thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-16--I'm A Teacher And I'm Terrified Of What Could Happen When Schools Reopen

In the last months of remote learning this spring , no matter how I set them up before my classes started , my 5- and 7-year-old daughters would inevitably make their way over to my computer screen , watching and listening as my class of ninth graders read from those journal entries or participated in discussions .
The discussions of school reopening seem to consider everyone but teachers and school staff .
I turn on CNN to find Betsy DeVos repeating the fact that children contract the virus at lower rates than adults .
But we can not talk about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ run the schools , teach at the schools and clean the schools , not to mention our cafeteria workers , bus drivers , our paraprofessionals , our related service providers and our administrative staff .
I ’ ve known schools were in trouble since I started teaching .
First-year teachers have the most trouble , because they are not used to the dysfunction , not used to having to make a recipe without the ingredients needed .
I often find myself mentoring new teachers and helping them through this , sitting in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hands .
It ’ s a hard thing to realize , I tell them , they don ’ t give us enough to succeed .
You just have to do the best you can .
“ This ” refers to things like supplies , or time , or a classroom where students can fit .
And then there ’ s everything they give us too much of : paperwork , varying skill levels within the same classroom , living breathing students with needs that exceed every ounce of what we can give them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , we know it ’ s not safe for schools to resume business as usual .
Social distancing guidelines have to be adhered to .
In New York City , where I teach , this means classes split into two or three groups that will meet on rotating schedules on alternating days .
But even with fewer students in the room at a time , how will teachers make sure that kids stay apart ?
That they keep wearing their masks ?
How will we pass out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forgotten them , or help students who need close-contact , one-on-one support ?
What will happen when a suddenly sick child vomits in the center of the classroom ?
Who will bring him or her to the nurse , who will clean up ?
Indoor dining has been deemed unsafe , yet students will be eating inside classrooms and buildings together .
My classroom windows only open a matter of inches , so how can we talk about proper ventilation ?
My heater already doesn ’ t work part of the winter ― @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that it doesn ’ t kick on .
What will that be like with windows open all year , even cracked ?
Who will be footing the bill when the hand sanitizer and Lysol wipes runs out ?
How many weeks will it be until the soap dispensers are filled with water ?
Teachers have always felt pressured to make up for the inevitable shortages of supplies and materials themselves , but now it will be life or death .
Surely , our city leaders — who emphasize over and over the importance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not fall into economic collapse ― understand this and are planning to help .
Someone , somewhere must be planning to help , right ?
Not the federal government , which has instead repeatedly threatened to cut funding .
Not the mayor of New York City , who just approved a $ 404 million budget cut to our school system — the same mayor who twiddled his thumbs for weeks instead of making the right decision to close our schools when community spread of COVID began in early March , which ultimately killed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and sickened thousands of others .
Not the chancellor of the city ’ s Department of Education , who announced the new system for alternating schedules without any mention of child care options for children when they are not in the classroom .
In fact , there has been no mention at all about child care support .
What are the options for parents like me , who have our own children in school ?
How will we manage their alternating schedules while we are expected to report to work every day ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ impossible this September : teach in person , masked and managing the safety of the students in front of them , without the supplies and ventilation and space and support we need , and at the same time , we will be expected to provide remote instruction to the students who are not in front of us .
For years , society has been able to sweep the dysfunction of our school systems under the rug — treating teachers as martyrs and “ heroes ” who like to work with the impossible and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Well , we aren ’ t martyrs and we aren ’ t heroes and we don ’ t want to be seen that way .
We are human beings who love our students , and we want to teach them with everything we have , short of risking our own well-being , our own health , our own sanity and our own lives .

Amy Mitchell via Getty Images
When I began teaching in 2006, I never imagined I’d be calling on students to share their journal entries while pouring bowls of cereal for my own children.
In the last months of remote learning this spring, no matter how I set them up before my classes started, my 5- and 7-year-old daughters would inevitably make their way over to my computer screen, watching and listening as my class of ninth graders read from those journal entries or participated in discussions.
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But while teaching from home with children at home was an enormous challenge, it pales in comparison to what seems to be coming.
Now, as districts begin to unveil plans to reopen schools in September — in the midst of an ongoing public health crisis — parents everywhere are being forced to make decisions so difficult that no answer seems right.
Here’s one thing we’ve recently learned as a society, during this pandemic: The economy depends on working parents, and working parents depend on schools. A big question remains: schools, teachers, students ― who can we depend on?
The discussions of school reopening seem to consider everyone but teachers and school staff. I turn on CNN to find Betsy DeVos repeating the fact that children contract the virus at lower rates than adults. But we cannot talk about schools without talking about the adults who run the schools, teach at the schools and clean the schools, not to mention our cafeteria workers, bus drivers, our paraprofessionals, our related service providers and our administrative staff.
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Of course we understand that working parents need to be able to go to work, but working teachers and other school staff also want to survive to make it home.
As teachers, our job is based on our ability to plan. Yet no one is making a plan to keep us safe.
I’ve known schools were in trouble since I started teaching. First-year teachers have the most trouble, because they are not used to the dysfunction, not used to having to make a recipe without the ingredients needed. I often find myself mentoring new teachers and helping them through this, sitting in a staff lounge as they cry over marker-stained hands. It’s a hard thing to realize, I tell them, they don’t give us enough to succeed. You just have to do the best you can.
“This” refers to things like supplies, or time, or a classroom where students can fit. And then there’s everything they give us too much of: paperwork, varying skill levels within the same classroom, living breathing students with needs that exceed every ounce of what we can give them.
The dysfunction and lack of support for our schools has always been there. But now, as schools consider their reopening plans for fall, it’s being brought to light like never before.
Given guidelines set out by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, we know it’s not safe for schools to resume business as usual. Social distancing guidelines have to be adhered to. In New York City, where I teach, this means classes split into two or three groups that will meet on rotating schedules on alternating days.
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But even with fewer students in the room at a time, how will teachers make sure that kids stay apart? That they keep wearing their masks? How will we pass out papers and pencils to kids who have forgotten them, or help students who need close-contact, one-on-one support?
What will happen when a suddenly sick child vomits in the center of the classroom? Who will bring him or her to the nurse, who will clean up? Indoor dining has been deemed unsafe, yet students will be eating inside classrooms and buildings together.
My classroom windows only open a matter of inches, so how can we talk about proper ventilation? My heater already doesn’t work part of the winter ― kids sit shivering in jackets on days that it doesn’t kick on. What will that be like with windows open all year, even cracked?
Who will be footing the bill when the hand sanitizer and Lysol wipes runs out? How many weeks will it be until the soap dispensers are filled with water? Teachers have always felt pressured to make up for the inevitable shortages of supplies and materials themselves, but now it will be life or death.
Temperature checks will be needed, as will extensive cleaning and more nurse support — many schools don’t have a nurse on the premises at all. We have an already-breaking school system, and now the COVID-19 crisis is stepping on its back.
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Surely, our city leaders — who emphasize over and over the importance of our schools opening in order to not fall into economic collapse ― understand this and are planning to help. Someone, somewhere must be planning to help, right?
Wrong.
Not the federal government, which has instead repeatedly threatened to cut funding. Not the mayor of New York City, who just approved a $404 million budget cut to our school system — the same mayor who twiddled his thumbs for weeks instead of making the right decision to close our schools when community spread of COVID began in early March, which ultimately killed 70 teachers in the following month, and sickened thousands of others. Not the chancellor of the city’s Department of Education, who announced the new system for alternating schedules without any mention of child care options for children when they are not in the classroom.
In fact, there has been no mention at all about child care support. What are the options for parents like me, who have our own children in school? How will we manage their alternating schedules while we are expected to report to work every day?
Teachers will be asked to do the impossible this September: teach in person, masked and managing the safety of the students in front of them, without the supplies and ventilation and space and support we need, and at the same time, we will be expected to provide remote instruction to the students who are not in front of us.
And our own children? Where will they be? On the days they are not in the classroom, who will care for them?
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What will I do? How can I do this?
I don’t think I can, and I know many of my colleagues feel the same.
Why isn’t the whole country fighting to fund education, when corporations are receiving billion-dollar bailouts? We need schools more than ever, so we need to act like it. Respect them. Care for them. Fund them.
For years, society has been able to sweep the dysfunction of our school systems under the rug — treating teachers as martyrs and “heroes” who like to work with the impossible and make magic out of a mess. Well, we aren’t martyrs and we aren’t heroes and we don’t want to be seen that way. We are human beings who love our students, and we want to teach them with everything we have, short of risking our own well-being, our own health, our own sanity and our own lives.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-16--How To Find The Workout You Actually Look Forward To Doing

