npr--2020-06-16--In 'Terrific Explosion,' North Korea Blows Up Liaison Office

North Korea blew up its joint liaison office with South Korea on Tuesday , in a dramatic and carefully planned display of rancor toward its southern neighbor .
The act follows threats from Pyongyang and signals what experts believe will be more provocations to come .
South Korea 's Unification Ministry , which handles inter-Korean ties , confirmed that the liaison office was destroyed by a blast shortly before 3:00 p.m. local time .
The office was established in 2018 in the Kaesong Industrial Zone , just north of the Demilitarized Zone .
The liaison office appears to have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Representatives of the South and North pulled out of the office in January , because the coronavirus pandemic .
Jointly operated factories in the zone had already shut down amid tensions in 2016 .
Pyongyang cut all communication channels with the South last week and telegraphed Tuesday 's move over the weekend .
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un 's sister Kim Yo Jong , an increasingly prominent figure , threatened the `` complete collapse '' of the office , which she described as `` useless . ''
She also warned of military @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resentment '' at Seoul allowing North Korean defectors to send propaganda leaflets into the North via balloons .
On Tuesday , North Korea 's Korean Central News Agency said the office was destroyed in a `` terrific explosion '' because the North 's `` enraged people '' were determined to `` force [ the ] human scum , and those who have sheltered the scum , to pay dearly for their crimes , '' referring to those sending leaflets .
Seoul has often allowed the anti-North leaflets as a form of free speech @ @ @ @ @ @ @ administration of President Moon Jae-in , which has pursued a policy of engagement with Pyongyang , moved to block the leafleteers by filing a criminal complaint last week and canceling the defector groups ' business licenses .
Seoul was not , however , indifferent to the demolition of the liaison office .
`` The government makes clear that all responsibility caused by this rests totally with the North Korean side , '' the National Security Council said in a statement .
`` We sternly warn that if North Korea takes steps further aggravating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
Following the collapse of nuclear negotiations at an aborted summit with President Trump in Vietnam last year , Kim repeatedly signaled that his patience with diplomacy was at an end .
He declared in a New Year 's speech that Pyongyang was no longer bound by a moratorium on testing nuclear weapons or strategic weapons .
This year has seen a string of North Korean snubs , slights and provocations aimed at Seoul and Washington , including more than a dozen rocket and missile launches .
North Korea Foreign Minister Ri @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relationship between Trump and Kim as useless .
And Kwon Jong Gun , director-general for U.S. affairs at North Korea 's Foreign Ministry , suggested that unless the U.S. steered clear of inter-Korean issues , the North could make trouble for U.S. presidential elections in November .
Some analysts , though , see in Pyongyang 's moves elements from a well-worn playbook .
`` In North Korea 's way of stirring a crisis with threats of military provocations , this year is n't special , '' comments Lee Ho-ryung , a researcher at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a think tank under the Ministry of National Defense in Seoul .
In 2015 , for example , `` North Korea also took issue with leaflets and how they target its highest dignity , '' she says .
`` The pattern is quite similar this year . ''
The crisis whipped up by the North , she explains , helps distract from a lack of economic progress at home — especially this year , as the North 's economy shrivels under the weight of sanctions and closure of the border with China , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus pandemic .
Lee predicts that the North will continue its provocations by undoing 2018 agreements with Seoul aimed at reducing military tensions , something Pyongyang hinted at on Tuesday .
`` They could reinstall guard posts or send more troops to the DMZ region , '' Lee says .
But she doubts that Pyongyang will go as far as resuming nuclear testing , as , she says , `` North Korea would want to pursue something that wo n't exhibit too much hostility toward the U.S. or the international community .
@

In 'Terrific Explosion,' North Korea Blows Up Liaison Office
Enlarge this image toggle caption South Korea Defense Ministry/Yonhap via AP South Korea Defense Ministry/Yonhap via AP
North Korea blew up its joint liaison office with South Korea on Tuesday, in a dramatic and carefully planned display of rancor toward its southern neighbor. The act follows threats from Pyongyang and signals what experts believe will be more provocations to come.
South Korea's Unification Ministry, which handles inter-Korean ties, confirmed that the liaison office was destroyed by a blast shortly before 3:00 p.m. local time. The office was established in 2018 in the Kaesong Industrial Zone, just north of the Demilitarized Zone.
The liaison office appears to have been empty when it was blown up. Representatives of the South and North pulled out of the office in January, because the coronavirus pandemic. Jointly operated factories in the zone had already shut down amid tensions in 2016.
Media no longer available
Pyongyang cut all communication channels with the South last week and telegraphed Tuesday's move over the weekend. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's sister Kim Yo Jong, an increasingly prominent figure, threatened the "complete collapse" of the office, which she described as "useless." She also warned of military action to vent "our people's resentment" at Seoul allowing North Korean defectors to send propaganda leaflets into the North via balloons.
On Tuesday, North Korea's Korean Central News Agency said the office was destroyed in a "terrific explosion" because the North's "enraged people" were determined to "force [the] human scum, and those who have sheltered the scum, to pay dearly for their crimes," referring to those sending leaflets.
Seoul has often allowed the anti-North leaflets as a form of free speech in a democratic state. But the administration of President Moon Jae-in, which has pursued a policy of engagement with Pyongyang, moved to block the leafleteers by filing a criminal complaint last week and canceling the defector groups' business licenses.
Seoul was not, however, indifferent to the demolition of the liaison office.
