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The recent indictment of the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) by the Department of Justice (DOJ) has spurred a flurry of interest over the last couple of weeks, including a House Judiciary Committee hearing focused on examining the "role that the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) has played in distorting civil rights policy in recent years."  

While it is unlikely the hearing will yield anything new, it will bring much-needed exposure to the malicious organization that has engaged in left-wing lawfare for years and corrupted our K-12 schools.  

For well over a decade, the SPLC has leveraged its status as a civil rights organization to convince school districts to use its Learning for Justice (formerly Teaching Tolerance) standards, resources and lessons in the name of "social justice." In fact, following the racial justice protests of 2020, prominent leftwing organizations, including the SPLC, seized on the opportunity to steamroll a far-left political agenda in K-12 education. 

The nonprofit’s programming has been sold to highly empathetic educators as vital to reducing "bias" and "hate," fixing the achievement gap and addressing mental health issues. The ideas being peddled by the SPLC — "anti-racism," "White privilege" and "Whiteness" — spread quickly throughout every facet of the K-12 education system via the Colleges of Education, activist teachers and administrators, associations, teachers unions and consultants. 

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Currently, the SPLC’s influence on K-12 is massive but also difficult to quantify. Even though hundreds of districts use its content in lessons, in curricula, as resources on racial justice webpages, and have adopted the organization’s social justice standards, it is hard to nail down the totality of the organization’s impact.  

What also makes its use difficult to gauge is the undocumented use by teachers when they introduce Learning for Justice content as supplemental materials or use it to steer dialogue on controversial topics. 

Unfortunately, the influence operation does not end there.

For example, popular Social Emotional Learning (SEL) programs such as Second Step, Panorama Education, and the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence's (YCEI) RULER have integrated the SPLC’s lessons and standards into their curricula and platforms. Tens of thousands of districts across the country have contracts with these entities.

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Additionally, the far-left nonprofit’s programming and content are pushed through professional development, teachers unions, professional organizations such as the American School Counselor Association and the Association of Alaska School Boards, Parent Teacher Associations (PTAs) and state Departments of Education. 

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In reality, upwards of thousands of districts have knowingly and unknowingly played a role in the proliferation of divisive SPLC content that often shames children based on immutable characteristics like race and ethnicity and promotes a verifiable anti-Western ideology. Despite the claim that these concepts are meant to fight injustice, they actually create hostility, resentment and angst between individuals.  

Regardless of the legal outcomes that await the SPLC, the DOJ’s indictment of the left-wing nonprofit has brought long overdue attention to the organization. For years, the SPLC has enjoyed unquestioned credibility within the K-12 education system. Hopefully, the indictment, hearing and further exposure will bring into question the SPLC’s authority.

In the meantime, parents, community members and legislators need to investigate their own school districts for these politically biased content and materials. Moreover, school districts need to purge from lessons, curricula and resources any content that has originated from the organization. 

No child should be forced to learn from an organization that fights "bias" and "hate" by advancing their own biased left-wing ideology and labeling concerned parents as members of a hate group. 

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM RHYEN STALEY

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At least 82 people were killed and more than 120 others hospitalized after a massive gas explosion ripped through a coal mine in China late Friday, according to the Associated Press (AP). Two people remained missing.

The catastrophic blast at the Liushenyu coal mine in Qinyuan County, located in China’s northern Shanxi province, marked the country’s deadliest mining disaster in recent years.

Local officials, who have launched an investigation into the incident, said they uncovered "serious violations" by the mine’s operator, Shanxi Tongzhou Coal & Coke Group.

The explosion also triggered a wave of heightened safety inspections across China’s coal sector, tightening the supply outlook for coking coal and sending prices soaring Monday, according to Reuters.

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According to the AP, the explosion triggered a chaotic scene where thick smoke engulfed the mine and suffocated many victims underground.

One miner lost consciousness, while many others suffered from toxic gas exposure, the outlet added, citing state broadcaster CCTV.

The explosion has reportedly intensified scrutiny from Chinese officials, who said investigators found multiple violations at the site, though details remain unclear.

8 SKIERS FOUND DEAD, 1 MISSING AFTER MASSIVE LAKE TAHOE AVALANCHE

In 2024, China’s National Mine Safety Administration had previously classified the mine as disaster-prone due to its "high gas content," the AP reported.

State media also reported that blueprints provided by the mine did not match the site’s actual layout, complicating rescue operations, the outlet added.

Chinese President Xi Jinping called for a full-scale effort to rescue those still missing and ordered a thorough investigation to hold those responsible accountable, the AP said, citing official Xinhua News Agency.