For me , it was an actual marathon .
I was raised with a minimal , if not non-existent , relationship with exercise .
Running the New York City marathon in 2018 completely changed how I viewed strength , working out and “ fitness goals.
” My body carried me 26.2 ( sometimes sluggish ) whole freaking miles .
I marveled , maybe for the first time ever , at what being in touch and in tune with your body feels like without thinking about physical appearance .
“ Our culture frames fitness as a chore or punishment for something @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” she told me .
“ Part of the work is trial and error and making sure you final a modality that is at least mentally stimulating and interesting , but I think the most important part of getting your brain to kind of enjoy moving is the training of feeling strong.
” “ When you learn a new skill , it ’ s communicating to your brain , ‘ Strong people do this , I ’ m strong if I can do this , I can do hard things , ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s a reconditioning , and people really see a change in self-perception and confidence-boosting both in exercise and in daily life , seeing yourself in this stronger , more empowered way.
” Ariel Padilla is a New York City-based SoulCycle instructor who also hosts weekly virtual workouts .
He did not grow up with fitness .
He said he first attended a SoulCycle class ( which are both praised and sometimes mocked for some of their more spiritual components ) after his mother passed away in 2013 .
It was the connection he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coming back , and it ’ s what he said now keeps his loyal base of riders coming back .
“ The workout is one aspect of it , but I think what really matters is making someone feel seen and heard and remembered , ” Padilla said .
“ You remember someone ’ s name , you make someone feel singular in a pack of 65 people ― now there ’ s a relationship there.
” “ For me , it ’ s the music , ” he said .
“ Even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it , I have something to connect to outside my own physical pain .
I ’ m like , ‘ OK , this feels close to dancing , which I love .
Now I can think of catching rhythm.
’ ” Trying a new workout class can be intimidating no matter what the type , as Rodrick Covington , owner of Core Rhythm Fitness in New York ( offerings can be found online through Zoom ) , knows well .
His physical , mental and spiritual approach comes with a healthy dose of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pilates movements and pushing students to their best ability .
“ Last week I had a woman come to class for the first time , she emailed that she felt awful through the class , that her smile was fake , but that she felt amazing at the end , ” Covington said .
“ I could see she was nervous , but when people are intimidated I just encourage them to think of themselves as worthy ― they ’ re worth giving themselves the best , trying something new .
It ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ change you want to see in yourself , rewriting the narrative to where fitness is self love.
” “ Fitness to me like is church , it ’ s community , ” he said .
“ There are some churches where I wouldn ’ t be welcome as a gay Black man , just like there are some workout studios where I wouldn ’ t feel as empowered because of the energy or how they operate.
” Ultimately , whatever exercise you choose , the path to success lies not only in what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about approaching that workout .
Having previously experienced an eating disorder and understanding the ways one can use exercise as a way to harm the body , Phelan now goes into any workout with a positivity checklist .
She goes in listing all the ways movement is nourishing her ― more energy , feeling good ― rather than how it ’ s “ participating in diet culture.
” “ We hear things like ‘ pain is weakness leaving the body , ’ ” Phelan said .
“ That is a super-American and also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , that the end goal is aesthetics and perfection .
Those two things are very hard to unlearn ― that it has to be painful , it has to be a struggle .
”

Getty Images/HuffPost
At the risk of being too on the nose, finding a fitness routine you love is a marathon, not a sprint.
For me, it was an actual marathon. I was raised with a minimal, if not non-existent, relationship with exercise. Running the New York City marathon in 2018 completely changed how I viewed strength, working out and “fitness goals.” My body carried me 26.2 (sometimes sluggish) whole freaking miles. I marveled, maybe for the first time ever, at what being in touch and in tune with your body feels like without thinking about physical appearance.
Advertisement
Helen Phelan, a New York City-based Pilates instructor who offers online classes through her website, said re-conditioning that mindset is what it takes to commit to finding a routine you love.
“Our culture frames fitness as a chore or punishment for something you ate, which is extremely damaging,” she told me. “Part of the work is trial and error and making sure you final a modality that is at least mentally stimulating and interesting, but I think the most important part of getting your brain to kind of enjoy moving is the training of feeling strong.”
By finding strength in fitness, you are able to find a stronger sense of self in your everyday life, off the mat.
“When you learn a new skill, it’s communicating to your brain, ‘Strong people do this, I’m strong if I can do this, I can do hard things,’” Phelan said. “It’s a reconditioning, and people really see a change in self-perception and confidence-boosting both in exercise and in daily life, seeing yourself in this stronger, more empowered way.”
Advertisement
Still, finding the actual workout ― and community you want to do it in ― is important.
Ariel Padilla is a New York City-based SoulCycle instructor who also hosts weekly virtual workouts. He did not grow up with fitness. He said he first attended a SoulCycle class (which are both praised and sometimes mocked for some of their more spiritual components) after his mother passed away in 2013. It was the connection he felt from the instructor that kept him coming back, and it’s what he said now keeps his loyal base of riders coming back.
“The workout is one aspect of it, but I think what really matters is making someone feel seen and heard and remembered,” Padilla said. “You remember someone’s name, you make someone feel singular in a pack of 65 people ― now there’s a relationship there.”
Indeed, finding the right workout can be as simple as finding the right instructor, no matter the exercise.
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“I try to, without like, delivering Bible verses, be as open a book as possible to give someone something to hold onto,” Padilla said. “If you’re a genuine person in the fitness industry you find your people and they’ll stick around.”
And when all else fails, Padilla said he holds on to the other aspects of a workout to push through when it feels too hard or disjointed.
“For me, it’s the music,” he said. “Even if I’m not amazing at it, I have something to connect to outside my own physical pain. I’m like, ‘OK, this feels close to dancing, which I love. Now I can think of catching rhythm.’”
Trying a new workout class can be intimidating no matter what the type, as Rodrick Covington, owner of Core Rhythm Fitness in New York (offerings can be found online through Zoom), knows well. His physical, mental and spiritual approach comes with a healthy dose of high-intensity interval training, heavy weights, Pilates movements and pushing students to their best ability.
Advertisement
“Last week I had a woman come to class for the first time, she emailed that she felt awful through the class, that her smile was fake, but that she felt amazing at the end,” Covington said. “I could see she was nervous, but when people are intimidated I just encourage them to think of themselves as worthy ― they’re worth giving themselves the best, trying something new. It’s about creating the conversation of creating change you want to see in yourself, rewriting the narrative to where fitness is self love.”
For Covington, finding the right fitness class is just as much about the experience as it is the workout itself.
“Fitness to me like is church, it’s community,” he said. “There are some churches where I wouldn’t be welcome as a gay Black man, just like there are some workout studios where I wouldn’t feel as empowered because of the energy or how they operate.”
Ultimately, whatever exercise you choose, the path to success lies not only in what the workout is but how you go about approaching that workout. Having previously experienced an eating disorder and understanding the ways one can use exercise as a way to harm the body, Phelan now goes into any workout with a positivity checklist. She goes in listing all the ways movement is nourishing her ― more energy, feeling good ― rather than how it’s “participating in diet culture.”
“We hear things like ‘pain is weakness leaving the body,’” Phelan said. “That is a super-American and also a very fitness-y headspace to be in, that the end goal is aesthetics and perfection. Those two things are very hard to unlearn ― that it has to be painful, it has to be a struggle.”
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“I think because of that we don’t want to be present in our own bodies during a workout,” she continued. “I’m not saying holding a plank for a minute feels great, but I think you can learn to enjoy the discomfort the more you sit with it.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-16--Confirmed Coronavirus Cases In The US Rise Amid New Global Restrictions