"The government makes clear that all responsibility caused by this rests totally with the North Korean side," the National Security Council said in a statement.
"We sternly warn that if North Korea takes steps further aggravating the situation, we will respond strongly."
Following the collapse of nuclear negotiations at an aborted summit with President Trump in Vietnam last year, Kim repeatedly signaled that his patience with diplomacy was at an end. He declared in a New Year's speech that Pyongyang was no longer bound by a moratorium on testing nuclear weapons or strategic weapons.
This year has seen a string of North Korean snubs, slights and provocations aimed at Seoul and Washington, including more than a dozen rocket and missile launches. North Korea Foreign Minister Ri Son Gwon last week dismissed the personal relationship between Trump and Kim as useless. And Kwon Jong Gun, director-general for U.S. affairs at North Korea's Foreign Ministry, suggested that unless the U.S. steered clear of inter-Korean issues, the North could make trouble for U.S. presidential elections in November.
Some analysts, though, see in Pyongyang's moves elements from a well-worn playbook.
"In North Korea's way of stirring a crisis with threats of military provocations, this year isn't special," comments Lee Ho-ryung, a researcher at the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses, a think tank under the Ministry of National Defense in Seoul.
In 2015, for example, "North Korea also took issue with leaflets and how they target its highest dignity," she says. "The pattern is quite similar this year."
The crisis whipped up by the North, she explains, helps distract from a lack of economic progress at home — especially this year, as the North's economy shrivels under the weight of sanctions and closure of the border with China, its main trading partner, because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Lee predicts that the North will continue its provocations by undoing 2018 agreements with Seoul aimed at reducing military tensions, something Pyongyang hinted at on Tuesday.
"They could reinstall guard posts or send more troops to the DMZ region," Lee says.
But she doubts that Pyongyang will go as far as resuming nuclear testing, as, she says, "North Korea would want to pursue something that won't exhibit too much hostility toward the U.S. or the international community."
NPR's Se Eun Gong in Seoul contributed to this report.


npr--2020-06-16--CDC Now Recommends Driving Alone. But What If You Don't Have A Car?

CDC Now Recommends Driving Alone .
But What If You Do n't Have A Car ?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently took an unusual step of encouraging people to drive alone — the exact opposite of what cities have urged people to do for years .
The CDC later acknowledged that biking and walking are good choices , too , but continued to urge commuters to choose their own cars over transit or carpooling .
That 's because while cars create deadly accidents and unhealthy pollution , not to mention carbon emissions and stressful traffic , they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This is a problem for cities .
It 's also a dilemma for the millions of Americans without cars , whether by choice or out of economic necessity .
Doug Gordon , a co-host of The War on Cars podcast , has dedicated much of his life to explaining how cars destroy quality of life in cities .
He is a vocal advocate for bikers , pedestrians and transit riders .
And for 22 years , he 's lived in New York City without a car .
But now , with the pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more fraught , Gordon and his wife think they might rent a car for a month this summer — much longer than they usually would — as a sort of experiment , to see how it feels to hop behind the wheel whenever they want .
`` If someone like me is thinking of getting a car ... if I 'm even entertaining it ... then I ca n't blame people who do n't live and breathe this stuff for taking it far more seriously than I am , '' he says .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ He knows it would be disastrous for the city if a bunch of people like him suddenly got cars .
And if he felt like he could take his kids on public transit safely , he says , `` I would immediately stop even thinking about owning a car . ''
People who are privileged enough to be weighing this option , he says , have an extra responsibility to consider how it could hurt their communities — and to push cities to keep transit running as frequently and safely as possible .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ City households do n't have access to a vehicle .
Across America as a whole , 8.7 % of households do n't have a car , including many rural residents as well as city dwellers .
For most people without a car , it 's not a choice .
`` I think it would be nice to have a car , but there 's just not any money to be had for me to own a car , pay gas , pay insurance , do maintenance , '' says Sydney Ledwith-Jensen .
She @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cars , as a customer service representative at a Jiffy Lube in Portland , Ore .
But Ledwith-Jensen was laid off more than 11 weeks ago .
She 's still waiting for an unemployment check .
Her unpaid rent is piling up and while her landlord has been patient so far , she 's worried about whether she 'll get evicted eventually .
She expects to go back to work eventually .
And when she does , she 'll be riding the bus , despite the risk of exposure to the coronavirus .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ well .
She works at a Freddy 's Frozen Custard and Steakburgers in Durham , N.C. , and has continued with her hour-plus bus commute throughout this pandemic .
`` From my experience , it 'll be a higher risk on the bus than at my job , '' she says .
At work she 's behind a counter ; on the bus , there 's no separation , and even wearing a mask and doing her best to avoid sitting next to anyone , it 's easy to bump into people .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ her pay of $ 9.35 an hour .
That 's one reason why she 's joined other fast-food workers to call for higher pay : `` So I can get $ 15 an hour , I can afford a car . ''
This is yet another way the pandemic is exacerbating inequality .
Many people with high-paid jobs can afford cars — and can work from home , meaning vehicles sit unused in driveways .
Meanwhile , many low-paid essential workers — disproportionately people of color — can not afford cars and have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Our social structure has made it so that for some people , it 's OK for them to risk their lives in the name of other people , '' says Río Oxas , a mobility justice advocate and co-founder of the consultancy RAHOK .
