOSE GRIEVANCE,IVE DON'T KNOW IF IT IS A WORD, TRUMP IS SPEAKING TO THOSE ISSUES.

>> A LOT OF THOSE GRIEVANCES ARE... >> THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MATTER, RIGHT?

>> CRITICAL RACE THEORY.

THAT'S A GRIEVANCE?

THAT'S RIDICULOUS.

>> THEY SEE THE WORLD SORT OF SHIFTING UNDERNEATH THEIR FEET.

THEY SEE.

>> WE ALL DO.

>> HOWEVER RACIST IT MIGHT OR MIGHT NOT BE, THEY SEE AMERICA CHANGING WITHOUT THEIR INPUT.

>> NOW WE MOVE ALONG.

THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION BEGAN HOLDING HEARINGS THIS WEEK TO CONSIDER CHANGING THE REQUIREMENTS TO ATTAIN A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA.

THE DEPARTMENT WANTS FEEDBACK ON WHAT THE POSSIBLE NEW REQUIREMENTS SHOULD BE, AND WHETHER MEASURES *OTHER * THAN THE TRADITIONAL PATHWAY COULD BETTER SERVE NEW YORK'S DIVERSE STUDENT POPULATION.

THE REQUIREMENTS NOW INCLUDE 4 YEARS OF ENGLISH AND SOCIAL STUDIES AND 3 OF SCIENCE AND MATH.

WHAT CHANGES SHOULD THERE BE?

>> THERE IS A BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BEING A TEACHER AND A PROFESSOR.

>> I DO KNOW THAT.

>> I'LL SPEAK TO THE BROADER ISSUES AND MORE SPECIFICALLY WHAT IS MOVING THE DEPARTMENT OF ED TO THINK ABOUT CHANGES THAT SHOULD BE INCLUDED.

AND SO I SAW ON THE WEBSITE THEY'RE HOSTING THESE DISCUSSIONS ACROSS NEW YORK STATE WHERE THEY ARE SOLICITING FEEDBACK AS TO WHAT SHOULD BE DONE BUT THERE ARE FIVE QUESTIONS THAT ARE GUIDING THESE CONVERSATIONS.

AND AT LEAST THREE OF THOSE QUESTIONS,LY SORT OF JUST SIMPLISTICALLY CHARACTERIZE AS HAVING TO DO WITH CULTURAL COMPETENCY AND PERHAPS DIVERSITY AS WELL.

AND I SAY ONLY ON THOSE TWO ISSUES THAT A COUPLE OF THINGS SHOULD GUIDE WHATEVER THE PARTICULAR CURRICULUM COMPONENTS OF THOSE THINGS ARE.

ONE IS THAT THE TEACHERS ARE NOT EXPECTED NOR SCHOOLS EXPECTED TO ESSENTIALLY TEACH STUDENTS WHAT TO THINK, BUT INSTEAD TEACHING STUDENTS HOW TO THINK.

IN OTHER WORDS, I THINK WE HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL TO NOT USE THE ADDITION OF CULTURAL COMPETENCY MEASURES AS A WAY TO JUST SORT OF FILTER ALL OF THE OTHER CRAP INTO SCHOOLS THAT WE HAVE BEEN SEEING OUT IN THE LARGER POLITICAL ARENA.

LAST, I SAY THAT SCHOOLS ARE ALREADY BURDENED WITH DOING A LOT OF SOCIAL ECONOMIC, I'D SAY EVEN PARENTAL STUFF.

I STILL HAVEN'T GOTTEN OVER SCHOOL-BASED CLINICS, BUT ALSO DRUG PREVENTION PROGRAMS WITHIN SCHOOLS, IN-SCHOOL SUSPENSION, PROGRAMS THAT NOW WANT TO EMPOWER PARENTS.

THOSE ARE ALL NOBLE THINGS, WHETHER THEY SHOULD BE IN SCHOOLS WHETHER WE WANT TO TACK ON TO THE TEACHING STUDENTS HOW TO BE GOOD PEOPLE IS SOMETHING WE SHOULD THINK ABOUT.

>> EARLY IN THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION, THEY TEACH SORT OF-- THEY'RE TRYING TO MAKE PEOPLE MAKE KIDS STARTING IN THE PRIMARY LEVEL CRITICAL THINKERS IN A SENSE AND ABLE TO FIGURE OUT LIES AND FACT CHECKING, INTERPRETING, EVACUATING ALL--Y VAL WAITING ALL THE INFORMATION YOU RECEIVE FROM ACROSS ALL SUBJECTS.

THIS IS SOMETHING DONE IN ALL THE SUBJECT AREAS STARTING IN PRIMARY SCHOOL.

THE GOAL, THEY SAY, IS ACTIVE, RESPONSIBLE CITIZENS AND VOTERS.

AND FINLAND LAST YEAR, I THINK, GOT THE HIGHEST RANK OF THE OPEN SOCIETY INSTITUTE FOR MEDIA LITERACY.

