Stories by Kristin Rawls

Kristin Rawls is a freelance writer whose work has also appeared in the Christian Science Monitor, GOOD Magazine, Religion Dispatches, Killing the Buddha, Global Comment and elsewhere online. subscribe to Kristin Rawls's feed

4 Ways College Admissions Committees Stack the Deck in Favor of Already Privileged Applicants

Posted on: Nov 16, 2012, Source: AlterNet

It's time to stop stigmatizing affirmative action as an "unfair advantage" for historically unrepresented groups.

5 Biggest Lies About America's Public Schools -- Debunked

Posted on: Oct 1, 2012, Source: AlterNet

Here's the truth behind 5 of the most destructive myths about public education.

6 Reasons Teachers Unions Are Good for Kids

Posted on: Aug 17, 2012, Source: AlteNet

Our schools need teachers unions as much today as they ever have.

7 Things the Media Missed About the Chick-fil-A Saga

Posted on: Aug 8, 2012, Source: AlterNet

You might think you've heard everything there is to know about the Chick-fil-A controversy. You haven't.

5 Reasons the 'Pray Away the Gay' Movement Is as Vile as Ever

Posted on: Aug 1, 2012, Source: AlterNet

While some "ex-gay" leaders say they no longer believe sexual orientation can change, their organizations are just as dangerous as ever.

One Woman's Account of How Abuse, Corruption and Silence at Penn State Perpetuate a Poisonous Culture

Posted on: Jul 24, 2012, Source: AlterNet

A former Penn State student and instructor says a culture of abuse exists well beyond the football field and the school's problems are systemic.

Are the President's Education Policies Helping Our Kids?

Posted on: Jun 19, 2012, Source: AlterNet

An end-of-term report card assesses how the Obama administration has performed on five critical education issues.

5 Ways Louisiana’s New Voucher Program Spells Disaster for Public Education

Posted on: Jun 8, 2012, Source: AlterNet

The state's new voucher plan could eventually cut public education funding in half.

What Does Our Obsession With Zombie Stories Tell Us About Our Politics?

Posted on: Jun 6, 2012, Source: AlterNet

Between widespread feelings of political disenfranchisement and growing economic inequality, it's easy to feel as if we're facing a zombie apocalypse.

10 Frightening Things That Happen at Conservative Christian Schools That May Be Funded With Your Tax Dollars

Posted on: May 17, 2012, Source: AlterNet

Inflammatory anti-choice propaganda? Lies about sexuality? We need to keep in mind what goes on in many Christian schools when we discuss vouchers.

4 Worst Media Misrepresentations of North Carolina's Anti-Gay Amendment One

Posted on: May 13, 2012, Source: AlterNet

North Carolina's anti-same-sex-marriage Amendment One passed last week amid a lot of wild media speculation, especially about black voters. We set the record straight.

Does Mitt Romney Have an Education Platform?

Posted on: Apr 26, 2012, Source: AlterNet

Beyond breaking the unions, what kind of education policy can we expect from a Romney presidency?

The Plot to Demonize Black Youth -- And Their Mothers, Too

Posted on: Apr 6, 2012, Source: AlterNet

Are schools playing a key role in the criminalization of black children -- and their parents?

5 Big Media Stereotypes About the South (And the Real Story Behind Them)

Posted on: Apr 2, 2012, Source: AlterNet

Every election season, Southerners are reminded of the devastating misconceptions many Americans have about us.

Barely Literate? How Christian Fundamentalist Homeschooling Hurts Kids

Posted on: Mar 14, 2012, Source: AlterNet

The Religious Right touts homeschooling as the "responsible" educational choice. But what about the kids whose parents opt-out of the system -- and out of educating them, as well?

How Deep Is the Republican Christian Right's Connection to the Anti-Gay Bills Sweeping Sub-Saharan Africa?

Posted on: Feb 6, 2012, Source: AlterNet

As the horrific "kill-the-gays" bill resurfaces in Uganda, Republican politicians deny connections, but their rhetoric is frighteningly similar.

5 Biggest Lies About the Right-Wing Corporate-Backed War on Our Schools

Posted on: Jan 23, 2012, Source: AlterNet

Though National School Choice Week has some liberal support, its primary backers are deeply conservative activists whose goal is to dissolve public education in the US.

"I Cannot Eat Your Prayers": How Student Debt Changed One Woman's Mind on "Christian Charity"

Posted on: Dec 19, 2011, Source: Killing the Buddha

From an evangelical home to over $100,000 in student loans and healthcare debt, one writer faces the ways in which even progressive Christianity comes up short.