Oxas notes that bus and subway operators , too , have to put themselves at risk to help other essential workers get to their jobs — so making transit as safe as possible is essential for both riders and drivers .
Oxas dreams of cities fundamentally redesigned so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ walk from all their needs , and long commutes by car or bus are n't necessary .
For now , a personal vehicle — while polluting , expensive and dangerous — opens up access to better jobs , health care and other opportunities .
And during the pandemic , cars have become a kind of personal protective equipment that many people ca n't afford to have , and which cities ca n't afford for everyone to use .

CDC Now Recommends Driving Alone. But What If You Don't Have A Car?
Enlarge this image toggle caption Gabby Jones/Bloomberg via Getty Images Gabby Jones/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Updated at 5:53 p.m. ET
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently took an unusual step of encouraging people to drive alone — the exact opposite of what cities have urged people to do for years.
The CDC later acknowledged that biking and walking are good choices, too, but continued to urge commuters to choose their own cars over transit or carpooling. That's because while cars create deadly accidents and unhealthy pollution, not to mention carbon emissions and stressful traffic, they also provide protection from the coronavirus.
This is a problem for cities. It's also a dilemma for the millions of Americans without cars, whether by choice or out of economic necessity.
Doug Gordon, a co-host of The War on Cars podcast, has dedicated much of his life to explaining how cars destroy quality of life in cities. He is a vocal advocate for bikers, pedestrians and transit riders.
And for 22 years, he's lived in New York City without a car.
But now, with the pandemic reshaping city life and making public transit more fraught, Gordon and his wife think they might rent a car for a month this summer — much longer than they usually would — as a sort of experiment, to see how it feels to hop behind the wheel whenever they want.
"If someone like me is thinking of getting a car ... if I'm even entertaining it ... then I can't blame people who don't live and breathe this stuff for taking it far more seriously than I am," he says.
Gordon feels weird even imagining it. He knows it would be disastrous for the city if a bunch of people like him suddenly got cars. And if he felt like he could take his kids on public transit safely, he says, "I would immediately stop even thinking about owning a car."
People who are privileged enough to be weighing this option, he says, have an extra responsibility to consider how it could hurt their communities — and to push cities to keep transit running as frequently and safely as possible.
More than half of all New York City households don't have access to a vehicle. Across America as a whole, 8.7% of households don't have a car, including many rural residents as well as city dwellers.
For most people without a car, it's not a choice.
"I think it would be nice to have a car, but there's just not any money to be had for me to own a car, pay gas, pay insurance, do maintenance," says Sydney Ledwith-Jensen.
She used to help other people maintain their cars, as a customer service representative at a Jiffy Lube in Portland, Ore. But Ledwith-Jensen was laid off more than 11 weeks ago. She's still waiting for an unemployment check.
Her unpaid rent is piling up and while her landlord has been patient so far, she's worried about whether she'll get evicted eventually.
She expects to go back to work eventually. And when she does, she'll be riding the bus, despite the risk of exposure to the coronavirus.
It's a risk Jamila Allen knows well. She works at a Freddy's Frozen Custard and Steakburgers in Durham, N.C., and has continued with her hour-plus bus commute throughout this pandemic.
"From my experience, it'll be a higher risk on the bus than at my job," she says.
At work she's behind a counter; on the bus, there's no separation, and even wearing a mask and doing her best to avoid sitting next to anyone, it's easy to bump into people.
Allen can't afford a car on her pay of $9.35 an hour. That's one reason why she's joined other fast-food workers to call for higher pay: "So I can get $15 an hour, I can afford a car."
This is yet another way the pandemic is exacerbating inequality. Many people with high-paid jobs can afford cars — and can work from home, meaning vehicles sit unused in driveways.
Meanwhile, many low-paid essential workers — disproportionately people of color — cannot afford cars and have to keep going in to work.
"Our social structure has made it so that for some people, it's OK for them to risk their lives in the name of other people," says Río Oxas, a mobility justice advocate and co-founder of the consultancy RAHOK. Oxas notes that bus and subway operators, too, have to put themselves at risk to help other essential workers get to their jobs — so making transit as safe as possible is essential for both riders and drivers.
Oxas dreams of cities fundamentally redesigned so people are no more than a 20-minute walk from all their needs, and long commutes by car or bus aren't necessary.
For now, a personal vehicle — while polluting, expensive and dangerous — opens up access to better jobs, health care and other opportunities.
And during the pandemic, cars have become a kind of personal protective equipment that many people can't afford to have, and which cities can't afford for everyone to use.


npr--2020-06-17--5 Radical Schooling Ideas For An Uncertain Fall, And Beyond

5 Radical Schooling Ideas For An Uncertain Fall , And Beyond There is no one answer for what the coming school year will look like , but it wo n't resemble the fall of 2019 .
Wherever classrooms are open , there will likely be some form of social distancing and other hygiene measures in place that challenge traditional teaching and learning .
Future outbreaks will make for unpredictable waves of closures .
Virtual learning will continue .
And all this will happen amid a historic funding crunch .
American education has long been full of innovators practicing alternatives to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ uncontrolled experiment of the pandemic rolled across the country , certain approaches proved their mettle in new ways .
Here are some ideas that seem newly relevant given the constraints of 2020 and beyond .
Recently , parents told the U.S. Census Bureau that teachers were spending around four hours a week in online contact with their children , while they , the parents , spent an average of 13 hours a week helping children with schoolwork themselves .
