#Equity

A newly released study finds that as heat worsens across the United States, Americans are reaching for more sugary beverages and, to a lesser extent, frozen desserts. The working thesis is simple but unsettling: climate change is not only warming the planet; it is nudging what people drink and how much sugar they consume. The researchers estimate the heat-related bump in added sugar translates to more than 100 million pounds of sugar each year, a shift that could compound health risks like obesity and diabetes, especially for communities already facing greater health disadvantages. The findings, drawn from weather data matched with consumer purchasing patterns across tens of thousands of households from 2004 to 2019, suggest a clear pattern: when temperatures rise, thirst and caloric sweetness follow, until it becomes uncomfortably hot and appetite for sugary foods wanes. Yet the overall trajectory is a stark reminder that climate-driven behavioral changes can have measurable consequences for public health.

Comprehensive new research examining academic performance across public and private educational institutions reveals a nuanced landscape that challenges conventional assumptions about school choice effectiveness, with findings that carry significant implications for Thailand’s ongoing education reform debates. This groundbreaking analysis of standardized test results demonstrates that private school advantages vary dramatically based on the quality and resources of surrounding public education systems, suggesting that simplistic comparisons between school types may mislead policymakers and families making crucial educational decisions.

A newly released investigation analyzing standardized test scores from Ohio’s schools reveals sharp contrasts between public and private institutions—findings that may influence similar policy discussions and education choices in Thailand. Amid a massive expansion of Ohio’s school voucher program, the study presents key insights on how private schools perform compared to their public counterparts, prompting questions about the value of “school choice” and its implications for educational equity.

Recent changes by Ohio lawmakers have dramatically broadened the eligibility of families to receive publicly funded vouchers, enabling more students to enroll in private schools at the state’s expense. This legislative shift has driven voucher spending to nearly $1 billion annually according to Dayton Daily News. The effect is twofold: families now enjoy greater school choice, but clear, comparative data guiding these pivotal decisions remains limited.

A new, comprehensive study analyzes academic performance across public and private schools and finds that the benefits of private education are not universal. Instead, advantages shift based on the quality of surrounding public schools. For Thai readers, the findings offer important lessons for ongoing education reform and policy design.

Researchers collected data from diverse regions to compare performance in core subjects like English and mathematics. The work aims to give families solid, objective information amid growing voucher programs and school-choice discussions. Using careful statistical controls, the study accounts for variables such as demographics, resources, and school selection effects that often complicate comparisons.

A recently published article in The Atlantic has put a spotlight on what social scientists, educators, and families around the world are increasingly calling the “default parent” problem—a persistent societal bias where mothers are treated as the primary caregiver by default, regardless of the actual family arrangement or parental wishes. Grounded in new research and illustrated by repeated real-life stories, this phenomenon persists in households, schools, clinics, and even airline cabins, with broad implications for work-life balance, gender equality, and family well-being.

A recent Atlantic feature shines a light on the “default parent” problem — the default expectation that mothers are the primary caregiver. This bias persists across homes, schools, clinics, and workplaces, shaping work-life balance and gender equality worldwide, including in Thailand.

For Thai readers, the phenomenon feels familiar. School forms often list mothers as emergency contacts, doctors reach out chiefly to mothers, and fathers who are primary caregivers are still treated as exceptions. Despite rising dual-income households and greater father involvement, the expectation that mothers coordinate daily child care remains deeply rooted. This dynamic adds emotional labor for mothers and obscures active father participation.