The teacher pay penalty, Meta's major settlement, and a footwear flop

Public school teachers currently earn 74.8 cents for every dollar made by comparable college graduates, a record pay disparity that complicates recruitment and retention efforts. Meanwhile, Meta has agreed to a landmark settlement involving 47 states, requiring the company to implement stricter age verification and default screen time limits of two hours for teenagers to mitigate potential harms from social media features. In the retail sector, Dick's Sporting Goods faces significant stock volatility as consumers shift away from traditional lifestyle sneakers, prompting the company to discount classic footwear like Nike Air Force Ones. These developments highlight broader economic trends, ranging from the systemic devaluation of educational labor to the increasing regulatory scrutiny of digital platforms and the changing consumption patterns in the athletic apparel market.