MIAMI ( AP ) — California , Arizona , Texas and Florida together reported about 36,000 new coronavirus cases Wednesday as restrictions aimed at combating the spread of the pandemic took hold in the United States and around the world in an unsettling sign reminiscent of the dark days of April .
The soaring counts of confirmed infections and a mounting death toll led the mayor of Los Angeles to declare that the nation ’ s second-largest city is on the verge of resorting to a shutdown of all but essential businesses .
More school districts made plans to start @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the 2021 Rose Parade in California was canceled .
Other events went ahead undeterred .
Thousands of auto-racing fans gathered at Bristol Motor Speedway in Tennessee for a NASCAR event .
Officials allowed 30,000 at the track , and the event marked the largest sporting event since the pandemic began four months ago .
Disney World moved forward with the rolling opening of its Florida theme parks .
Montana Gov .
Steve Bullock required masks at indoor public spaces and at larger outdoor gatherings in counties where four or more people are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s order came as the state reported a record number of new confirmed cases .
Among the sternest measures were in New York , where Democratic Gov .
Andrew Cuomo added to a list totaling 22 states whose visitors will be required to quarantine for two weeks if they visit the tri-state region .
Out-of-state travelers arriving in New York airports from those states face a $ 2,000 fine and a mandatory quarantine order if they fail to fill out a tracing form .
The broad reach of the virus has brought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gov .
Kevin Stitt , a first-term Republican governor who has backed one of the country ’ s most aggressive reopening plans , became the first U.S. governor to announce that he had tested positive for COVID-19 .
He plans to quarantine at home .
Stitt , who has resisted a statewide mandate on masks and rarely wears one himself , attended President Donald Trump ’ s rally in Tulsa last month , which health experts have said likely contributed to a surge in coronavirus cases there .
Stitt said he ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus at the gathering .
“ We have broken single-day records several times this week , and there ’ s nothing about it that says we ’ re turning the corner or seeing light at the end of the tunnel .
I don ’ t see that in the numbers , ” said Dr. Nicholas Namias , chief of trauma and surgical critical care at Jackson Memorial Hospital .
“ We ’ re getting to the point where it ’ s going to be full .
We have gridlock , and we won @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and they ’ ll just be stacked in the ERs , ” Namias said .
In Washington , a divided approach to the pandemic spilled into public view in extraordinary fashion , with trade adviser Peter Navarro panning Dr. Anthony Fauci , the nation ’ s top infectious disease expert .
Fauci called the criticism “ nonsense ” and “ a bit bizarre.
” Trump stepped in to referee , saying “ we ’ re all on the same team.
” Businesses instituted restrictions , too , with Walmart becoming the largest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ face coverings at all of its Sam ’ s Club and namesake stores .
In Las Vegas , some casinos began limiting smoking to keep customers from removing the masks they are required to wear .
Organizers canceled the 2021 Rose Parade in Pasadena , California , because of the pandemic ’ s impact on long-range planning for the New Year ’ s tradition , according to the Tournament of Roses Association .
But Disney World welcomed visitors to Epcot and Hollywood Studios despite the surge of cases in the state .
All @ @ @ @ @ @ @ border with Bulgaria were required to carry negative coronavirus test results issued in the previous 72 hours .
The new rules , which follow an increase in tourism-related COVID-19 cases , triggered an immediate drop in arrivals compared with recent days .
More than than 13 million coronavirus cases were confirmed worldwide , with over 580,000 deaths , according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University .
The actual numbers are thought to be far higher for a number of reasons , including limited testing .
In Israel , officials warned that if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coming days , they will have no choice but to lock down the entire country again , as it did in the spring .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
MIAMI (AP) — California, Arizona, Texas and Florida together reported about 36,000 new coronavirus cases Wednesday as restrictions aimed at combating the spread of the pandemic took hold in the United States and around the world in an unsettling sign reminiscent of the dark days of April.
The soaring counts of confirmed infections and a mounting death toll led the mayor of Los Angeles to declare that the nation’s second-largest city is on the verge of resorting to a shutdown of all but essential businesses. More school districts made plans to start the fall semester without on-site instruction, and the 2021 Rose Parade in California was canceled.
Advertisement
Other events went ahead undeterred. Thousands of auto-racing fans gathered at Bristol Motor Speedway in Tennessee for a NASCAR event. Officials allowed 30,000 at the track, and the event marked the largest sporting event since the pandemic began four months ago. Disney World moved forward with the rolling opening of its Florida theme parks.
California, Arizona, Florida and Texas reported a total of more than 450 new deaths. Alabama reported a pandemic-high one-day total of 40 deaths, and officials said the state will begin requiring face masks.
In Texas, which again set a record for confirmed new cases, with nearly 10,800, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott has increasingly emphasized face coverings as the way to avoid another lockdown.
Montana Gov. Steve Bullock required masks at indoor public spaces and at larger outdoor gatherings in counties where four or more people are known to have COVID-19. The Democrat’s order came as the state reported a record number of new confirmed cases.
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In Ohio, Gov. Mike DeWine, who has faced criticism from fellow Republicans over business closures, gave a televised address with an emotional appeal to residents to make sacrifices to protect their neighbors. But he stopped short of mandating masks.
Among the sternest measures were in New York, where Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo added to a list totaling 22 states whose visitors will be required to quarantine for two weeks if they visit the tri-state region. Out-of-state travelers arriving in New York airports from those states face a $2,000 fine and a mandatory quarantine order if they fail to fill out a tracing form.
The broad reach of the virus has brought scrutiny to governors’ decisions. Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt, a first-term Republican governor who has backed one of the country’s most aggressive reopening plans, became the first U.S. governor to announce that he had tested positive for COVID-19. He plans to quarantine at home.
Stitt, who has resisted a statewide mandate on masks and rarely wears one himself, attended President Donald Trump’s rally in Tulsa last month, which health experts have said likely contributed to a surge in coronavirus cases there. Stitt said he’s confident he didn’t contract the virus at the gathering.
Florida surpassed 300,000 confirmed cases, reporting 10,181 new infections as its daily average death rate keeps rising. Major cities have required masks, but Gov. Ron DeSantis has declined to issue a statewide order, arguing that it’s best decided and enforced locally.
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Still, the Republican governor on Tuesday wore a mask while speaking publicly for the first time — at a roundtable news conference with Miami-Dade County mayors.
“We have broken single-day records several times this week, and there’s nothing about it that says we’re turning the corner or seeing light at the end of the tunnel. I don’t see that in the numbers,” said Dr. Nicholas Namias, chief of trauma and surgical critical care at Jackson Memorial Hospital.
He said diminishing bed capacity is creating problems at the Miami medical center.
“We’re getting to the point where it’s going to be full. We have gridlock, and we won’t be able to take patients, and they’ll just be stacked in the ERs,” Namias said.
In Washington, a divided approach to the pandemic spilled into public view in extraordinary fashion, with trade adviser Peter Navarro panning Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert. Fauci called the criticism “nonsense” and “a bit bizarre.” Trump stepped in to referee, saying “we’re all on the same team.”
Businesses instituted restrictions, too, with Walmart becoming the largest U.S. retailer to require customers to wear face coverings at all of its Sam’s Club and namesake stores. In Las Vegas, some casinos began limiting smoking to keep customers from removing the masks they are required to wear.
Advertisement
Organizers canceled the 2021 Rose Parade in Pasadena, California, because of the pandemic’s impact on long-range planning for the New Year’s tradition, according to the Tournament of Roses Association. But Disney World welcomed visitors to Epcot and Hollywood Studios despite the surge of cases in the state.
Other countries, meanwhile, imposed lockdowns and implemented new health checks at their borders.
All travelers arriving in Greece from a land border with Bulgaria were required to carry negative coronavirus test results issued in the previous 72 hours. The new rules, which follow an increase in tourism-related COVID-19 cases, triggered an immediate drop in arrivals compared with recent days.
Gergana Chaprazova, 51, from Plovdiv in southern Bulgaria, planned to visit the Greek seaside town of Kavala with her husband and complained that she was being tested again.
“I have to wait for a test, but I (already) have a test from Bulgaria. I don’t understand why I must have a test here,” she told The Associated Press.
More than than 13 million coronavirus cases were confirmed worldwide, with over 580,000 deaths, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University. The actual numbers are thought to be far higher for a number of reasons, including limited testing.
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Romania, citing the rising number of infections, announced a 30-day extension of a nationwide state of alert. And residents of Australia’s second-largest city, Melbourne, were warned to comply with lockdown regulations or face tougher restrictions.
“The time for warnings, the time for cutting people slack, is over,” Victoria state Premier Daniel Andrews said.
In Israel, officials warned that if infection numbers don’t dwindle in the coming days,they will have no choice but to lock down the entire country again, as it did in the spring.
South Africa is already showing signs of being overwhelmed by the pandemic — an ominous outlook for the rest of the continent of 1.3 billion people.
A ban on alcohol sales and a nightly curfew were reimposed this week to reduce the volume of trauma patients to hospitals that are struggling to cope with an influx of COVID-19 patients. One result was more economic pain in a country that already has a high unemployment rate of 30%.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-15--Coronavirus Infects Half Of Incarcerated People At San Quentin Prison

The deadly coronavirus outbreak at California ’ s San Quentin prison is growing at a devastating pace .
More than half of the people incarcerated there have been infected with COVID-19 as advocates and officials continue calls for Gov .
Gavin Newsom ( D ) to release more inmates .
In late May , San Quentin prison had zero confirmed cases of coronavirus among its around 4,000 inmates .
But after over 120 prisoners were transferred in from Chino , California — 25 of whom later tested positive for COVID-19 — an outbreak began .
As of Wednesday , over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been confirmed infected with coronavirus — including over 1,200 with active cases .
Some 200 staff members have also gotten the virus .
And 11 people have died so far , with the latest COVID-19 death reported on Wednesday .
Meanwhile , only 36 of those infected have been released .
After advocates and local officials called for the release of people incarcerated in state prisons , California ’ s Democratic governor announced last week that some 8,000 prisoners across the state would be let out over the next few weeks , prioritizing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with less than six months left in their sentences .
It is unclear how many of those 8,000 will come out of San Quentin specifically .
Since that announcement , dozens more prisoners have been infected there and four more have died .
Prisoners advocates and officials renewed calls this week for the governor to release more people incarcerated across the state .
Statewide , there have been over 6,500 confirmed coronavirus cases among incarcerated people , and 37 have died so far .
There are 1,372 people in cages at San Quentin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ died !
Over 1/2 have been infected .
Releasing 7 % of the prison population isn ’ t enough .
It will spread .
People will keep getting sick and die @ gavinnewsom please do more .
# StopTheSpread # CareNotCages pic.twitter.com/vUgMUE8ftZ — Brendon Woods ( @ BrendonWoodsPD ) July 14 , 2020 Brendan Woods , the public defender for Alameda County , across the bay from San Quentin prison , said Tuesday : “ Releasing 7 % of the prison population isn ’ t enough .
It will spread .
People will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and called on Newsom to “ please do more.
” State Sen. Scott Wiener ( D ) — who said the governor ’ s release announcement last week was “ a solid step , but more work remains ” — also tweeted Tuesday denouncing the growing outbreak at San Quentin , pointing to the state ’ s “ disastrous mass incarceration policy.
” The U.S. continues to lead the world in COVID-19 cases , with more than 3.4 million confirmed cases and over 137,000 dead from the virus so far .
California has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in recent weeks , with more than 336,000 confirmed cases and more than 7,000 dead as of Tuesday .
The state hit a seven-day average of over 8,200 new cases per day , according to the governor ’ s press conference Monday .

