Man who killed Ahmaud Arbery gets life sentence for hate crime
Travis McMichael, the white man who fatally shot Ahmaud Arbery after chasing the 25-year-old Black man in a Georgia neighborhood, has been sentenced to life in prison for committing a federal hate crime. McMichael had already been sentenced to life without parole earlier this year for the 2020 murder.
news.yahoo.comBomb threats target multiple U.S. schools for second consecutive day
For the second day in a row, several historically Black colleges and universities in the U.S. received bomb threats and were forced to cancel classes or tell students to shelter in place. CBS News chief Justice and Homeland Security correspondent Jeff Pegues reports from Washington. Then A. Zachary Faison, Jr., the president and CEO of Edward Waters University, one of the schools that received a threat, joins CBS News' Jericka Duncan and Tanya Rivero to discuss the situation.
news.yahoo.comUganda's schools reopen, ending world's longest lockdown
The reopening caused traffic congestion in some areas of the capital, Kampala, and students can be seen carrying their mattresses in the streets, a back-to-boarding school phenomenon not witnessed here for nearly two years. Uganda’s schools have been fully or partially shut for more than 83 weeks, the world's longest disruption, according to figures from the U.N. cultural agency.
news.yahoo.comMore CPS students sign up for in-person learning but still no high school return date set; district sets pre-Labor Day opening for next fall
Similarly sized schools with more than 67% opting in would default to the two-day model. Schools with more than 1,000 students and fewer than 67% opting in could use the two- or four- day model, depending on space limitations. If more than 67% of students at large schools opted in, they could use the two-day model if space permitted but would have to use the one-day model if space was limited.
chicagotribune.comHuge crowd gathers in Naperville for rally demanding full return to in-person classes: ‘All we’re asking for is an option’
“We’ve got to get our schools reopened,” Vallas said. “We’ve got to allow parents the option of continuing to have their children learn remote. But there’s no reason with what we pay on schools in this country ... schools have been closed for close to 12 months. How are we spending our money?”
chicagotribune.comLos Angeles schools and teacher's union reach tentative deal to start reopening in April
Los Angeles schools and teacher's union reach tentative deal to start reopening in April The deal between the Los Angeles Unified School District and the teacher's union was announced as the district was facing growing pressure from parents to reopen soon. Carter Evans spoke to an LAUSD mom who filed a class-action lawsuit against the district and the teacher's union claiming students were losing 17 to 19.5 hours of instruction time every week.
cbsnews.comU.N. uses empty desks of "Pandemic Classroom" in call on nations to end "very worrying" COVID school closures
In the Rose Garden of the U.N. campus in Manhattan, the "Pandemic Classroom" exhibit was unveiled on Tuesday evening to highlight what U.N. children's education agency UNICEF calls the "COVID-19 education crisis." "With every day that goes by, these children will fall further behind and the most vulnerable will pay the heaviest price." School desks are setup as part of a UNICEF 'Pandemic Classroom,' each seat representing one million children living in countries where schools have been entirely closed for almost a year, outside the UN Headquarters in New York on March 2, 2021. "We are increasingly seeing some very worrying evidence of the implication of protection-related concerns of schools being closed. The U.N.'s education and cultural agency, UNESCO, which contributed to the UNICEF report, says 888 million children worldwide continue to face disruptions to their education because of full and partial school closures.
cbsnews.comDeal reached to get California children back in classrooms
(AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, File)SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The majority of California's 6.1 million public school students could be back in the classroom by April under new legislation announced Monday by Gov. Most students in the nation's most populous state have been learning from home for the past year during the pandemic. Instead, the state would set aside $2 billion to pay districts that get select groups of students into classrooms by the end of the month. Crucially, the legislation does not require districts to have an agreement with teachers' unions on a plan for in-person instruction. Districts that fail to have children back in classrooms before May 15 won’t get any money.
CPS opens its schools Monday to the most students since last March. Is it ready? Some principals say schools lack staff to resume in-person classes safely.
