What's Happening

Health

Utah Might Tap Out on Fluoride

What's going on: The Beehive State is just a governor’s signature away from becoming the first state to ban fluoride — a mineral that’s been in US drinking water since the 1940s — from public water systems. Major health organizations (think: the American Academy of Pediatrics and the CDC) say that at our recommended levels, fluoride is safe to drink and protects teeth from cavities and decay. However, critics point to a recent JAMA Pediatrics study linking higher fluoride exposure to lower IQ in kids, though researchers didn't call for removing it. Meanwhile, the National Toxicity Program says there’s “insufficient data” to prove that CDC-approved fluoride levels harm IQ, and another study even found a slight IQ boost in kids drinking fluoridated water at recommended levels.

What it means: Though Utah is on the brink of making history, some cities have already taken similar steps. The anti-fluoride movement has real teeth lately, especially with Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. expressing skepticism. Most dentists and doctors aren’t smiling about this, since water fluoridation is largely considered one of the greatest public health achievements of the 20th century, with almost two-thirds of Americans drinking fluoridated water after 70 years of research. That's why this week's legislation was a kick in the teeth for one Utah dentist who worked in a community with non-fluoridated water. He said: “I’d have a patient come in without cavities or anything else like that, and I’d say, ’You didn’t grow up here.’… Because everybody here has lots of cavities!”

Related:  The First Measles Death in a Decade Is Reported From Texas Outbreak (NBC)

Legal

Supreme Court May Make It Easier for White Workers To Sue for Bias

What's going on: What does it take to prove workplace discrimination when you're part of the majority? That's the question the High Court weighed yesterday in a case brought by Marlean Ames, who says she faced sex discrimination at work for being straight. She sued Ohio officials in 2020, claiming she was treated unfairly after being passed over for two state jobs in favor of less-qualified gay candidates. Lower courts dismissed her case, saying she failed to meet the higher burden of proof required for plaintiffs from majority groups — known as the “background circumstances” standard. But most of the justices, including liberal-leaning ones, appeared receptive to Ames’s arguments and open to scrapping the rule so that all discrimination claims face the same legal test. The state contends Ames hasn’t provided solid proof of discrimination.

What it means: The court’s ruling (expected by summer) could lower the bar for workplace bias standards and pave the way for more lawsuits from white, straight, and male workers, who claim DEI policies have led to discrimination. An expert told The Washington Post that if the Supreme Court sides with Ames, “the flood of reverse discrimination claims will be like nothing we’ve ever seen.” In a friend-of-the-court brief, the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund argued that different legal standards for majority and minority groups are justified, given America’s history of inequality. They noted that Black and other minority groups have long faced systemic bias, while "reverse discrimination cases" have been rare.

Related: Trump’s EOs Could Dry Up Federal Funds for LGBTQ+ Violence Support Groups (The 19th)

Money

Spring Might Be Around the Corner but People Are Putting Their Credit on Ice

What's going on: America is the land of credit cards (so much so that the country’s collective debt is $1.21 trillion). But no matter how much people love their little plastic cards, many are taking to the internet to ask if now is the right time to freeze their credit. Unlike putting your card on hold or chopping it up with kitchen scissors, a credit freeze locks down your credit report, making it impossible for scammers to open accounts in your name. No one will be able to access your credit history or score, essentially putting your financial profile “in a vault and locking it up tight,” as one expert told Glamour. The best part? Doing it won’t hurt your credit score, the freeze can be lifted anytime in minutes, and it costs nothing.

What it means: The reason so many people are looking into freezing their credit is less shocking than your last credit card bill. Experts say the mass layoffs of federal workers (particularly at the Internal Revenue Services), plus the Trump administration ordering the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to essentially stop working, have left millions of Americans more vulnerable to fraud and data breaches. With less federal oversight, it's easier for bad actors to get their hands on sensitive information, like Social Security numbers, full names, and addresses. But politics aside, experts say freezing your credit is always a good idea in the age of hacks and data leaks. Just remember to lift the freeze before applying for a new credit card, loan, or mortgage.

Related: Here’s How To Freeze Your Credit With All Three Bureaus (CNBC)