SIBANYE WORKERS BEGIN TO SURFACE AFTER ACCIDENT AT SOUTH AFRICAN GOLD MINE

The state-run outlet later reported that company officials connected to the disaster had been "placed under control," according to the AP.

China has suffered a string of deadly mining disasters in recent decades even as officials have pledged to strengthen oversight of the sector.

In 2023, at least 53 people were killed in Inner Mongolia following reports of a collapse at an open-pit mine.

In 2009, a reported explosion at a coal mine in Heilongjiang province left 108 people dead.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Body camera footage has captured the dramatic rescue of a baby trapped inside a vehicle stranded in rising floodwaters on Saturday as floodwaters appeared to sweep the car toward a creek in Beeville, Texas.

The incident, which occurred about 100 miles southeast of San Antonio, unfolded as heavy storms dumped rain across the region, rapidly turning roadways dangerous.

According to police, the sudden downpour overwhelmed a low-water crossing, catching a vehicle as it entered the crossing.

"Recently, officers and firefighters responded after a vehicle drove into a flooded creek crossing and began getting pushed by the rushing water," Beeville Police Department said in a Facebook post Saturday.

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Officials warned that conditions deteriorated within minutes, noting that fast-moving rain left no time for barricades to be placed before the vehicle arrived at the crossing.

A fire chief assisting at the scene had attempted to flag down the driver, who ultimately did not see the crew in time, police said.

Footage shows the vehicle becoming stranded as water levels rapidly rose, reaching up to the top of its wheels. An officer in the video can also be heard reporting that the car was being pushed toward a creek by the surging water.

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As crews assessed the situation, the driver was heard screaming to a nearby officer that a baby was inside the vehicle.

The responding officer then ran through the floodwaters, opened the door, and pulled out the carriage containing the infant.

After carrying the baby back to safety, another responder was seen quickly using a jacket to shield the child from the continuing rain.

TEXAS FLOOD SURVIVORS SHARE HARROWING STORIES, SEARCH CONTINUES FOR THOSE STILL MISSING

"Thankfully, nobody was hurt," police said, indicating that the driver was also safely rescued from the vehicle.

Beeville police used the video as a stark warning about the dangers of floodwaters, stressing that "what may look passable one minute can quickly become dangerous the next."

"It does not take much moving water to push a vehicle off the roadway, and by the time you realize how dangerous it is, it can already be too late," the department said.

"If barricades are up around a roadway or crossing, please do not drive around them. They are there for a reason. Going around barricades not only puts lives at risk, but it is also a criminal offense."

Drivers are urged to slow down during heavy rain and avoid flooded areas, including creek crossings and other low-lying roadways.

"No errand, shortcut, or destination is worth risking your life or your family’s safety," police added.

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FIRST ON FOX: SULLIVAN, ME – Democratic Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner declined to apologize both to voters and a Purple Heart recipient when asked by Fox News Digital about a deleted Reddit post where he said the wounded soldier "didn’t deserve to live."

Platner did not respond at first when asked outside a market near his home whether he regrets making the post, which Fox News Digital reported earlier this week showed him mocking a video of Pfc. Ted Daniels taken during a clash with Taliban fighters in 2012 that ended in Daniels being shot four times and being awarded a Purple Heart. 

"I did four tours in the infantry, any attempt to say that I disrespect veterans is slanderous and offensive," Platner said when asked follow-up questions about what he would say to any Maine voters who were offended by his post and if he should apologize to Daniels.

"Do you think you owe him an apology?" Fox News Digital asked again.

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"Do you know how many of my friends have Purple Hearts, do you know how many of my friends got wounded?" Platner responded, before adding, "yeah, a lot of them, thank you."

Platner, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, sparked significant outrage online this week over the resurfaced Reddit post critics have said shows a lack of respect for his fellow soldiers.

"This video never gets old," Platner posted in June 2019 using the Reddit account "P-Hustle," which he has acknowledged owning, in reference to a viral video from the helmet Daniels was wearing while taking enemy fire.

WATCH: COLLINS RIPS MAINE CHALLENGER PLATNER OVER RESURFACED REDDIT POST MOCKING WOUNDED US SOLDIER

"Dumb motherf-----  didn't deserve to live. At least his stupidity and fat a-- wheezing are available for all future infantrymen to witness and hold in contempt. Poor marksmanship on the Taliban's part is the only reason this mouthbreather made it home. He managed to make every possible s--- decision possible when it comes to small unit combat." 