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The deadly coronavirus outbreak at California’s San Quentin prison is growing at a devastating pace. More than half of the people incarcerated there have been infected with COVID-19 as advocates and officials continue calls for Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) to release more inmates.
In late May, San Quentin prison had zero confirmed cases of coronavirus among its around 4,000 inmates. But after over 120 prisoners were transferred in from Chino, California — 25 of whom later tested positive for COVID-19 — an outbreak began.
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As of Wednesday, over 2,000 people incarcerated at San Quentin have been confirmed infected with coronavirus — including over 1,200 with active cases. Some 200 staff members have also gotten the virus. And 11 people have died so far, with the latest COVID-19 death reported on Wednesday. Meanwhile, only 36 of those infected have been released.
After advocates and local officials called for the release of people incarcerated in state prisons, California’s Democratic governor announced last week that some 8,000 prisoners across the state would be let out over the next few weeks, prioritizing people with high-risk health conditions and those with less than six months left in their sentences.
It is unclear how many of those 8,000 will come out of San Quentin specifically. Since that announcement, dozens more prisoners have been infected there and four more have died.
Newsom’s office did not immediately respond to HuffPost’s request for comment.
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There are 1,372 people in cages at San Quentin positive for COVID. 10 people have died! Over 1/2 have been infected. Releasing 7% of the prison population isn’t enough. It will spread. People will keep getting sick and die @gavinnewsom please do more. #StopTheSpread #CareNotCages pic.twitter.com/vUgMUE8ftZ — Brendon Woods (@BrendonWoodsPD) July 14, 2020
Brendan Woods, the public defender for Alameda County, across the bay from San Quentin prison, said Tuesday: “Releasing 7% of the prison population isn’t enough. It will spread. People will keep getting sick and die,” and called on Newsom to “please do more.”
State Sen. Scott Wiener (D) — who said the governor’s release announcement last week was “a solid step, but more work remains” — also tweeted Tuesday denouncing the growing outbreak at San Quentin, pointing to the state’s “disastrous mass incarceration policy.”
“When you pack people into prisons, bad things happen,” said the state lawmaker out of San Francisco. “We must move quickly & decisively toward decarceration.”
Earlier this month, 20 inmates at San Quentin went on a hunger strike to protest inhumane conditions there amid a pandemic, including dirty, cramped cells.
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The U.S. continues to lead the world in COVID-19 cases, with more than 3.4 million confirmed cases and over 137,000 dead from the virus so far. California has seen an alarming increase in coronavirus cases in recent weeks, with more than 336,000 confirmed cases and more than 7,000 dead as of Tuesday. The state hit a seven-day average of over 8,200 new cases per day, according to the governor’s press conference Monday.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-15--Donald Trump Is At War With COVID-19 Science

In other words , schools and universities , which the Trump administration is pushing to rapidly reopen despite surging coronavirus infections in many states , need not heed the advice of scientists at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , the nation ’ s premier public health agency , as they reopen amid an ongoing pandemic that has killed more than 136,000 people in the U.S .
Suggesting that schools ignore expert advice meant to keep kids , parents and school staff safe would , in a different administration , be shocking .
But in recent weeks , President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a brazen attack on COVID-19 science and scientists in a desperate effort to deny away a deadly pandemic that the administration ’ s incompetence has made far worse .
That effort has included downplaying the ongoing threat , diverting crucial hospital data from the CDC , smearing infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci , and casting blame on China , the World Health Organization and Americans from Northern states .
The president himself has repeatedly denied climate change , questioned the science of vaccinations and invented weather forecasts for a hurricane .
When @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dozen federal agencies warned in a November 2018 report that the world is barreling toward catastrophic climate change , Trump simply said of the findings : “ I don ’ t believe it.
” His anti-science beliefs have been made into policy by the ex-industry lobbyists appointed to run environmental and scientific agencies across his administration .
The president on Wednesday traveled to Atlanta ― a current hotspot of the virus ― to speak unmasked at a UPS facility , where he announced a major rollback of one of the nation ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Environmental Policy Act .
Among other things , the rollback fast-tracks oil pipelines , power plants and other major infrastructure projects by limiting the number that require in-depth environmental reviews , as well as allowing federal agencies to ignore how developments impact climate change .
At the event , Trump thanked UPS drivers for continuing to deliver packages during America ’ s “ battle against the China virus , ” one of several racist terms he continues to use to describe coronavirus .
While much of Trump ’ s opposition to climate and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and lawmakers , the ongoing coronavirus pandemic shows how deadly this rejection of science can be .
And his strategy heading into the 2020 election appears to be to convince Americans that the death and suffering happening around them isn ’ t really that bad , and certainly isn ’ t his fault .
By then , it had been more than a month since Fauci had spoken with the president , The Washington Post reported .
The administration had stopped sending Fauci out for major media interviews as they were displeased that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nor did he take part in Trump ’ s happy talk that the virus will “ just disappear.
” “ We ’ ve been I guess as tough as you can get on World Health , ” Trump said Tuesday .
“ We withdrew our money , we told them we ’ re getting out .
Doesn ’ t mean that someday we won ’ t go back in , maybe we will when it ’ s correctly run .
But they made a lot of bad predictions and they said a lot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and how to do it , and they turned out to be wrong .
But like climate science , the science of this virus is not on Trump ’ s side .
It shows that his team ’ s lethargic initial response and subsequent push to quickly reopen the economy has had devastating impacts .
And that ’ s exactly why the president will spend the next four months spinning a revisionist history .