“One of the major problems, however, is that schools cannot implement the proper mitigation strategies if they don’t have the staff to implement them. Most schools don’t even have the staff to implement a decent instructional program,” he continued. “For example, tens of thousands of students are going to return to so-called in-person learning, only to sit in the classroom to look at the screen so they can learn from a teacher who is teaching from home, and the CEO and the mayor are not mentioning that extremely important fact when they talk to the public about reopening, which puts principals in a horrendous situation with parents when their children’s experience in so-called in-person learning doesn’t match the expectations.”
chicagotribune.comExpert on expanding COVID-19 vaccine access and reopening schools
Expert on expanding COVID-19 vaccine access and reopening schools The Biden administration is promising enough coronavirus vaccine doses will be available for all Americans by the end of July. CBSN's Tanya Rivero spoke with John Moore, professor of microbiology and immunology at Weill Cornell Medical College, about how realistic these expectations are and steps schools can take to reopen safely.
cbsnews.comBillboards by teachers union send message about ongoing disagreement with Broward superintendent
The Broward Teachers Union put up two billboards to bring awareness of their disagreement with school superintendent over forcing teachers back to the classroom who may be at risk for COVID-19. BROWARD COUNTY, Fla. – They are continuing their fight against Broward Superintendent Robert Runcie’s directive that all teachers must be back in the classroom. As a follow up with their delivery of thousands of pairs of flip flops to community and business leaders earlier this week, the Broward Teachers Union posted two billboards that asks the question: “School Superintendent Robert Runcie? AdAccording to the superintendent, Broward Schools has allowed more than 600 teachers with underlying health issues to remain teaching online. The billboards point drivers to sign a petition at protectourteachers.net that asks the superintendent to protect medically high risk teachers by continuing to let them teach from home.
Back-to-school comes Monday for in-person learning in Miami-Dade County
HIALEAH, Fla. – Miami-Dade brick-and-mortar schools are opening their doors Monday to some students. The students who will return to in-person learning Monday in Miami-Dade County public schools will be those in Pre-K, kindergarten and first grade, along with students with special needs. “We’ve been in schooling since Aug. 31, but tomorrow, Oct. 5, will be the first day of physical schooling,” Miami-Dade Public Schools Superintendent Alberto Carvalho said Sunday outside of Hialeah Elementary School. But school board member Marta Perez tells Local 10 that the schools are ready to go, despite a sooner-than-expected return. It was Tuesday when the Miami-Dade School Board had to quickly pivot, voting to reopen physical classrooms on Oct. 5 instead of Oct. 14 - a plan that had already been voted on and approved.
U.S. Secret Service joining investigation of Miami-Dade schools’ cyber attack
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – Miami Dade School Board met Wednesday to discuss the cyber attacks and other slowdowns that have been plaguing the district since it began its online learning platform Monday. The Federal Bureau of Investigation told Local 10 they are assisting Miami-Dade Schools Police. “It’s something we have never dealt with, not only internally, but our local law enforcement partners haven’t either,” Commander Edwin Lopez, Miami-Dade School Police, said. School board member and Vice Chair Steve Gallon said the online experience was an utter failure. There were also questions about the K-12 online platform itself and the $15.3 million contract.
Face masks required: Not in all U.S. schools, but it’s happening in Spain
MADRID – Masks will be mandatory for all students in Spain, ages 6 or older, when returning to schools in September because of increased coronavirus cases, the government announced Thursday. Previously, masks were only required for students above age 12 by some Spanish regions. Students will receive a daily body temperature check, must wash hands at least five times per day and classrooms will need frequent ventilation, the government said. That allows localized quarantines if there’s a positive test, rather than closing entire schools. Parents and teachers have expressed concern, with new waves of outbreaks since the country emerged from a strict lockdown.
Weston kindergarten teacher says new-normal learning a difficult adjustment
WESTON, Fla. – It’s been a week since Broward County School have gone back to school — virtually for now because of COVID-19. "I don't think I've ever cried this much as I have during this situation," Shannon Martinez, Gator Run Elementary School Teacher, said. [RELATED: Facebook Live Town Hall with Broward Schools, Wednesday, 6 p.m. Click here to join.] In Broward County, superintendent Robert Runcie said that district will revisit in-class learning after Labor Day. There was an enrollment decrease in Broward County Schools by about 7,600 students this school year.
Miami-Dade schools taking threat of child predators online seriously
It comes as federal agents are warning parents that more kids on-line increases the risk of savvy cyber-child predators having access to children. With children as young as 5-years-old now online to get a virtual education, the district should provide a warning to students, Karp said. These topics are organized into 4 main categories:Connecting Virtually: information related to devices and connectivity, student email accounts, My School Online, Digital Citizenship and Cyber Safety. Each module will indicate whether it is to be viewed by students, parents, or both together. Modules will be made available in English, Spanish, and Haitian Creole via the Week of Welcome website at www.miamiweekofwelcome.com.
A nationwide look: What’s happening at schools across the country?