The debate over equity in emergency remote learning during the pandemic has centered on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hotspots .
But access to home support is arguably even more important .
A national survey by the advocacy group ParentsTogether found big gaps by income in the ability to access emergency learning .
When asked about barriers to children 's participation , lower-income families who took the survey were more likely to name issues such as `` school resources are too complicated '' or `` it 's hard to get my child to focus '' than they were to cite a lack of equipment .
`` Never in the modern history of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ family engagement been more apparent , '' says Alejandro Gibes de Gac , the founder of Springboard Collaborative .
Springboard is a social enterprise that looks at families as the `` single greatest resource '' for helping struggling readers .
In pre-pandemic times , it offered a series of hour-long workshops to family members , mostly in low-income communities , coaching them to set goals and practice specific reading concepts with elementary school-age children .
In just five weeks , on average , 3 out of 4 of their participants get to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And these strategies work even though one-third of Springboard 's parents , grandparents , and other relatives are unable to access the text their child is holding , because of language differences , their own literacy gaps , or both .
Now that parent-assisted learning has become the default across the country , Springboard has created an app for the 10,000 families they already work with .
They 've offered professional development webinars for teachers , through unions and other organizations , on engaging families .
And they 've recently announced a partnership @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 3,000 fresh TFA recruits will offer a remote version of Springboard 's reading strategies workshop for up to 9,000 pre-K through fourth-graders nationwide .
Gibes de Gac is excited about the impact this experience will have , not only on families , but on the pre-service teachers themselves : `` I expect to look back on this as a turning point in how America prepares teachers to partner with families not as a peripheral responsibility , but as the very essence of teaching . ''
In this time , as in previous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ risk for being knocked off course .
One April survey found 4 in 10 U.S. teens were n't logging on to classes at all .
But not Christian Perez , 15 , a sophomore at South Fort Myers High School in Fort Myers , Fla .
He stuck with his schoolwork online even though his father , a plumber , sent him to stay with his family in Puerto Rico .
`` I want to keep up my grades so I can stay on the baseball team , '' Perez tells NPR , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nelson Aguedo Concepcion , is the one who really kept him on track .
`` I 'm in touch with my students two , three times a week , '' by text , phone , Google classroom and Zoom meetings , Concepcion says .
There are devoted teachers everywhere , but the relationship between Concepcion and Perez did n't come about by chance .
South Fort Myers High School follows a dropout prevention program called BARR , which stands for Building Assets , Reducing Risks .
The program , which is supported by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ building strong positive relationships between students and the adults in a building .
It groups teachers and other professionals like counselors for weekly meetings where they compare notes and make plans to help students in trouble .
Costs associated with the model are relatively small , related to scheduling and staffing .
At South Fort Myers and other schools using the BARR method around the country , these regular meetings have continued over Zoom during the pandemic .
It 's unusual for faculty in a high school to meet regularly to discuss student @ @ @ @ @ @ @ details .
South Fort Myers High School Principal Ed Mathews credits BARR 's `` team approach '' with helping his faculty keep the vast majority of his high school students engaged .
`` The first week that we did virtual education , we missed 350 students .
And then the following week we got it down to 125 .
And then the following week we got it down to two .
And then out of the two we were able to get a hold of the one .
And then unfortunately the other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ BARR is not the only education success model that prioritizes relationships .
Marquise Pierre , 20 , is finishing his degree at a small public `` transfer '' high school in Coney Island , N.Y. , called Liberation Diploma Plus .
Pierre tells NPR that on lockdown he hears from one of the faculty members every single day .
`` The school is more like a family than staff and students . ''
And in King County , Wash. , 15-year-old Osvaldo Riva Santiago is staying motivated with the help of an incentive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dani Erickson .
Erickson works for Treehouse , a nonprofit with a successful track record of helping foster youth like Santiago graduate high school .
Through Erickson 's incentive plan , Santiago earns prizes , like Amazon gift cards , for keeping up with his schoolwork and doing self-care activities , like jigsaw puzzles .
`` She 's been helping me emotionally , '' says Santiago .
3 .
Use online systems to assess , remediate and individualize learning .
One study of the `` COVID-19 slide '' estimates children will be returning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a typical year 's reading gains and only half a year 's gains in math .
But those are averages ; most experts believe we can expect to see much wider variations in progress than usual , because of equity gaps .
`` Obviously going into this back-to-school , if you already had some variance pre-COVID , the variance is going to be that much larger , '' Sal Khan , the founder of Khan Academy , the free automated learning site , tells NPR .
`` And we 're going into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ standardized testing this past spring .
So there 's even less information to go on in terms of where kids are and what they need . ''
Khan Academy has seen traffic nearly triple since the pandemic began .
In a typical week , says Khan , 30 million students are now spending 80 to 90 million minutes practicing everything from multiplication to AP U.S. History .
As students answer questions , the site tracks their progress , which allows teachers or parents to easily see what areas they need to work on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on preparing what he calls `` getting ready for grade level '' courses for this coming fall .
For students beginning sixth grade math , for example , the course moves quickly from basic arithmetic onward , in a combination of review and assessment .
`` The kids are learning , hopefully , while they 're doing it , they 're getting practice .
But then over a few hours you can actually form , in some ways , a more granular view than you would in a traditional assessment . ''
Barry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Unified School District , which serves Spanish-speaking migrant agricultural workers in California 's Central Valley .
The district has been lauded for its technology-driven approach where every student follows an individualized learning plan .