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At a roundtable at Louisiana State University on Tuesday, Vice President Mike Pence paused to make what he clearly felt was a vital point.
“To be very clear,” he said, “we don’t want CDC guidance to be a reason why people don’t reopen their schools.”
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In other words, schools and universities, which the Trump administration is pushing to rapidly reopen despite surging coronavirus infections in many states, need not heed the advice of scientists at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the nation’s premier public health agency, as they reopen amid an ongoing pandemic that has killed more than 136,000 people in the U.S.
Suggesting that schools ignore expert advice meant to keep kids, parents and school staff safe would, in a different administration, be shocking. But in recent weeks, President Donald Trump and his team have led a brazen attack on COVID-19 science and scientists in a desperate effort to deny away a deadly pandemic that the administration’s incompetence has made far worse. That effort has included downplaying the ongoing threat, diverting crucial hospital data from the CDC, smearing infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci, and casting blame on China, the World Health Organization and Americans from Northern states.
The COVID response is part of the Trump administration’s long war on all forms of science and expertise. The administration has cast out or discredited science that does not align with Trump’s fossil fuel-centric “energy dominance” agenda, his reelection campaign or, in some cases, that contradicts what the president said on Twitter.
The president himself has repeatedly denied climate change, questioned the science of vaccinations and invented weather forecasts for a hurricane. When hundreds of researchers from more than a dozen federal agencies warned in a November 2018 report that the world is barreling toward catastrophic climate change, Trump simply said of the findings: “I don’t believe it.” His anti-science beliefs have been made into policy by the ex-industry lobbyists appointed to run environmental and scientific agencies across his administration.
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President Donald Trump has worked to undermine science and scientists throughout his tenure. Kevin Lamarque / Reuters
The president on Wednesday traveled to Atlanta ― a current hotspot of the virus ― to speak unmasked at a UPS facility, where he announced a major rollback of one of the nation’s most important environmental laws, the National Environmental Policy Act. Among other things, the rollback fast-tracks oil pipelines, power plants and other major infrastructure projects by limiting the number that require in-depth environmental reviews, as well as allowing federal agencies to ignore how developments impact climate change. At the event, Trump thanked UPS drivers for continuing to deliver packages during America’s “battle against the China virus,” one of several racist terms he continues to use to describe coronavirus.
While much of Trump’s opposition to climate and environmental science is common among Republican presidents and lawmakers, the ongoing coronavirus pandemic shows how deadly this rejection of science can be. And his strategy heading into the 2020 election appears to be to convince Americans that the death and suffering happening around them isn’t really that bad, and certainly isn’t his fault.
Attacking The Messenger
While denial and finger-pointing have dominated Trump’s coronavirus response from the start, the assault on reality has escalated in recent weeks. Most alarming is the administration’s new effort to undermine Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and the person a majority of Americans have come to trust during the pandemic.
The White House’s most direct effort began on Sunday, when it distributed what looked like campaign opposition research to reporters listing Fauci’s perceived misjudgments about the pandemic before the virus spread was recognized. Stories appeared noting that the Trump administration was preparing an attack on Fauci, but these attacks were all attributed to unnamed administration officials.
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“Dr. Anthony Fauci has a good bedside manner with the public, but he has been wrong about everything I have interacted with him on.” - Peter Navarro, United States trade representative
By then, it had been more than a month since Fauci had spoken with the president, The Washington Post reported. The administration had stopped sending Fauci out for major media interviews as they were displeased that he did not endorse reopening the economy nor did he take part in Trump’s happy talk that the virus will “just disappear.”
“Dr. Fauci is a nice man, but he’s made a lot of mistakes,” Trump told Fox News’ Sean Hannity in a July 9 interview.
Fauci has continued to appear on podcasts and do interviews with online publications.
“[A]s a country, when you compare us to other countries, I don’t think you can say we’re doing great,” Fauci said on a FiveThiryEight.com podcast that aired on July 9. “I mean, we’re just not.”
The White House clearly decided that the nation’s leading infectious disease expert was out over his skis to speak plainly about the worst pandemic in a century. His concern about controlling a public health crisis had become a distraction from Trump’s effort to restart the economy, a central task of his reelection campaign.
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Fauci “doesn’t necessarily … have the whole national interest in mind,” Adm. Brett P. Giroir, assistant secretary for the Department of Health and Human Services, said on NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday. “He looks at it from a very narrow public health point of view.”
Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, wears a face covering during a Senate committee hearing in Washington, D.C., in June. AL DRAGO via Getty Images
The attacks on Fauci escalated when USA Today published an op-ed from White House trade adviser Peter Navarro on Tuesday in which he aired his grievances about the public health official. “Dr. Anthony Fauci has a good bedside manner with the public, but he has been wrong about everything I have interacted with him on,” Navarro wrote.
The White House attempted to downplay Navarro’s falsehood-ridden attacks by asserting that he published the op-ed on his own without official approval. In prior administrations, this act would be a fireable offense. In this one, there’s little indication that Navarro will be punished at all.
Fauci told The Atlantic in an interview published Wednesday that he has no plans to step down and called the White House’s attack against him “bizarre,” “nonsense” and “completely wrong.”
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“Ultimately, it hurts the president to do that,” he said.
Passing The Buck
Trump has continually refused to take any blame for negligence or errors in his administration’s response to the pandemic.
“I don’t take responsibility at all,” he said at a now-infamous Rose Garden press conference on March 13, the day the nation began to go into lockdown.
It was instead former President Barack Obama’s fault, Trump claimed. Trump’s attempt to pass the buck to the previous administration came despite his disbanding of a pandemic response team at the National Security Council and his refusal to follow the plan used by the Obama administration to successfully respond to both the H1N1 and Ebola viruses.
More recently, Trump has claimed that former vice president Joe “Biden and Obama stopped their testing,” despite the coronavirus not existing until three years after they left office.
Trump has stuck to that narrative, claiming that his own excellent work prevented potentially millions of additional deaths. At an event Tuesday that was billed as a White House press conference but quickly devolved into a rambling campaign rally-style speech, Trump railed against China, for “concealing” and “unleashing” the coronavirus “upon the world,” and the World Health Organization ― a go-to move to distract from his own botched pandemic response.
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He dismissed the WHO as “a puppet of China” and a “terrible deal,” and bragged about cutting ties with the world body and redirecting the approximately $450 million the U.S. contributes to it each year.
“We’ve been I guess as tough as you can get on World Health,” Trump said Tuesday. “We withdrew our money, we told them we’re getting out. Doesn’t mean that someday we won’t go back in, maybe we will when it’s correctly run. But they made a lot of bad predictions and they said a lot of bad things about what to do and how to do it, and they turned out to be wrong.
It’s truly baffling stuff from the leader of a country that is among the most ravaged by the coronavirus, with 3.45 million infections to date.
Trump’s withdrawal from the WHO is not the only counterproductive policy change that he has pursued due to his need to control his image rather than abide by decisions informed by public health science.
The Real Damage
People wait in line for coronavirus testing at Dodger Stadium, July 14, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) ASSOCIATED PRESS
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The president’s rejection of expertise, histrionic defensiveness and bizarre false statements are not simply utterances of an uninformed man. They inform the administration’s policies that are undermining efforts to control the virus’s spread, which means more Americans will die.
His administration was slow to fund testing across the country, failed to properly promote mask-wearing when it became clear it would help slow the virus’s spread, purchased tens of millions of reserves of Trump’s favorite unproven coronavirus remedy hydroxychloroquine and is now rerouting hospital data away from the CDC, in a seeming effort to keep the public in the dark.
“I said to my people, ‘Slow the testing down, please,’” Trump told the crowd at an indoor campaign rally he hosted on June 20 that was likely the source of a surge in virus cases in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
On June 24, the administration announced it would close 13 federally funded COVID testing sites.
Trump has repeatedly claimed, falsely, that the only reason the country is seeing an increase in cases is because more tests are being conducted. Public health officials have countered this falsehood, pointing to the data on COVID-19 hospitalizations reported to the CDC.
But the administration announced on Tuesday that hospitals should cease reporting such data to the CDC and instead direct it to a private data collector that the Department of Health and Human Services has contracted. The move puts the data collection under the control of more partisan officials close to the Trump White House where it is not currently publicly reported. Already, COVID tracking sites report that the digital CDC data stream they relied on to provide public updates on the virus has stopped.
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In much the same way that denying and undermining climate science allows Trump to justify scrapping and weakening environmental rules to the benefit of polluting industries that helped bankroll his campaign, covering up and dismissing COVID-19 data is about protecting himself.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-15--New Research Finds 40% of LGBTQ Youth Considered Suicide Over Past Year

NEW YORK , July 15 ( Reuters ) - Forty percent of young LGBTQ people in the United States say they have seriously considered suicide over the past 12 months , according to a survey released on Wednesday , while the figure climbs to more than 50 % for transgender and non-binary youth surveyed .
Although data on LGBTQ experiences is limited , studies have found that lesbian , gay , bisexual , transgender and queer youth are more likely to attempt suicide than their peers .
Among all people aged 10 to 24 , suicide is the second-leading cause @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Project , a non-profit focused on suicide prevention among youth who identify as lesbian , gay , bisexual , transgender and queer including non-binary people , individuals whose gender identity or expression falls outside the categories of male and female .
The survey was conducted between Dec. 2 , 2019 and March 31 , 2020 - mostly before the coronavirus outbreak began to sweep through the United States .
It builds on the project ’ s first national survey released last year that found 39 % of LGBTQ youth had seriously considered attempting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic is likely to have made matters worse for some young LGBTQ people , one of the communities that experts say could be affected at disproportionate rates by the coronavirus .
“ We ’ ve seen increased volume on our direct crisis services and at times that was more than double our typical volume , ” Amit Paley , CEO and executive director of The Trevor Project , told Reuters .
“ There ’ s so many young people who are just cut off from their normal sources of support so they don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resources they can turn to.
” The survey , the largest of its kind , also showed that manyLGBTQ youth lack the opportunity and means to access the mental healthcare they say they need .
Nearly half ( 46 % ) of the 40,000 respondents said they wanted psychological or emotional counseling from a professional but were unable to receive it over the course of the past 12 months .
In a time of pandemic , access to potentially life-saving care , including mental healthcare , has become more challenging for both patients @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , access to hormone treatments and gender-related surgeries for many in the LGBTQ community .
Telemedicine has proved very effective in providing services to many LGBTQ people during the pandemic , said Maureen Kelly ofPlanned Parenthood of Greater New York .
But it also highlighted historic barriers facing LGBTQ people and youth like finding a provider that is competent to treat LGBTQ patients or reliable internet services .
“ We know that some , particularly Black and brown patients , are struggling much more in different ways with underpowered internet services , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , being forced to isolate with unsupportive families might pose a further obstacle .
Forty percent of LGBTQ youth reported in the survey that they were unable to receive care due to concerns over parental support .
“ Part of COVID-19 impacts families , ” said Paley .
“ Families who might not be accepting when they ’ re facing stress because of losing their job or being out of work or fearing being out of work , they can often take out that anger or stress on LGBTQ youth in their life.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Planned Parenthood support group for LGBTQ youth in upstate New York , said that when the pandemic forced their weekly meetings to go online , there was a lot of concern about isolation and young people in rural areas not getting the social support they needed .

