Wednesday, September 10, 2025

This is The Briefing, a daily analysis of news and events from a Christian worldview. On today’s edition of The Briefing, Dr. Mohler discusses new economics research supporting the priority of two-parent families, encouraging results from a change in divorce law in Kentucky, the plummeting educational scores of 12th graders in the U.S., and the murder of Iryna Zarutska. Part I (00:14 – 10:01) Children Should Have the Advantage of a Mother and Father: Economists Point to New Research Supporting the Priority of the Two-Parent Family ZIP Code Is Destiny? Turns Out That’s Bunk by The Wall Street Journal (James J. Heckman and Sadegh Eshaghnia) Part II (10:01 – 15:23) A Divorce Law with Encouraging Results: Equal Custody Laws are Leading to Fewer Divorces in Kentucky Divorce Plunged in Kentucky. Equal Custody for Fathers Is a Big Reason Why. by The Wall Street Journal (Rachel Wolfe) Part III (15:23 – 19:18) 12th Grade Educational Scores in the U.S. are Plummeting: Our Educational System is Broken, and Our Children are Showing It Reading Skills of 12th Graders Hit a New Low by The New York Times (Dana Goldstein) Twelfth-Grade Math and Reading Scores in U.S. Hit New Low by The Wall Street Journal (Matt Barnum) Part IV (19:18 – 26:24) Sympathy for the Murderer?