https://www.texastribune.org/about/staff/ikram-mohamed/The latest news by Ikram Mohamed.enFri, 03 May 2024 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/05/03/ut-austin-finals-protest-fallout/Many students participating in pro-Palestinian demonstrations fear their involvement might affect their plans for after college.By Sneha Dey and Ikram MohamedFri, 03 May 2024 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/05/03/ut-austin-finals-protest-fallout/Protesters chant at Texas Department of Public Safety troopers during a pro-Palestinian demonstration on April 24 at the University of Texas in Austin.Protestors chant at Texas Department of Public Safety troopers as they begin to push students towards Guadalupe Street from the South Lawn during a demonstration in support of Palestine Wednesday, April 24, 2024, at the University of Texas in Austin.Eli Hartman/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/04/29/university-texas-pro-palestinian-protest-arrest/The arrests mark the second time in less than a week that police have broken up a pro-Palestinian demonstration. This time protesters tried to set up an encampment on campus.By Ikram Mohamed, Pooja Salhotra, Stephen Simpson, Julius Shieh and William MelhadoMon, 29 Apr 2024 14:42:38 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/04/29/university-texas-pro-palestinian-protest-arrest/Texas Department of Public Safety troopers surround a pro-Palestinian encampment on the University of Texas at Austin campus on Monday, April 29, 2024.Texas department of Public Safety troopers surround a pro-Palestinian encampment on the University of Texas at Austin campus on Monday, April 29, 2024.Julius Shieh for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/04/25/ut-austin-palestine-protest-fallout/President Jay Hartzell defended the response but faculty criticized the presence of armed state troopers. Fifty-seven people were arrested.By Robert Downen, Ikram Mohamed and William MelhadoThu, 25 Apr 2024 11:02:57 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/04/25/ut-austin-palestine-protest-fallout/Protesters link arms at the University of Texas at Austin during a pro-Palestine demonstration on April 24, 2024.Protesters link arms on the campus of UT-Austin on April 24, 2024.Julius Shieh for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/04/24/ut-austin-israel-hamas-war-palestine-student-arrests/Gov. Greg Abbott expressed support for the arrests, which come amid tensions on college campuses across the country over the Israel-Hamas war.By Sneha Dey, Ikram Mohamed, Annie Xia and William MelhadoWed, 24 Apr 2024 13:22:07 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/04/24/ut-austin-israel-hamas-war-palestine-student-arrests/Protesters on Wednesday during a student demonstration in support of Palestinians at the University of Texas at Austin campus.Julius Shieh/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/03/06/idea-schools-conservatorship-texas/The state had been investigating IDEA Public Schools since 2021 and raised questions on its spending on things like a luxury driver and private jet.By Ikram MohamedWed, 06 Mar 2024 18:19:43 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/03/06/idea-schools-conservatorship-texas/The San Juan Idea Public Schools on Nov. 23, 2010, in San Juan.The San Juan Idea Public Schools on Nov. 23, 2010, in San Juan.Joel Martinezhttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/03/04/faith-public-life-we-the-texans/During a conversation hosted in Houston by The Texas Tribune, panelists talked about the importance of building bridges among different faiths despite politics often causing divisions within institutions.By Ikram MohamedMon, 04 Mar 2024 13:19:07 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/03/04/faith-public-life-we-the-texans/In this Texas Tribune conversation, which is part of our “We the Texans” project looking at the state of democracy in Texas, we’ll talk with faith leaders about improving their communities, getting past the daily vitriol we hear in public discourse and what guidance they give to people who are losing faith in our systems and institutions.Alfredo Palacios/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/02/27/texas-tech-land-donation/The property is currently an observatory surrounded by open land. System officials say they’ll use it for agricultural research and other opportunities.By Ikram MohamedTue, 27 Feb 2024 10:00:00 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/02/27/texas-tech-land-donation/Fred Koch donated 6,000 acres of a vast Texas expanse known as "The Big Empty" to the Texas Tech University System.Fred Koch donated 6,000 acres of a vast Texas expanse known as "The Big Empty" to the Texas Tech University System.Courtesy of the 3 Rivers Foundationhttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/02/26/university-texas-austin-dei-ban-students/The new state law prohibits public universities from having diversity, equity and inclusion programs. Students say schools are overcorrecting.By Kate McGee and Ikram MohamedMon, 26 Feb 2024 05:00:00 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/02/26/university-texas-austin-dei-ban-students/Aaliyah Barlow helps to lead the Black Student Alliance meeting at the University of Texas at Austin on Feb. 19, 2024.Aaliyah Barlow helps to lead the Black Student Alliance meeting at the University of Texas at Austin on Feb. 19, 2024.Maria Crane/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/02/23/ken-paxton-sue-denton-isd-texas/The two principals encouraged colleagues to vote for candidates who oppose school vouchers.By Ikram MohamedFri, 23 Feb 2024 14:49:39 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/02/23/ken-paxton-sue-denton-isd-texas/Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton makes a statement to the press May 26, 2023.Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton makes a statement to the press May 26, 2023 a day before a scheduled impeachment vote in the Texas House in a long-running ethics complaint.Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/02/16/texas-marlin-isd-takeover/The transition at the Waco-area school district will shed light on how a democratically elected school board resumes control after a takeover.By Ikram MohamedFri, 16 Feb 2024 17:02:15 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/02/16/texas-marlin-isd-takeover/Texas Education Agency Commissioner of Education Mike Morath, far right, said Marlin ISD has made "substantial improvements" since the state took over the district in 2017. The process of returning control of the district to a locally elected school board has begun and is expected to conclude in 2026, the TEA said this week.Commissioner of Education Mike Morath, far right, answers questions from State Board of Education members during a hearing Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2023 at the William B Travis Building in Austin.Eli Hartman/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/02/06/texas-gop-primary-poll-school-vouchers-ken-paxton/In a University of Houston poll, nearly half also signaled they didn’t support Republican incumbents who voted to impeach Attorney General Ken Paxton.By Ikram MohamedTue, 06 Feb 2024 07:00:00 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/02/06/texas-gop-primary-poll-school-vouchers-ken-paxton/Public school students at Bonham Middle School in Odessa eat lunch in the cafeteria on Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023. In a poll, more than half of Texas GOP primary voters indicated they'd vote against lawmakers who opposed using public money to pay for private school tuition or home-schooling expenses.Bonham Middle School students eat lunch in the school’s cafeteria Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023 in Odessa.Eli Hartman/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/02/02/texas-relocating-businesses-jobs/From 2010 to 2019, the state generated more jobs than any other from transferring businesses, the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas found.By Ikram MohamedFri, 02 Feb 2024 17:53:29 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/02/02/texas-relocating-businesses-jobs/A view of downtown Dallas from a high-rise on Nov. 7, 2023.A view of downtown Dallas from The Tower Club on the 48th floor of the Santander Tower in downtown Dallas, on Nov. 07, 2023. Texas metros have a glut of vacant offices space driven by the rise of remote work, overbuilding and other factors during the pandemic. One option companies are doing to combat the changes, is to convert office space into residential housing.Ben Torres for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/01/31/texas-lawsuit-marijuana-decriminalization/Voters in Austin, San Marcos, Killeen, Elgin and Denton approved the policies in 2022. The attorney general said the ordinances are inconsistent with laws enacted by the Texas Legislature.By Ikram MohamedWed, 31 Jan 2024 18:19:15 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/01/31/texas-lawsuit-marijuana-decriminalization/https://www.texastribune.org/2024/01/19/rice-university-price-fixing-lawsuit/A 2022 lawsuit claims Rice and other universities schemed to inflate the cost of college for students seeking financial aid.By Ikram MohamedFri, 19 Jan 2024 17:37:25 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/01/19/rice-university-price-fixing-lawsuit/The Rice University campus in Houston on March 11, 2020.The Rice University campus in Houston on March 11, 2020.Annie Mulligan for The Texas Tribune