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NEW YORK, July 15 (Reuters) - Forty percent of young LGBTQ people in the United States say they have seriously considered suicide over the past 12 months, according to a survey released on Wednesday, while the figure climbs to more than 50% for transgender and non-binary youth surveyed.
Although data on LGBTQ experiences is limited, studies have found that lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer youth are more likely to attempt suicide than their peers.
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Among all people aged 10 to 24, suicide is the second-leading cause of death, according to the Trevor Project, a non-profit focused on suicide prevention among youth who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer including non-binary people, individuals whose gender identity or expression falls outside the categories of male and female.
The survey was conducted between Dec. 2, 2019 and March 31, 2020 - mostly before the coronavirus outbreak began to sweep through the United States. It builds on the project’s first national survey released last year that found 39% of LGBTQ youth had seriously considered attempting suicide in the past 12months.
The pandemic is likely to have made matters worse for some young LGBTQ people, one of the communities that experts say could be affected at disproportionate rates by the coronavirus.
“We’ve seen increased volume on our direct crisis services and at times that was more than double our typical volume,” Amit Paley, CEO and executive director of The Trevor Project, told Reuters. “There’s so many young people who are just cut off from their normal sources of support so they don’t have people or friends or resources they can turn to.”
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The survey, the largest of its kind, also showed that manyLGBTQ youth lack the opportunity and means to access the mental healthcare they say they need.
Nearly half (46%) of the 40,000 respondents said they wanted psychological or emotional counseling from a professional but were unable to receive it over the course of the past 12 months.
In a time of pandemic, access to potentially life-saving care, including mental healthcare, has become more challenging for both patients and providers, exacerbating issues like isolation, access to hormone treatments and gender-related surgeries for many in the LGBTQ community.
Telemedicine has proved very effective in providing services to many LGBTQ people during the pandemic, said Maureen Kelly ofPlanned Parenthood of Greater New York. But it also highlighted historic barriers facing LGBTQ people and youth like finding a provider that is competent to treat LGBTQ patients or reliable internet services.
“We know that some, particularly Black and brown patients, are struggling much more in different ways with underpowered internet services,” Kelly said.
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STUCK AT HOME
For young queer individuals, being forced to isolate with unsupportive families might pose a further obstacle. Forty percent of LGBTQ youth reported in the survey that they were unable to receive care due to concerns over parental support.
“Part of COVID-19 impacts families,” said Paley. “Families who might not be accepting when they’re facing stress because of losing their job or being out of work or fearing being out of work, they can often take out that anger or stress on LGBTQ youth in their life.”
Devon Ritz, who helps run a Planned Parenthood support group for LGBTQ youth in upstate New York, said that when the pandemic forced their weekly meetings to go online, there was a lot of concern about isolation and young people in rural areas not getting the social support they needed.
“The main reason our youth group started over a decade now ago was to reduce social isolation,” Ritz said. “So it’s definitely been exacerbated by COVID-19.”
(Reporting by Maria Caspani, Editing by Tom Brown)


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-15--Moderate Republicans Push For Stricter Coronavirus Workplace Standards

Throughout the pandemic , the White House has resisted pleas from workplace safety experts and Democrats that it enact an emergency regulation to protect workers from the coronavirus .
But with cases surging in states across the country , a handful of moderate Republicans are joining their Democratic colleagues in calling for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to put a safety rule into effect .
Ten GOP lawmakers sent a letter to House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy ( R-Calif. ) on Tuesday urging him to work on the standards in upcoming legislation .
The lawmakers are proposing a trade @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from party leaders to shield businesses and schools from coronavirus-related litigation so long as OSHA implements and enforces the workplace safety rules .
Paired together , they argued , the two measures would protect workers while giving businesses “ peace of mind ” when it comes to litigation .
“ Simply put , if businesses abide by the OSHA standards , they should be protected from baseless lawsuits , ” wrote the Republicans , led by Reps. David McKinley ( W.Va. ) and Brian Fitzpatrick ( Pa. ) .
The letter comes as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) has made new liability protections his “ number one ” priority for the next major piece of coronavirus legislation ― above funding for schools or preserving expanded unemployment benefits for the millions of workers who ’ ve lost their jobs because of the pandemic .
The letter was spearheaded by McKinley , an engineer with experience in the construction industry .
McKinley ’ s office discussed the immunity-for-safety-standards trade with North America ’ s Building Trades Unions , a powerful alliance of construction unions within the AFL-CIO labor federation .
The NABTU @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support such a deal if the language was strong on enforcing safety standards .
Safety hawks have hammered President Donald Trump ’ s OSHA leadership for going soft on employers during the pandemic : The agency has issued only a single citation so far related to the coronavirus .
It has issued employer guidance to protect workers , but none of it is enforceable by law .
The moderate Republicans are proposing legally binding rules for different industries in exchange for the lawsuit protections .
Democrats and their allies in the labor movement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ liability protections , so it ’ s not clear what kind of support such a proposed trade might generate .
“ Does he mean essential workers have to go to work ― if they don ’ t they lose their unemployment insurance ― and if they get sick there , they have no recourse ?
” she asked of McConnell .
McConnell has said Senate negotiations on the next aid package will begin in earnest next week when senators return to Washington from a recess .
They ’ re up against a tight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to weekly unemployment payments that is set to expire at the end of the month , as well as an academic year set to begin with no national plan to help schools reopen safely amid a surge in coronavirus cases .
The House already passed a bill re-upping the jobless pay as well as providing $ 100 billion for schools and requiring OSHA to issue stricter standards , legislation that McConnell brushed aside .
Senate Democrats have proposed $ 450 billion for schools .
McConnell and McCarthy have said that what schools really @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need : liability protection .

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Throughout the pandemic, the White House has resisted pleas from workplace safety experts and Democrats that it enact an emergency regulation to protect workers from the coronavirus.
But with cases surging in states across the country, a handful of moderate Republicans are joining their Democratic colleagues in calling for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to put a safety rule into effect. Ten GOP lawmakers sent a letter to House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) on Tuesday urging him to work on the standards in upcoming legislation.
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The lawmakers are proposing a trade. They say they support the push from party leaders to shield businesses and schools from coronavirus-related litigation so long as OSHA implements and enforces the workplace safety rules. Paired together, they argued, the two measures would protect workers while giving businesses “peace of mind” when it comes to litigation.
“Simply put, if businesses abide by the OSHA standards, they should be protected from baseless lawsuits,” wrote the Republicans, led by Reps. David McKinley (W.Va.) and Brian Fitzpatrick (Pa.).
The letter comes as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has made new liability protections his “number one” priority for the next major piece of coronavirus legislation ― above funding for schools or preserving expanded unemployment benefits for the millions of workers who’ve lost their jobs because of the pandemic.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) previously rejected the liability idea.
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The letter was spearheaded by McKinley, an engineer with experience in the construction industry. McKinley’s office discussed the immunity-for-safety-standards trade with North America’s Building Trades Unions, a powerful alliance of construction unions within the AFL-CIO labor federation. The NABTU indicated to McKinley that the alliance might support such a deal if the language was strong on enforcing safety standards.
Safety hawks have hammered President Donald Trump’s OSHA leadership for going soft on employers during the pandemic: The agency has issued only a single citation so far related to the coronavirus. It has issued employer guidance to protect workers, but none of it is enforceable by law. The moderate Republicans are proposing legally binding rules for different industries in exchange for the lawsuit protections.
Democrats and their allies in the labor movement have assailed McConnell’s push for liability protections, so it’s not clear what kind of support such a proposed trade might generate.
Asked Tuesday about giving employers immunity from lawsuits, Pelosi told CNN that Republicans should instead be working on the OSHA standard.
“Does he mean essential workers have to go to work ― if they don’t they lose their unemployment insurance ― and if they get sick there, they have no recourse?” she asked of McConnell.
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McConnell has said Senate negotiations on the next aid package will begin in earnest next week when senators return to Washington from a recess. They’re up against a tight deadline for reauthorizing a $600 boost to weekly unemployment payments that is set to expire at the end of the month, as well as an academic year set to begin with no national plan to help schools reopen safely amid a surge in coronavirus cases.
The House already passed a bill re-upping the jobless pay as well as providing $100 billion for schools and requiring OSHA to issue stricter standards, legislation that McConnell brushed aside.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-15--Schools Should Prioritize Reopening, But They Need A Lot More Money: New Report