THIS IS SOMETHING I THINK THAT'S CRITICAL IN THIS ERA OF FALSEHOODS AND FAKE NEWS AND ALL THIS STUFF.

THIS SEEMS, TO ME, SOMETHING THAT COULD BE AND SHOULD BE ADDED TO OUR SCHOOL CURRICULUMS.

>> THERE HAVE BEEN A NUMBER OF EFFORTS TO DO THAT ON CASE BY CASE BASIS AND SECONDARY EDUCATION.

AND EVEN HIGHER THAN THAT BUT YOU ARE SAYING ALL THE WAY RIGHT FROM THE BEGINNING.

>> YEAH YOU ARE TEACHING YOUR KINDERGARTENERS, YOU KNOW, HOW DO YOU KNOW THIS?

HOW DO YOU KNOW THIS IS TRUE?

WHERE DO YOU GET YOUR INFORMATION AND SO ON?

>> CHAD?

>> SO I KIND OF WANT TO GO A COUPLE DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS ON WHAT SOME OF WHAT NINA TALKED ABOUT BUT I'LL TURN TO CALIFORNIA, WHAT NOT TO DO.

AND THERE IS A RECENT PROPOSAL IN CALIFORNIA TO REFORM ITS MATH CURRICULUM.

AND I THINK HERE'S THE EXAMPLE OF WHAT WE DON'T WANT.

WHAT IT'S DOING IS IT'S PROPOSING TO PUSH INSTRUCTION OF ALGEBRA 1 INTO NINTH GRADE.

AND THE MOTIVES FOR DOING THAT ARE UNCLEAR BUT AT LEAST SOME OF THE RATIONALE FOR DOING THAT SEEMS TO BE TO REDUCE ACHIEVEMENT GAPS BETWEEN STUDENTS, BETWEEN RACIAL GROUPS, ETHNIC GROUPS, GENDERS, WHATEVER IT HAPPENS TO BE.

NOW OF COURSE THAT'S A NOBLE GOAL.

WE WANT TO REDUCE ACHIEVEMENT GAPS.

BUT THE TOOL TO USE IT BEING THE PROHIBITION OF TEACHING ALGEBRA IN MIDDLE SCHOOL, THAT'S THE SORT OF THING THAT, YOU KNOW, GETS MODERATES AND CONSERVATIVES UPSET.

IN FACT YOU HAVE AN OPEN LETTER THAT'S CIRCULATING RIGHT NOW, 700 EDUCATORS SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS SAYING IT'S BAD FOR STEM.

>> I THINK WE ARE GOING TO SEE THE ELIMINATION OF THE REGENTS EXAM IN THE NEXT YEAR OR SO.

IT WAS WAIVED BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC.

WE SEE A COUPLE OF THINGS COMING TOGETHER.

WE SEE THE PANDEMIC, WE SEE A TIRING OF STANDARDIZED TESTS IN OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM AND WE SEE A GREATER FOCUS ON DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION AND I THINK THESE THREE FORCES ARE COMING TOGETHER TO PROMPT SERIOUS REFLECTION ABOUT WHETHER WE WANT A MULTITIERED HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA DEPENDING ON WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ACHIEVE VIA STANDARDIZED TESTS.

STANDARDIZED TESTS ARE GOOD TO DEVELOP DATA SO WE UNDERSTAND WHAT STUDENTS KNOW AND DON'T KNOW BUT I DON'T THINK THEY SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO GET A DIPLOMA AND I THINK NEW YORK IS ONE OF THE FEW STATES THAT STILL DO THIS.

>> I WAS GOING TO ASK THAT.

HOW MANY OTHER STATES-- >> MOST STATES DON'T.

>> WE HAVE TO LEAVE IT THERE TO GO TO AS AND Fs SINCE WE ARE TALKING ABOUT EDUCATION AND WE WILL BEGIN, NINA, WITH YOUR F. >> FIRST YEAR MEDICAL STUDENT STUDENT FROM NIGERIA CREATED A DRAWING OF A DARK SKINNED FETUS IN THE WOMB.

THE TREMENDOUS RESPONSE TO IT POINTS UP THE FACT THAT MEDICAL TEXTS AND DIAGRAMS RARELY FEATURE PEOPLE OF COLOR OR, FOR THAT MATTER, WOMEN.

THIS IS ACCORDING TO A 2014 STUDY.

DIVERSITY IN MEDICAL LITERATURE IS IMPORTANT NOT JUST FOR MEDICAL TRAINEES AND PRACTITIONERS BUT ALSO FOR PATIENTS.

I, FOR EXAMPLE, WOULD LIKE TO NOT HAVE TO RELY ON PRECIPITATION INFORMATION SHEETS-- PRESCRIPTION INFORMATION SHEETS THAT TELL ME TO WAIT FOR MY SKIN TO TURN RED BEFORE I STOP TAKING THE MEDICATION.