Starting in 2016 it created a community Wi-Fi project , which meant when school buildings closed for the pandemic , there was little interruption in learning .
Sommer says that what worked well was n't just the technology but the social and emotional competencies that come when you create a culture of putting students in charge .
`` Our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to set goals , be responsible and resilient .
They transitioned really , really well . ''
A recent USA Today/Ipsos poll found 60 % of parents are `` likely '' to continue with home-based education through next year , and 30 % said they would be `` very likely '' do so even if schools reopen .
By contrast , about 3 % of children have been homeschooled in previous years .
Some of these families will team up to share the work and allow children some safe company , or if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to help .
Enter the coronavirus homeschool co-op or microschool .
Matt Candler is the principal of NOLA Micro Schools in New Orleans , which currently plans to re-open in the fall as a one-room schoolhouse , with about 25 K-12 students , in a former cider house that allows ample space for social distancing .
Candler says what defines a microschool from his perspective is not size alone , but a focus on empowering the learner to pursue their own interests , which made his school 's transition to remote learning unusually @ @ @ @ @ @ @ schoolers organized their own morning `` huddles '' online , where they share progress and goals for the day .
`` [ Microschool parents ] have greater trust in the child 's ability to self-direct and the school 's ability to adapt , '' he says .
Krystal Dillard is the co-director of Natural Creativity , a center for self-directed learning that supports homeschoolers , who generally attend between one and four days a week .
She serves a diverse community in Philadelphia .
She says the interest in the alternative they offer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ca n't tell you how many [ traditional school ] parents who have reached out to me to say , 'Tthis is n't working .
I do n't feel that my young person is being served through this virtual learning world that they 're sort of being forced into . '
'' Parents are also forming networks and pooling resources to keep their kids happy , occupied , and hopefully learning .
Homeschoolcoop2020.com is a site where children ages 6 and older can tune in to live video classes .
It 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a historian at LaGuardia Community College , started the project to help occupy her 12-year-old son .
`` What I found is that the things that were most helpful for me were the things that were synchronous because the asynchronous stuff required a lot of my attention and support . ''
On Homeschool Co-op 2020 , you can learn about the solar system , DNA or poetry , usually from practitioners in the field .
But the most popular session , led by Miller 's partner , Emily Drabinski , five mornings a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suggests that coronavirus transmission is much less common outdoors .
A forest kindergarten is generally a group of eight to 10 children between the ages of 2 and 6 , who spend the majority of their time outside .
`` We always trot out this phrase : , Tthere 's no such thing as bad weather , only bad clothing , '' says Kimberly Worthington , president of the American Forest Kindergarten Association .
Worthington says there are currently about 60 forest kindergartens all over the country , most having formed since the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ European model .
But interest in the idea is way up during the pandemic , says Worthington .
`` This pandemic has us all separated and in our homes .
And just walking outdoors and getting a little bit of nature is so beneficial , '' she says .
Plus , it 's safer .
`` There 's more physical space for children to be together and learn together at a safe distance .
And have less shared materials , because most of the materials for learning are natural objects .
And I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shortage of sticks . ''

5 Radical Schooling Ideas For An Uncertain Fall And Beyond
Enlarge this image LA Johnson/NPR LA Johnson/NPR
There is no one answer for what the coming school year will look like, but it won't resemble the fall of 2019. Wherever classrooms are open, there will likely be some form of social distancing and other hygiene measures in place that challenge traditional teaching and learning. Future outbreaks will make for unpredictable waves of closures. Virtual learning will continue. And all this will happen amid a historic funding crunch.
American education has long been full of innovators practicing alternatives to the mainstream. When the giant, uncontrolled experiment of the pandemic rolled across the country, certain approaches proved their mettle in new ways. Here are some ideas that seem newly relevant given the constraints of 2020 and beyond.
1. Support families to help teach children.
Recently, parents told the U.S. Census Bureau that teachers were spending about four hours a week in online contact with their children, while they, the parents, spent an average of 13 hours a week helping children with schoolwork themselves.
The debate over equity in emergency remote learning during the pandemic has centered on the lack of equipment like computers and hot spots. But access to home support is arguably even more important. A national survey by the advocacy group ParentsTogether found big gaps by income in the ability to access emergency learning. When asked about barriers to children's participation, lower-income families who took the survey were more likely to name issues such as "school resources are too complicated" or "it's hard to get my child to focus" than they were to cite a lack of equipment.
"Never in the modern history of our education system has the importance of family engagement been more apparent," says Alejandro Gibes de Gac, the founder of Springboard Collaborative.
Springboard is a social enterprise that looks at families as the "single greatest resource" for helping struggling readers. In pre-pandemic times, it offered a series of hourlong workshops to family members, mostly in low-income communities, coaching them to set goals and practice specific reading concepts with elementary school-age children. In just five weeks, on average, 3 out of 4 of their participants get to the next reading level or even further. And these strategies work even though one-third of Springboard's parents, grandparents and other relatives are unable to access the text their child is holding, because of language differences, their own literacy gaps, or both.
Enlarge this image LA Johnson/NPR LA Johnson/NPR
Now that parent-assisted learning has become the default across the country, Springboard has created an app for the 10,000 families they already work with. They've offered professional development webinars for teachers, through unions and other organizations, on engaging families. And they've recently announced a partnership with Teach For America. This summer, 3,000 fresh TFA recruits will offer a remote version of Springboard's reading strategies workshop for up to 9,000 pre-K through fourth-graders nationwide.