Schools should try to reopen if they think they can do so safely , prioritizing students with disabilities and children in kindergarten through fifth grade , according to a report released Wednesday .
However , schools likely won ’ t be able to take all the necessary precautions without an injection of resources from states and the federal government .
The new report from the National Academies of Sciences , Engineering , and Medicine , which compiles months of research from education and medical experts , offers one of the most comprehensive looks at the costs and benefits of U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Over its more than 80 pages , the report outlines the potentially dire health risks communities could face if schools are reopened hastily and asks school and community leaders to engage in constant risk assessment .
“ In the absence of substantial financial support from the federal government and state governments , it is likely that the communities most impacted by COVID-19 will see even worse health outcomes in the wake of reopening schools , ” says the report .
“ Schools will not be able to take on the entire financial burden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nuance of the detailed report , which comes from an organization whose mission is to provide independent scientific guidance on urgent policy matters , contrasts the White House ’ s messaging on this issue .
President Donald Trump and Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos have called on schools to fully reopen , chiding districts that take other approaches .
They have gone so far as to threaten to cut federal funding for schools that don ’ t reopen in the fall , even though Congress authorizes federal education funding .
The researchers say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for reopening , including hiring more nurses and ensuring that buildings are cleaned regularly , that classrooms are properly ventilated and that there are plenty of disposable masks on hand for students and staff .
Schools may consider implementing contact tracing programs , too , but they would require an injection of local resources .
And schools serving lower-income children ― the schools where children may be in most urgent need of learning opportunities ― are perhaps the least equipped to make these changes .
They may not have enough custodial staff , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 40 % of districts need to update the heating , ventilation and air condition in their schools , according to a report the Government Accountability Office released last month .
“ Unless school districts directly address equity in their planning process , reopening schools during the COVID-19 pandemic will undoubtedly exacerbate existing disparities in educational access and outcomes , ” the NASEM report says .
“ As part of the planning process , districts will need to understand how existing inequities ( in school facilities , staffing , access to resources , etc @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the lived realities of communities disproportionately affected by COVID-19.
” Schools may have to pick and choose which safety precautions they ’ re able to afford , with little guidance over which ones they should prioritize .
Even with a comprehensive set of mitigation strategies , it will be impossible to eliminate the risk of COVID-19 at schools , and the report says districts should plan for the possibility of staff or students contracting the coronavirus .
Other countries have successfully reopened schools , but they have done so after transmission rates reached @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 continues to ravage many communities .
Many states have issued guidance for schools to help them decide whether to reopen , but they ’ ve put district leaders under a tremendous amount of pressure by saying they can make the final call .
School superintendents are struggling to make such a consequential decision for the children , parents and staff they serve — especially since the decision-making process for reopening schools should involve working with local public health officials and regularly reevaluating the needs of the community .
Florida and Texas , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ called on schools to open five days a week .
Some major districts , such as the Los Angeles Unified School District , have announced that they will only provide online learning options at the beginning of the school year .
New York City has announced it will provide a hybrid of in-person and distance learning .
“ As we think about the needs of our family and students , especially those facing poverty , we have legitimate concerns from our employees , ” Nikolai Vitti , the superintendent of Detroit Public Schools @ @ @ @ @ @ @ m struggling to balance what I know are the academic social emotional needs of children and the legitimate health concerns of employees.
” “ The bottom line is that without a comprehensive plan that includes federal resources to provide for the safety of our students and educators with funding for personal protective equipment , socially distanced instruction , and addressing racial inequity , we could be putting students , their families , and educators in danger , ” NEA President Lily Eskelsen García said in a statement .

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Schools should try to reopen if they think they can do so safely, prioritizing students with disabilities and children in kindergarten through fifth grade, according to a report released Wednesday. However, schools likely won’t be able to take all the necessary precautions without an injection of resources from states and the federal government.
The new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, which compiles months of research from education and medical experts, offers one of the most comprehensive looks at the costs and benefits of U.S. schools reopening amid the coronavirus pandemic. Over its more than 80 pages, the report outlines the potentially dire health risks communities could face if schools are reopened hastily and asks school and community leaders to engage in constant risk assessment.
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Although the report ultimately stresses the importance of providing students with in-person learning opportunities, it also details the tremendous challenges that schools could face, especially without a major influx of funds.
Implementing the necessary safety strategies could collectively cost schools an estimated $20 billion — even as shortfalls at the state and local levels mean many schools are currently tightening their budgets.
“In the absence of substantial financial support from the federal government and state governments, it is likely that the communities most impacted by COVID-19 will see even worse health outcomes in the wake of reopening schools,” says the report. “Schools will not be able to take on the entire financial burden of implementing the mitigation strategies.”
One of the greatest issues may be finding enough staff members, especially if classes have fewer students to accommodate social distancing. Many teachers are high-risk or over the age of 60.
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The nuance of the detailed report, which comes from an organization whose mission is to provide independent scientific guidance on urgent policy matters, contrasts the White House’s messaging on this issue. President Donald Trump and Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos have called on schools to fully reopen, chiding districts that take other approaches. They have gone so far as to threaten to cut federal funding for schools that don’t reopen in the fall, even though Congress authorizes federal education funding.
“Schools may have to pick and choose which safety precautions they’re able to afford, with little guidance over which ones they should prioritize.”
The researchers say schools should take several steps to prepare for reopening, including hiring more nurses and ensuring that buildings are cleaned regularly, that classrooms are properly ventilated and that there are plenty of disposable masks on hand for students and staff. Schools may consider implementing contact tracing programs, too, but they would require an injection of local resources.
And schools serving lower-income children ― the schools where children may be in most urgent need of learning opportunities ― are perhaps the least equipped to make these changes. They may not have enough custodial staff, and might have older buildings. Over 40% of districts need to update the heating, ventilation and air condition in their schools, according to a report the Government Accountability Office released last month.
“Unless school districts directly address equity in their planning process, reopening schools during the COVID-19 pandemic will undoubtedly exacerbate existing disparities in educational access and outcomes,” the NASEM report says. “As part of the planning process, districts will need to understand how existing inequities (in school facilities, staffing, access to resources, etc.) are likely to interact with the lived realities of communities disproportionately affected by COVID-19.”
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A custodian wipes down a hallway doorway at the Mildred Avenue K-8 School building in Boston ahead of the school reopening last week. School systems are taking many measure to keep students safe during the pandemic, including placing social distancing markers on the floors and increasing hand sanitizer stations. Photo by David L. Ryan/The Boston Globe via Getty Images
Schools may have to pick and choose which safety precautions they’re able to afford, with little guidance over which ones they should prioritize. Even with a comprehensive set of mitigation strategies, it will be impossible to eliminate the risk of COVID-19 at schools, and the report says districts should plan for the possibility of staff or students contracting the coronavirus. Other countries have successfully reopened schools, but they have done so after transmission rates reached low points ― in the U.S., COVID-19 continues to ravage many communities.
Many states have issued guidance for schools to help them decide whether to reopen, but they’ve put district leaders under a tremendous amount of pressure by saying they can make the final call. School superintendents are struggling to make such a consequential decision for the children, parents and staff they serve — especially since the decision-making process for reopening schools should involve working with local public health officials and regularly reevaluating the needs of the community.
Florida and Texas, where coronavirus cases are surging, have called on schools to open five days a week. Some major districts, such as the Los Angeles Unified School District, have announced that they will only provide online learning options at the beginning of the school year. New York City has announced it will provide a hybrid of in-person and distance learning.
“As we think about the needs of our family and students, especially those facing poverty, we have legitimate concerns from our employees,” Nikolai Vitti, the superintendent of Detroit Public Schools, told HuffPost. “I’m struggling to balance what I know are the academic social emotional needs of children and the legitimate health concerns of employees.”
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If schools decide to reopen, the researchers say they should prioritize in-person education for students with disabilities and elementary school children, groups that may have suffered the greatest during remote learning.
The nation’s largest teachers union, the National Education Association, responded to the new report by saying buildings should indeed reopen, but only if the safety of staff and students is ensured.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-16--Chris Cuomo Drops S-Bomb On Live TV Over Trump Goya Plug: ‘Are You Kidding Me?’

“ You tell me how a president in the middle of a pandemic has got time for this bullshit , ” the CNN host said .
“ Are you kidding me ?
” “ On your dime , in the middle of a pandemic , they ’ re selling beans , ” Cuomo said .
“ Are you kidding me ?
Seriously ?
Seriously ?
This is not left and right .
This is reasonable , my brothers and sisters.
” Cuomo also called out the White House for its “ thug tactics ” as those close to the president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Anthony Fauci over the past several days .
Trump tried to distance himself from the attacks on Wednesday , claiming he gets along well with Fauci .
The White House also claimed that an essay by Trump trade adviser Peter Navarro didn ’ t go through normal clearance processes .
“ It ’ s time for the president to man up , ” Cuomo said .
“ You know you had your boys doing your dirty work .
It ’ s always the same.
” And if Navarro had “ gone rogue ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what ’ s the White House going to do about it ?
`` On your dime , in the middle of a pandemic , they 're selling beans ! ''
says @ ChrisCuomo , outraged over Pres .
Trump 's `` magic beans '' photo .
`` Are you kidding me ?
Seriously .
Seriously ... what good reason ? ''
pic.twitter.com/zih858VuBB — Cuomo Prime Time ( @ CuomoPrimeTime ) July 16 , 2020

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“You tell me how a president in the middle of a pandemic has got time for this bullshit,” the CNN host said. “Are you kidding me?”
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“On your dime, in the middle of a pandemic, they’re selling beans,” Cuomo said. “Are you kidding me? Seriously? Seriously? This is not left and right. This is reasonable, my brothers and sisters.”
Cuomo also called out the White House for its “thug tactics” as those close to the president have repeatedly attacked infectious diseases expert Dr. Anthony Fauci over the past several days. Trump tried to distance himself from the attacks on Wednesday, claiming he gets along well with Fauci. The White House also claimed that an essay by Trump trade adviser Peter Navarro didn’t go through normal clearance processes.
But Cuomo didn’t buy it.
“It’s time for the president to man up,” Cuomo said. “You know you had your boys doing your dirty work. It’s always the same.”
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And if Navarro had “gone rogue” with the essay, Cuomo said, what’s the White House going to do about it?
See his full monologue below:


