Head Start programs prepare to close as shutdown continues

Here & Now Anytime

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4.1 • 953 Ratings

🗓️ 23 October 2025

⏱️ 26 minutes

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Summary

The early childhood program Head Start is facing a cutoff of federal funding at the end of the month because of the government shutdown. Some Head Start educators are already working without pay, other programs are preparing to close. We speak with a teacher and her director based in Tallahassee, Florida.

Then, President Trump is putting new sanctions on Russia's oil industry in an effort to pressure Russia to end the war in Ukraine. Georgetown University professor Jill Marie Dougherty joins us.

And, next week an independent United Nations commission will present to the UN General Assembly the findings of a recent investigation that found Israel has committed genocide in Gaza. Israel denies the allegations and refutes the report. We speak with one of the report's authors, Chris Sidoti.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Support for this podcast comes from Is Business Broken,
0:03.6	a podcast from BU's Mayrotra Institute that explores questions like,
0:08.3	why are executives paid so much?
0:11.0	Do they deserve it?
0:12.2	Listen wherever you get your podcasts.
0:16.2	WBUR Podcasts, Boston.
0:21.8	End the shutdown. we need money fast to take care of our low-income children and families,
0:28.2	and also to take care of our staff around the country.
0:32.3	Head Start programs for kids are getting ready to close because of the government shutdown,
0:37.2	and some teachers are already showing up to work without pay.
0:42.0	It's Thursday, October 23rd, and this is here and now anytime from NPR and WBUR. I'm Chris Bentley.
1:12.6	Today on the show, President Trump's, quote, tremendous sanctions on Russian oil reportedly came as a surprise to Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has been trying to influence the U.S. on potential ceasefire negotiations in Ukraine. Also, we'll hear from one of the United Nations commissioners behind a report
1:18.7	that says Israel has committed genocide in Gaza. Israeli intelligence is very good. The Israeli
1:24.7	military can be very precise when they want to be, but these tactics
1:28.6	weren't pursued in Gaza. That conversation coming up in about 15 minutes. But first,
1:36.3	tens of thousands of low-income children across the country who rely on head start for meals,
1:42.9	health screenings, and early childhood education
1:45.2	are about to feel the pain of the government shutdown.
1:49.5	Head Start relies on federal funds to operate.
1:52.7	Some locations are already telling families that they're going to have to temporarily close,
1:57.0	starting Monday, if the government doesn't reopen.
2:00.6	Shannon Perkins is a lead teacher at the Louise B. Royal Head Start Center in Tallahassee, Florida.
	...

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