Gibes de Gac is excited about the impact this experience will have, not only on families, but on the pre-service teachers themselves: "I expect to look back on this as a turning point in how America prepares teachers to partner with families not as a peripheral responsibility, but as the very essence of teaching."
2. Give teens one-on-one support.
In this time, as in previous educational disruptions, teenagers are most at risk for being knocked off course. One April survey found 4 in 10 U.S. teens weren't logging on to classes at all.
But not Christian Perez, 15, a sophomore at South Fort Myers High School in Fort Myers, Fla. He stuck with his schoolwork online even though his father, a plumber, sent him to stay with his family in Puerto Rico. "I want to keep up my grades so I can stay on the baseball team," Perez tells NPR, in Spanish.
His ESL teacher, Nelson Aguedo Concepcion, is the one who really kept him on track. "I'm in touch with my students two, three times a week," by text, phone, Google classroom and Zoom meetings, Concepcion says.
There are devoted teachers everywhere, but the relationship between Concepcion and Perez didn't come about by chance. South Fort Myers High School follows a dropout prevention program called BARR, which stands for Building Assets, Reducing Risks. The program, which is supported by randomized controlled trial evidence, focuses on building strong positive relationships between students and the adults in a building. It groups teachers and other professionals like counselors for weekly meetings where they compare notes and make plans to help students in trouble. Costs associated with the model are relatively small, related to scheduling and staffing. At South Fort Myers and other schools using the BARR method around the country, these regular meetings have continued over Zoom during the pandemic.
It's unusual for faculty in a high school to meet regularly to discuss student success, rather than curricula or administrative details. South Fort Myers High School Principal Ed Mathews credits BARR's "team approach" with helping his faculty keep the vast majority of his high school students engaged. "The first week that we did virtual education, we missed 350 students," Mathews says. "And then the following week we got it down to 125. And then the following week we got it down to two. And then out of the two we were able to get a hold of the one. And then unfortunately the other young lady was a runaway."
BARR is not the only education success model that prioritizes relationships. Marquise Pierre, 20, is finishing his degree at a small public "transfer" high school in Coney Island, N.Y., called Liberation Diploma Plus. Pierre tells NPR that on lockdown he hears from one of the faculty members every single day: "The school is more like a family than staff and students."
And in King County, Wash., 15-year-old Osvaldo Riva Santiago is staying motivated with the help of an incentive plan created by his education specialist, Dani Erickson. Erickson works for Treehouse, a nonprofit with a successful track record of helping foster youth like Santiago graduate from high school. Through Erickson's incentive plan, Santiago earns prizes, such as Amazon gift cards, for keeping up with his schoolwork and doing self-care activities, such as jigsaw puzzles. "She's been helping me emotionally," says Santiago.
3. Use online systems to assess, remediate and individualize learning.
One study of the "COVID-19 slide" estimates that children will be returning to school this fall with 70% of a typical year's reading gains and only half a year's gains in math. But those are averages; most experts believe we can expect to see much wider variations in progress than usual, because of equity gaps.
"Obviously going into this back-to-school, if you already had some variance pre-COVID, the variance is going to be that much larger," Sal Khan, the founder of Khan Academy, the free automated learning site, tells NPR. "And we're going into a world where there's been no standardized testing this past spring. So there's even less information to go on in terms of where kids are and what they need."
Khan Academy has seen traffic nearly triple since the pandemic began. In a typical week, says Khan, 30 million students are now spending 80 to 90 million minutes practicing everything from multiplication to AP U.S. History. As students answer questions, the site tracks their progress, which allows teachers or parents to easily see what areas they need to work on.
Khan says his team is working on preparing what he calls "getting ready for grade level" courses for this coming fall. For students beginning sixth grade math, for example, the course moves quickly from basic arithmetic onward, in a combination of review and assessment. "The kids are learning, hopefully, while they're doing it, they're getting practice. But then over a few hours you can actually form, in some ways, a more granular view than you would in a traditional assessment."
Barry Sommer is director of advancement for Lindsay Unified School District, which serves Spanish-speaking migrant agricultural workers in California's Central Valley. The district has been lauded for its technology-driven approach where every student follows an individualized learning plan. Starting in 2016 it created a community Wi-Fi project, which meant when school buildings closed for the pandemic, there was little interruption in learning. Sommer says that what worked well wasn't just the technology but the social and emotional competencies that come when you create a culture of putting students in charge. "Our learners have agency. They're taught to set goals, be responsible and resilient. They transitioned really, really well."
4. Form microschools and home-school co-ops.
A recent USA Today/Ipsos poll found that 60% of parents are "likely" to continue with home-based education through next year, and 30% said they would be "very likely" do so even if schools reopen. By contrast, about 3% of children have been home-schooled in previous years.
Some of these families will team up to share the work and allow children some safe company, or if budgets allow, even hire a teacher to help. Enter the coronavirus home-school co-op or microschool.
Enlarge this image LA Johnson/NPR LA Johnson/NPR
Matt Candler is the principal of NOLA Micro Schools in New Orleans, which currently plans to reopen in the fall as a one-room schoolhouse, with about 25 K-12 students, in a former cider house that allows ample space for social distancing. Candler says what defines a microschool from his perspective is not size alone, but a focus on empowering the learner to pursue their own interests, which made his school's transition to remote learning unusually smooth. For example, his high schoolers organized their own morning "huddles" online, where they share progress and goals for the day. "[Microschool parents] have greater trust in the child's ability to self-direct and the school's ability to adapt," he says.
