Alma mater condemns Giuliani

In the eleventh hour of the Trump presidency, many higher education institutions are rescinding honorary degrees or taking other actions against the president and his inner circle — especially in the wake of the pro-Trump riot that stormed the Capitol building Jan. 6.

And the day after the insurrection, Manhattan College stood among them.

College president Brennan O’Donnell sent a campus-wide email standing against the attack itself, calling it “as ugly and shameful as it was illegal.”

But in the process, O’Donnell wrote a scathing condemnation of one of the college’s more well-known alumni — Rudy Giuliani.

While the college’s connection to Giuliani might have been a crown jewel in the years immediately following the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks — during which Giuliani was mayor — that sentiment is all but gone now. That’s following his continued alliance with the Trump administration, as well as his attempt to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.

“Sadly, one of the loudest voices fueling the anger, hatred and violence that spilled out yesterday is a graduate of our college, Rudolph Giuliani,” O’Donnell wrote. “His conduct as a leader of the campaign to delegitimize the election and disenfranchise millions of voters has been, and continues to be, a repudiation of the deepest values of his alma mater.”

DOE launches ‘Parent University’

The coronavirus pandemic’s impact on in-person learning has been a difficult road for most involved — including children and parents. But the city’s education department hopes it can provide some support and tips for parents navigating this difficult academic year.

Schools chancellor Richard Carranza announced the launch of Parent University — an online platform of workshops, live events and activities. The program is free with registration, and already has more than 95 courses available to browse, ranging from how to provide academic help for children to preparing for parent association elections.

The platform also is available in multiple languages, and is intended to provide news and updates on school closures, reopenings and other information.

“Now more than ever, it is critically important that we find creative new ways to lift up our families and strengthen our communities — and that’s what Parent University is all about,” Carranza wrote in a recent op-ed piece. “This crisis has demanded so much flexibility and patience from you, and we are here to meet you where you are. Our commitment is to empower parents as partners throughout the learning journey.”

Parent University is available at ParentU.schools.nyc.