Meanwhile, the largest district in the state that’s currently offering face-to-face instruction has now quarantined more than 1,150 students because of possible coronavirus exposure. According to numbers released Wednesday, around 70 students and staff members in the Cherokee County district have tested positive for COVID-19. Washington stateSeattle schools to start with remote teachingThe Seattle school board has voted unanimously to begin the academic year with remote teaching only. The Seattle Times reported the state’s largest school district approved the plan Wednesday. The remote learning plan passed with a wide-ranging amendment from school board members that directs the superintendent to explore creating outdoor classes.
Facing uncertain fall, schools make flexible reopening plans
A sign alongside a playground at Hanna Woods Elementary School in the Parkway School District in suburban St. Louis indicates that the playground is closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, Saturday, July 18, 2020. Parkway has formulated a flexible plan to reopen schools when the fall semester begins Aug. 24. Just how bad the virus is at the time will determine if schools open completely, if they mix online and in-person classes, or if they are forced to go strictly virtual. (AP Photo/Jim Salter)
DeVos issues rule steering more virus aid to private schools
That's how funding is shared with private schools under other federal rules that Congress referenced in the legislation creating the relief aid. In Louisiana, for example, private schools are estimated to get at least 267% more under DeVos' formula. DeVos said urgent action was needed after dozens of private schools permanently closed as a result of the pandemic. Democrats and public school officials condemned the rule, saying it gives private schools a disproportionate share of the aid. DeVos has been accused of bending the formula to benefit the private schools she has championed.
Miami-Dade schools prepares for reopening with spaced-out seating during pandemic
MIAMI – Superintendent Alberto Carvalho said Friday Miami-Dade County Public Schools is preparing to follow the new guidelines released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention during the coronavirus pandemic. CDC Guidelines for School (CDC Guidelines for School)District employees will be testing students’ temperatures before they are allowed into the bus and school, Carvalho said. During the Recover phase, the district will be holding virtual Summer School from June 8 to July 10. During the Restart phase, students who demonstrate low levels of academic performance, as well as students with learning disabilities and English language learners would return to school on July 27. For more updates from Miami-Dade County Public Schools, visit this page.
Physical return to school ‘unlikely’ and ‘imprudent’ superintendent says
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – Miami-Dade County’s public schools are planning to finish the school year remotely. Superintendent Alberto Carvalho shared the decision on social media Wednesday afternoon, tweeting:“This year’s last day of school for students is June 3rd. A physical return to schools this year is not only unlikely but imprudent.”This year's last day of school for students is June 3rd. A physical return to schools this year is not only unlikely but imprudent. Palm Beach County announced Wednesday that its public schools will hold virtual graduation ceremonies that will be aired on television and streamed online.
Campus guards are still at work, protecting empty schools. Some don’t want to be.
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Pete Perez is a campus monitor at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, and he’s one of the many non-instructional Broward school district employees who was told it’s time to go back to work. “They’re playing Russian Roulette with our lives.”On Tuesday, the district sent us a statement that said only essential staff who can’t work remotely have been called in. Local 10 News has learned that campus monitors have been told to report to the schools where they work, stay in their cars, and observe and report anything they see. And, because he has diabetes and is more at risk, he feels unsafe going into work at all. On Wednesday afternoon, the unions representing school district employees had a phone call with Superintendent Robert Runcie and gave him a list of questions.
Should you worry that your child’s school isn’t stocked with hygiene supplies?
The school where she works, Broward High School, she says, is short on supplies needed to keep students healthy. But Miami-Dade County Public School District Superintendent Alberto M. Carvalho was willing to go on camera to clear up any concerns about the hygiene supplies in his district. Attending an awards event at Felix Varela High School, Carvalho said, “Every school has hand towels, hand sanitizers, soap available to them.”He said each time he is at a school, he checks for himself to see if facilities have adequate supplies. “It’s not acceptable that a single restroom in our school district is not appropriately stocked because the schools certainly have what they need. “The District is reviewing the quantity of hygiene supplies on hand to ensure all schools are adequately stocked.
3 students injured when storms break through school gym
SAMPSON COUNTY, N.C. – Wild video shows the moment a severe storm blew through a school gym in North Carolina on Monday, injuring three students. The back part of the Union Intermediate Elementary School gym can be seen falling down as about 25 children ran the other way to safety. As the students ran, bricks and wooden beams began to fall. The injured children were taken to the hospital with undisclosed injuries, although they are expected to be fine, WTVD reports. “What a blessing it is that only three students were injured and those three students are going to be okay,” said school spokesperson Wendy Cabral.