Behind the News

SOME SEE THE ANNUAL U.S. NEWS & World Report rankings as a necessary evil. Students and parents are naturally attracted to those schools that make the top of the list, so schools do what they can to boost their rank. But as educators have argued for years, the rankings have little value in the real world. A few have already stopped participating in the annual survey. Reed College (Ore.) stopped playing the rankings game 12 years ago, and continues to receive top quality applicants.

The state that was home to a high-profile affirmative action triumph in 2003 is now home to a ban against race- and gender-based preferences.

A University of Kansas professor who drew national protest over a proposed religion course says he was forced to step down as chairman of the Department of Religious Studies, adding more fuel to an already emotionally fired story.

"The university penalized me and denied me my constitutionally protected right to speak and express my mind," Paul Mirecki said in a written statement.