Krystal Dillard is the co-director of Natural Creativity, a center for self-directed learning that supports home-schoolers, who generally attend between one and four days a week. She serves a diverse community in Philadelphia. She says the interest in the alternative they offer has exploded since the pandemic: "I can't tell you how many [traditional school] parents who have reached out to me to say, 'This isn't working. I don't feel that my young person is being served through this virtual learning world that they're sort of being forced into.'"
Parents are also forming networks and pooling resources to keep their kids happy, occupied and, hopefully, learning.
Homeschoolcoop2020.com is a site where children ages 6 and older can tune in to live video classes. It's volunteer-run and free. Karen Miller, a historian at LaGuardia Community College, started the project to help occupy her 12-year-old son. "What I found is that the things that were most helpful for me were the things that were synchronous because the asynchronous stuff required a lot of my attention and support." On Homeschool Co-op 2020, you can learn about the solar system, DNA or poetry, usually from practitioners in the field. But the most popular session — led by Miller's partner, Emily Drabinski, five mornings a week — is Cat Chat.
5. Take education outdoors.
Evidence suggests that coronavirus transmission is much less common outdoors.
A forest kindergarten is generally a group of eight to 10 children between the ages of 2 and 6 who spend the majority of their time outside. "We always trot out this phrase:, There's no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing," says Kimberly Worthington, president of the American Forest Kindergarten Association.
Worthington says there are currently about 60 forest kindergartens all over the country, most having formed since the early 2000s, based on a Northern European model. But interest in the idea is way up during the pandemic, says Worthington. "This pandemic has us all separated and in our homes. And just walking outdoors and getting a little bit of nature is so beneficial," she says. Plus, it's safer.
"There's more physical space for children to be together and learn together at a safe distance. And have less shared materials, because most of the materials for learning are natural objects. And I can safely say that there's no shortage of sticks."


npr--2020-06-17--North Korea Vows To Send Troops Into Border Cooperation Zones

North Korea has pledged to redeploy troops into demilitarized areas near its border with South Korea , a day after it blew up a liaison office in a provocation that has markedly increased tensions between the two arch-rivals .
Pyongyang said the forces would be sent to an inter-Korean industrial park located along the western border at Kaesong , where the liaison office stood until Tuesday , as well as to Mount Kumgang , a joint tourism zone on the east coast .
The zones , both of which lie just inside North Korean territory , have long been viewed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two countries that might one day seed a broader détente .
South Korea responded with its own harsh words on Wednesday , warning that such aggressive action could be met in kind .
`` These moves thwart two decades of efforts by South and North Korea to improve inter-Korean relations and to keep peace on the Korean Peninsula .
If the North actually takes such a move , it will certainly pay the price for it , '' Jeon Dong Jin , director of operations at the Joint Chiefs of Staff , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , our military is closely monitoring the North Korean military moves round-the-clock and maintains a staunch readiness posture .
We will continue to make efforts to manage the situation stably to prevent this from escalating into a military crisis , '' Jeon said , according to the Yonhap news agency .
Pyongyang also said it would restore guard posts in the heavily fortified Demilitarized Zone , or DMZ , that were removed in 2018 during a brief period of improved relations .
That followed a period of particular tension that was stoked by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un .
Seoul offered to send special envoys to the North to try to reduce tensions , but leader Kim Jong Un 's sister , Kim Yo Jong , rejected the overture , according to North Korean state media .
Cha Du Hyeogn , a former South Korean government official and principal fellow at the Seoul-based Asan Institute for Policy Studies , says Pyongyang 's campaign of pressure on the South is meant less to extract concessions , and more as `` an expression of an accumulated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been exploited and tricked by the South for the past two years , '' in a fruitless process of rapprochement , which did not yield the sanctions relief Pyongyang sought .
South Korea 's Unification Minister Kim Yeon-chul , who is in charge of relations with North Korea , offered to resign Wednesday , to take responsibility for the sudden deterioration in inter-Korean ties .
In recent weeks , the two sides seem to have fallen back into a familiar pattern of verbal barbs and saber-rattling .
Among other things , the North @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the border region , which Seoul says would violate 2018 agreements intended to pull forces back from the DMZ , halt military exercises and reduce tensions .
The agreement also allowed troops to de-mine parts of the DMZ , and excavate the remains of soldiers killed in the Korean War .
The latest trigger for North Korea 's ire appears to derive from the activity of defectors living in South Korea who have sent balloons filled with anti-Pyongyang leaflets to drop across the border .
The leaflet drops — which North Korea says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 2018 Panmunjom Declaration — have been ongoing for years and Pyongyang has periodically lashed out at them .
It also follows rumors of Kim 's ill health after he disappeared from public view for weeks .
In the interim , Kim Yo Jong , a trusted adviser , appears to be taking a more hands-on approach .
She played a prominent role in the diplomacy at the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics , and the rounds of summitry between Pyongyang , Washington and Seoul that followed .
But following an abortive ( and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , humiliating ) Trump-Kim summit in Vietnam in 2019 , Kim Yo Jong dropped from sight , only to reappear more recently among hardliners , including former spymaster Kim Yong Chol , spouting tough talk aimed at Seoul and Washington .