Rob O’Neill, the U.S. Navy SEAL who is credited with killing Usama bin Laden, was one of many veterans to speak out in response to the post. 

"Mr. Platner was way out of line talking about a soldier that way," O’Neill  told Fox News Digital about the controversy on Thursday.

PLATNER’S BRUTAL ATTACKS ON ARMY SOLDIERS AS ‘FAT, LAZY’ REVEALED IN RESURFACED POSTS

"This is completely barbaric," O’Neill added. "I don't understand. If you swear an oath to the country, it doesn't even matter what the politics are. Every single time you fight it's for the man next to you, it’s for the person next to you. Politics goes out the window. And to wish ill on someone like that under fire is just, you know, like I said, it is the opposite of everything I've ever been raised to believe." 

Platner has previously leaned into his struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to explain the numerous incendiary social media posts that have surfaced since he announced his Senate run.

"For those of you who have read these things and been offended, have read these things and seen someone that you don’t recognize, I am deeply sorry," Platner said in October before the post about Daniels, and other posts disparaging the military, were public.

"I’m sorry for this. Just know that it’s not reflective at all of who I am. I don’t want you to judge me on the dumbest thing I ever wrote on the internet. I would prefer if people could judge me on the person I am today."

Daniels himself reacted to the post, telling Fox Business, "People like this don't say stuff like this to my face."

"It's online, and that right there tells me, Graham, you're a coward."

Platner became the Democrats' presumptive nominee after his rival for the nomination, two-term Gov. Janet Mills, ended her campaign last month after trailing Platner in polling and fundraising.

The Democratic Senate Primary in Maine will be held on June 9, where Platner will appear on the ballot alongside Democrat David Costello to earn the right to face off against incumbent Republican Sen. Susan Collins.

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As states across America prepare to celebrate 250 years as a country, one state is trying to find war heroes to commemorate them.

Historians believe around 7,000 Revolutionary War soldiers are buried throughout Ohio. After the American Revolution, thousands of soldiers were paid parcels of land for fighting in the war. 

Millions of those acres were in what is now, Ohio. As thousands of veterans moved westward for a new beginning, many settled there.

"These veterans are some of our first Ohioans to come to the state," said Krista Horrocks, the project manager, historian and cemetery preservationist with the Ohio History Connection. Horrocks oversees the state's program, Revolutionary War Veterans Graves Project, partnered with America250-Ohio. 

BEHIND THE SCENES: MEMORIAL DAY TRIBUTE

The project is seeking help from Ohio residents to locate the grave sites of Revolutionary War heroes.

"These guys, they survived, and they moved on, and they moved on and settled here in Ohio with their families," Horrocks said.

To date, the public has documented over 4,100 soldiers throughout the state of Ohio. The deadline is Memorial Day. 

Horrocks knows they will not hit the 7,000 mark "because some of them do have missing grave sites," but the app Survey123 can help get as close to that goal as possible.

Survey123 lists the surveys related to the project and allows users to search in local cemeteries, according to Horrocks. The app can be downloaded on any mobile device.

HONORING FALLEN VETERANS: MEMORIAL DAY

When locating veterans' graves, people can also look up cemeteries with documented Revolutionary War heroes. Once an undocumented grave is located in the app, users can answer a slew of questions related to the cemetery. This includes name, date of birth, date of death and pictures.

Several cemeteries around the state are also doing their part. 

AMERICA 250: CODE TALKERS

"We've had various lists submitted to us over the years of, 'this may be a list of Revolutionary War veterans, or this may be a list'," said Randy Rogers, Executive Director of Green Lawn Cemetery, which he added is the second-largest cemetery in the state of Ohio.

While Green Lawn was established in 1848 – well after the Revolutionary War – Rogers says many families brought their relatives over from other cemeteries. He said other cemeteries closed in the city as the city of Columbus grew. 

As the Memorial Day deadline approaches, Rogers said they have documented nine Revolutionary War heroes on the app for the state project. Though he has identified thirteen, he said the hunt for these veterans can get complicated.

"You know, families take a lot of pride in their veteran and their patriot ancestors," Rogers said. "They may have a marker on the family lot, even though they're buried somewhere else, and they have a headstone somewhere else, but they just have a marker here." 

The group plans to compile a list of the found Revolutionary War veteran graves and post it for the public. Horrocks hopes the end result will mean restored or new historical markers, or gravestones for these heroes that were once forgotten. 

"The whole point of the project is to get really good, accurate data to the public so they can do the best for the veterans in their community," Horrocks told Fox News.

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As millions of soccer fans prepare to travel across North America for the FIFA World Cup, businesses in host cities are already preparing for an international rush of customers.