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-16--‘What Leadership Looks Like’: Old Fauci Pic Resurfaces Amid White House Attacks

Dr. Anthony Fauci , head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , is coming under attack from the White House of President Donald Trump .
But doctors and scientists around the nation are lining up to defend the infectious disease expert .
Earlier this week , the White House leaked a memo attempting to discredit Fauci .
And on Wednesday , Trump trade adviser Peter Navarro published an attack on Fauci in USA Today .
In response , multiple scientific organizations representing thousands of doctors and scientists released statements in support of Fauci .
“ If we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , all of America must support public health experts , including Dr. Fauci , and stand with science , ” the Infectious Diseases Society of America wrote .
The Association of American Medical Colleges said it was “ extremely concerned and alarmed by efforts to discredit ” Fauci .
“ America should be applauding Dr. Fauci for his service and following his advice , not undermining his credibility at this critical time , ” the organization said .
One scientist ’ s stirring tribute to Fauci has been widely shared on Twitter .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the National Human Genome Research Institute , shared a 2015 image from Science Magazine showing Fauci ― then 74 ― wearing a protective suit to help treat an American health care worker who had been infected with Ebola : Throwback to 5 years ago when Tony Fauci , at 74 yo , was suiting up to treat an Ebola patient himself because he `` wanted to show his staff that he would n't ask them to do anything he would n't do himself '' .
This is what leadership looks like .
https @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aphillippy ) July 15 , 2020 “ I do believe that one gets unique insights into disease when you actually physically interact with patients , ” Fauci told the magazine at the time .
“ It is very exciting and gratifying to participate in saving someone ’ s life , ” he added .

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Dr. Anthony Fauci, head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, is coming under attack from the White House of President Donald Trump. But doctors and scientists around the nation are lining up to defend the infectious disease expert.
Earlier this week, the White House leaked a memo attempting to discredit Fauci. And on Wednesday, Trump trade adviser Peter Navarro published an attack on Fauci in USA Today. In response, multiple scientific organizations representing thousands of doctors and scientists released statements in support of Fauci.
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“If we have any hope of ending this crisis, all of America must support public health experts, including Dr. Fauci, and stand with science,” the Infectious Diseases Society of America wrote.
The Association of American Medical Colleges said it was “extremely concerned and alarmed by efforts to discredit” Fauci.
“America should be applauding Dr. Fauci for his service and following his advice, not undermining his credibility at this critical time,” the organization said.
One scientist’s stirring tribute to Fauci has been widely shared on Twitter.
Adam Phillippy, a senior investigator at the National Human Genome Research Institute, shared a 2015 image from Science Magazine showing Fauci ― then 74 ― wearing a protective suit to help treat an American health care worker who had been infected with Ebola:
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Throwback to 5 years ago when Tony Fauci, at 74 yo, was suiting up to treat an Ebola patient himself because he "wanted to show his staff that he wouldn't ask them to do anything he wouldn't do himself". This is what leadership looks like. https://t.co/QctW672ykC pic.twitter.com/71j5qNWOsP — Adam Phillippy (@aphillippy) July 15, 2020
“I do believe that one gets unique insights into disease when you actually physically interact with patients,” Fauci told the magazine at the time.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-16--87 Breonna Taylor Protesters Arrested During Sit-In Outside Kentucky AG's Home

LOUISVILLE , Ky. ( AP ) — Eighty-seven demonstrators who gathered at the home of Kentucky ’ s attorney general to demand justice for Breonna Taylor have been arrested and charged with a felony for trying to “ intimidate ” the prosecutor , police said .
They were arrested after refusing to leave and — having been instructed beforehand by protest organizers not to resist — could be seen lining up to await their transfer to jail .
Among those arrested were NFL player Kenny Stills , a wide receiver for the Houston Texans , and Porsha Williams of “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the protesters were released from jail on Wednesday afternoon .
Taylor , a 26-year-old Black woman , was fatally shot when police officers burst into her Louisville apartment using a no-knock warrant in the early morning hours of March 13 during a narcotics investigation .
The warrant to search her home was in connection with a suspect who did not live there and no drugs were found inside .
The shooting set off weeks of protests , policy changes and a call for the officers who shot Taylor to be criminally charged .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ no charges have been filed .
Investigations into the shooting are continuing .
Stills posted on social media Wednesday afternoon that he was “ arrested for peacefully protesting .
While Breonna Taylor ’ s murderers are still out on the street.
” None of the Louisville officers involved in delivering the warrant at Taylor ’ s home have been criminally charged .
Cameron , a Republican and Kentucky ’ s first African American state attorney general , said on Monday that he still has no timeline for when his office will conclude its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are here to hold Daniel Cameron accountable and make sure that he does his job , because he is not doing his job , ” said Until Freedom co-founder Linda Sarsour .
Protesters were charged with “ intimidating a participant in a legal process , ” a class D felony in Kentucky that is punishable from one to five years in prison upon conviction .
That charge is related to Cameron ’ s role as prosecutor of the Taylor investigation .
The protesters were charged with a felony because officers heard them “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get what they want , they would burn it down , ” Louisville police said Wednesday afternoon in an emailed statement , referring to Cameron ’ s house .
“ That was deemed an attempt to intimidate , persuade or influence the attorney general ’ s decision , ” the statement said .
The Jefferson County Commonwealth ’ s Attorney ’ s office was not consulted about the filing of the felony charges , spokesman Jeff Cooke said Wednesday .
Cooke said a judge at the county ’ s District Court level will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ move the felony charge to a grand jury .
If the grand jury indicts on the charge , the commonwealth ’ s attorney will then assume responsibility for the prosecution , he said .
“ From the beginning , our office has set out to do its job , to fully investigate the events surrounding the death of Ms. Breonna Taylor , ” the attorney general said .
“ We continue with a thorough and fair investigation , and today ’ s events will not alter our pursuit of the truth .
”

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LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Eighty-seven demonstrators who gathered at the home of Kentucky’s attorney general to demand justice for Breonna Taylor have been arrested and charged with a felony for trying to “intimidate” the prosecutor, police said.
Protesters with the social justice organization Until Freedom gathered for a sit-in on the front yard of a Louisville home owned by Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron on Tuesday afternoon, news outlets reported.
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They were arrested after refusing to leave and — having been instructed beforehand by protest organizers not to resist — could be seen lining up to await their transfer to jail.
Among those arrested were NFL player Kenny Stills, a wide receiver for the Houston Texans, and Porsha Williams of “Real Housewives of Atlanta.” Several of the protesters were released from jail on Wednesday afternoon.
Porsha Williams was arrested during a peaceful Breonna Taylor protest in Atlanta. These cops really have nothing better to do.
Porsha really been showing out for us ❤ pic.twitter.com/jMRXcKLRtK — 💫✨ (@TheJessieWoo) July 14, 2020
Taylor, a 26-year-old Black woman, was fatally shot when police officers burst into her Louisville apartment using a no-knock warrant in the early morning hours of March 13 during a narcotics investigation. The warrant to search her home was in connection with a suspect who did not live there and no drugs were found inside.
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The shooting set off weeks of protests, policy changes and a call for the officers who shot Taylor to be criminally charged. One officer has been fired, but no charges have been filed. Investigations into the shooting are continuing.
Stills posted on social media Wednesday afternoon that he was “arrested for peacefully protesting. While Breonna Taylor’s murderers are still out on the street.” None of the Louisville officers involved in delivering the warrant at Taylor’s home have been criminally charged.
Cameron, a Republican and Kentucky’s first African American state attorney general, said on Monday that he still has no timeline for when his office will conclude its investigation of the case.
“We are here to hold Daniel Cameron accountable and make sure that he does his job, because he is not doing his job,” said Until Freedom co-founder Linda Sarsour.
Protesters are demonstrating on the lawn of Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron’s home, chanting “Say her name! Breonna Taylor!”
Police are taking some of them into custody now pic.twitter.com/MVFzIugl58 — philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) July 14, 2020
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Protesters were charged with “intimidating a participant in a legal process,” a class D felony in Kentucky that is punishable from one to five years in prison upon conviction. That charge is related to Cameron’s role as prosecutor of the Taylor investigation.
The protesters were charged with a felony because officers heard them “chanting that if they didn’t get what they want, they would burn it down,” Louisville police said Wednesday afternoon in an emailed statement, referring to Cameron’s house. “That was deemed an attempt to intimidate, persuade or influence the attorney general’s decision,” the statement said.
The Jefferson County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s office was not consulted about the filing of the felony charges, spokesman Jeff Cooke said Wednesday. Cooke said a judge at the county’s District Court level will decide if there is probable cause to move the felony charge to a grand jury. If the grand jury indicts on the charge, the commonwealth’s attorney will then assume responsibility for the prosecution, he said.
The protesters were also each charged with disorderly conduct and criminal trespassing, both misdemeanors, said Louisville Metro Police spokesman Lamont Washington.
Cameron said the protest won’t bring justice and “only serves to further division and tension within our community.”
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