>> THE CHAIRMAN OF THE AMERICAN CONSERVATIVE UNION HAS CALLED FOR DEFUNDING PUBLIC BROADCASTING SYSTEMS, SPECIFICALLY AIMING THE ASSESS ME STREET.

WHY?

THERE IS A NEW ASIAN-AMERICAN PUPPET ON THE SHOW AND HE SAYS THIS IS WRONG.

THEY SHOULDN'T BRING RACE INTO SESAME STREET.

OH YES, AND MEANWHILE, TED CRUZ DOESN'T LIKE IT THAT BIG BIRD IS ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO BE VACCINATED.

>> LUKE.

YOUR F. >> MY F GOES TO BILL DE BLASIO FOR REPEATEDLY IGNORING THE NEW YORK CITY ETHICS BOARD AND SOLICITING DONATIONS FOR PEOPLE DOING BUSINESS WITH THE CITY.

KUDOS TO "THE NEW YORK TIMES" FOR MAKING THIS INFORMATION PUBLIC THIS WEEK.

>> CHAD.

>> MY F GOES TO HOUSE DEMOCRATS.

IN JUNE THE SENATE PASSED A BIPARTISAN BILL THAT WOULD HAVE SPENT $250 MILLION OVER FIVE YEARS ON RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.

25% OF WHICH WOULD HAVE GONE TO SEMICONDUCTOR MAKERS.

THE PLAN IS IMPORTANT FOR BOTH STEM AND NATIONAL SECURITY, BUT INFIGHTING AMONG THE DEMOCRATS HAS KEPT IT FROM PASSING THE HOUSE SO FAR.

>> ON TO OUR As.

NINA, TO YOU.

>> A COUPLE IN GERMANY SET A WORLD RECORD FOR THE MOST DECORATED CHRISTMAS TREES IN ONE PLACE.

THEY AMASSED MORE THAN 1400 TREES-- 400 TREES AND 10,000 ORNAMENTS.

EVEN MORE AMAZING THAN THAT IS NO TWO TREES ARE THE SAME.

THE ONLY ROOM IN THEIR FAIRLY SMALL HOUSE THAT IS NOT DECORATED IS THE BEDROOM SO THEY HAVE A FLACE TO ESCAPE TO.

>> TURN THE LIGHTS OFF, I SUPPOSE.

KRISTI YOUR A.

>> AN A TO PAM HUNTER NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLYWOMAN WHO INTRODUCED A BILL THAT WOULD WEAKEN QUALIFIED IMMUNITY THAT POLICE OFFICERS AND OTHER PUBLIC OFFICIALS EVERYBODY ABLE TO USE AS A DEFENSE WHEN ACCUSED OF VIOLATING PEOPLE'S CIVIL RIGHTS.

HUNTER AND OTHER ADVOCATES ARGUE THIS WOULD LEAD TO BETTER POLICING AND MORE ACCOUNTABLE POLICING.

>> LUKE.

>> MY A TO SYRACUSE FOR RECEIVING A 10 MILLION-DOLLAR STATE DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION GRANT.

MONEY WILL BE USED TO INVEST IN VACANT PROPERTIES AND ADD AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND GREEN SPACE.

>> AND CHAD.

>> I'M A LITTLE LATE TO THE GAME BUT MY A TO COLGATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS, OUR MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM BEAT THE ORANGE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 59 YEARS.

I'M NOT GOING TO ALIENATE OUR VIEWERS BY OVERCELEBRATING THAT HERE BUT YOU MAY HAVE MISSED OUR VOLLEYBALL TEAM WON THE PATRIOT LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP.

EARNED A BIRTH IN THE NCAA DIVISION IS TOURNAMENT WHERE THEY PLAYED GREAT BUT LOST TO WISCONSIN.

IT HAS BEEN A LOT OF FUN AND OUR ATHLETES HAVE A LOT TO BE PROUD OF.

>> CONGRATULATIONS TO COLGATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT EXCEPT FOR THE BASKETBALL TEAM.

[LAUGHTER] WE'LL TALK LATER.

AND I'M WONDERING NINA, WITH ALL THOSE LIGHTS, WHETHER THEY HAVE A CHRISTMAS TREE SHORTAGE IN GERMANY.

WE KEEP HEARING THERE IS A CHRISTMAS TREE SHORTAGE.

I DON'T KNOW WHETHER THAT'S TRUE OR NOT.

I HAVEN'T BOUGHT MINE YET.

>> BIDEN SHOULD THINK ABOUT THIS.

>> THANK YOU FOR JOINING US THIS EVENING.

FOR COMMENTS YOU CAN WRITE TO THE ADDRESS ON YOUR SCREEN.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO WATCH THE SHOW AGAIN YOU CAN DO SO ONLINE AT WCNY.ORG.

I'M DAVID CHANATRY.

AND FOR ALL OF US AT "IVORY TOWER," HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.