In Kansas City, one iconic barbecue restaurant expects fans from around the world to line up for burnt ends, brisket and its famous Z Man sandwich between matches.

Joe's Kansas City Bar-B-Que, located inside a former gas station in Kansas City, Kansas, has become one of the city’s best known food destinations.

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Restaurant leaders say many visitors traveling from all over make the BBQ joint a "must stop" on their trip.

"We’ll have people who show up, get dropped off by Uber, put their bags behind the counter over there and enjoy," said Victor Brummel, general manager at Joe’s Kansas City Bar-B-Que gas station location.

The FIFA World Cup is expected to draw millions of visitors across the United States, Canada and Mexico, with many fans traveling between multiple host cities during the tournament. Kansas City will host six matches, including a quarterfinal.

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Joe’s said it is already preparing for one of the busiest stretches in the restaurant’s history.

"We are doing a total of 185 slabs of ribs today," one staff member said during a tour of the restaurant’s smokehouse. "For World Cup, for instance, where we’re going to prep probably 400 at each location."

The restaurant also plans to open on Sundays during World Cup games.

"The only thing that’s gotten us to open on Sundays before this is Patrick Mahomes and the Super Bowl," Brummel said.

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Along with adding staff and increasing food production, Joe’s is also opening another similar restaurant across the street ahead of the tournament. 

Customers already visiting the restaurant say it is a can't-miss destination for anyone coming to Kansas City.

The tournament opens in Mexico City on June 11 and will feature matches across 16 host cities in the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

This is the largest World Cup ever with 48 teams and 104 matches.

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A suspected drug smuggler was arrested off the coast of California this week after federal agents discovered $6.4 million worth of cocaine aboard an oil tanker destined for a Mexican drug cartel.

Ceasar Tubay Gelacio Jr., 43, of the Philippines, was charged with importation of a controlled substance, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California announced.

Officials said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the U.S. Coast Guard conducted a joint operation Thursday aboard the Motor Tanker Aquatravesia, a crude oil tanker docked at the Port of Los Angeles.

A Coast Guard narcotics detection canine alerted authorities to suspected contraband, and investigators later confirmed the cargo contained 500 pounds of cocaine worth approximately $6.4 million, according to the Department of Homeland Security.

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"This operation highlights Homeland Security Investigations’ unwavering commitment to combating transnational crime and safeguarding the United States from illicit narcotics," HSI Los Angeles Special Agent in Charge Eddy Wang said in a statement.

"HSI’s swift response and investigative expertise were instrumental in identifying and seizing over 226 kilograms of cocaine destined for our communities," Wang continued. "We remain dedicated to pursuing those who attempt to exploit our ports and transportation systems, and to working with our partners to disrupt criminal organizations that threaten public safety."

Capt. Stacey Crecy, sector commander for Coast Guard Sector Los Angeles-Long Beach, called the seizure a "testament to the coordinated efforts" of DHS agencies working to dismantle drug-smuggling operations.

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"Through stellar coordination, we effectively detained the suspect and removed the contraband from the vessel to protect the maritime transportation system and facilitate commerce as quickly as possible," Crecy said.

According to an affidavit filed in the case, authorities received information that the Greek-owned, Liberian-flagged Aquatravesia, which last departed from Ecuador, was traveling to the United States carrying a large shipment of drugs intended for a Mexican cartel.

Crew members allegedly discovered numerous packages hidden inside the ship’s garbage room that were believed to contain narcotics, according to the affidavit.

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Prosecutors said the ship’s captain interviewed crew members and learned the drugs allegedly belonged to Gelacio. The captain then moved the narcotics to another part of the vessel.

While the Aquatravesia was still in Mexican waters, the captain was allegedly told cartel members would be waiting roughly 80 nautical miles offshore on the evening of May 14 and the early morning of May 15 to retrieve the drugs, according to the complaint.

If the narcotics were not delivered, additional boats would allegedly intercept the vessel in Mexican waters and recover the contraband.

$20M WORTH OF COCAINE, MARIJUANA INTERCEPTED BY COAST GUARD

Prosecutors also said the captain received radio calls from cartel members attempting to communicate with the Aquatravesia before boarding or seizing the vessel.

U.S. authorities directed the tanker to continue to the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, where law enforcement boarded the vessel Thursday.

Authorities allege Gelacio received the narcotics in Ecuador and intended to distribute them to another party while the ship traveled near Mexico.

If convicted, Gelacio faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.

DHS said two additional individuals were also taken into custody in connection with the operation.

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