Earlier this week , Kim Yo Jong referred to the leafleteers as `` mongrels '' and on Wednesday she verbally attacked South Korean President Moon Jae-in , accusing him of `` pro-U.S. flunkeyism '' for failing to apologize for the defectors ' actions .
In turn , Moon 's office fired back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` rude '' and `` senseless '' and warning that Seoul would no longer tolerate her indiscretions .
NPR 's Se Eun Gong in Seoul contributed to this report .

North Korea Vows To Send Troops Into Border Cooperation Zones
Enlarge this image toggle caption Lee Jin-man/AP Lee Jin-man/AP
North Korea has pledged to redeploy troops into demilitarized areas near its border with South Korea, a day after it blew up a liaison office in a provocation that has markedly increased tensions between the two arch-rivals.
Pyongyang said the forces would be sent to an inter-Korean industrial park located along the western border at Kaesong, where the liaison office stood until Tuesday, as well as to Mount Kumgang, a joint tourism zone on the east coast. The zones, both of which lie just inside North Korean territory, have long been viewed as rare areas of cooperation between the two countries that might one day seed a broader détente.
South Korea responded with its own harsh words on Wednesday, warning that such aggressive action could be met in kind.
"These moves thwart two decades of efforts by South and North Korea to improve inter-Korean relations and to keep peace on the Korean Peninsula. If the North actually takes such a move, it will certainly pay the price for it," Jeon Dong Jin, director of operations at the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said.
"Regarding the current security situation, our military is closely monitoring the North Korean military moves round-the-clock and maintains a staunch readiness posture. We will continue to make efforts to manage the situation stably to prevent this from escalating into a military crisis," Jeon said, according to the Yonhap news agency.
Pyongyang also said it would restore guard posts in the heavily fortified Demilitarized Zone, or DMZ, that were removed in 2018 during a brief period of improved relations. That followed a period of particular tension that was stoked by tit-for-tat public insults traded by President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
Seoul offered to send special envoys to the North to try to reduce tensions, but leader Kim Jong Un's sister, Kim Yo Jong, rejected the overture, according to North Korean state media.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Bloomberg/Bloomberg via Getty Images Bloomberg/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Cha Du Hyeogn, a former South Korean government official and principal fellow at the Seoul-based Asan Institute for Policy Studies, says Pyongyang's campaign of pressure on the South is meant less to extract concessions, and more as "an expression of an accumulated sense of betrayal, that they have been exploited and tricked by the South for the past two years," in a fruitless process of rapprochement, which did not yield the sanctions relief Pyongyang sought.
South Korea's Unification Minister Kim Yeon-chul, who is in charge of relations with North Korea, offered to resign Wednesday, to take responsibility for the sudden deterioration in inter-Korean ties.
In recent weeks, the two sides seem to have fallen back into a familiar pattern of verbal barbs and saber-rattling. Among other things, the North has vowed to resume military exercises at the border region, which Seoul says would violate 2018 agreements intended to pull forces back from the DMZ, halt military exercises and reduce tensions. The agreement also allowed troops to de-mine parts of the DMZ, and excavate the remains of soldiers killed in the Korean War.
The latest trigger for North Korea's ire appears to derive from the activity of defectors living in South Korea who have sent balloons filled with anti-Pyongyang leaflets to drop across the border. The leaflet drops — which North Korea says insult their leader's dignity and violate the 2018 Panmunjom Declaration — have been ongoing for years and Pyongyang has periodically lashed out at them.
It also follows rumors of Kim's ill health after he disappeared from public view for weeks. In the interim, Kim Yo Jong, a trusted adviser, appears to be taking a more hands-on approach.
She played a prominent role in the diplomacy at the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, and the rounds of summitry between Pyongyang, Washington and Seoul that followed.
But following an abortive (and from her brother's point of view, humiliating) Trump-Kim summit in Vietnam in 2019, Kim Yo Jong dropped from sight, only to reappear more recently among hardliners, including former spymaster Kim Yong Chol, spouting tough talk aimed at Seoul and Washington.
Earlier this week, Kim Yo Jong referred to the leafleteers as "mongrels" and on Wednesday she verbally attacked South Korean President Moon Jae-in, accusing him of "pro-U.S. flunkeyism" for failing to apologize for the defectors' actions.
In turn, Moon's office fired back at the younger Kim, calling her "rude" and "senseless" and warning that Seoul would no longer tolerate her indiscretions.
NPR's Se Eun Gong in Seoul contributed to this report.


npr--2020-06-17--Absent From Stimulus Packages: Overhauling Energy, Climate Programs

Around the world leaders see opportunity in the global pandemic to address the other big problem humanity faces : climate change .
The United Nations and International Energy Agency suggest all nations consider climate when drafting stimulus plans .
The European Union is developing a plan that does that .
But here in the United States , climate change and reducing greenhouse gas emissions have not been a part of the $ 3 trillion in relief packages passed so far .
That 's despite the country 's history of passing big energy programs to boost the economy .
Consider President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ago and electricity may not come to mind .
But a big element was building massive hydro-electric dams on the Columbia River in the Pacific Northwest .
Then the government paid Woody Guthrie to write songs about them .
The legacy of those dams is mixed .
They forever changed the environment but they also brought electricity to rural America .
`` During the 1920s and 1930s about 90 % of the U.S. farms had no electricity , '' says Ted Case , executive director Oregon Rural Electric Cooperative Association .
He 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ called the Rural Electrification Administration that installed utility poles and power lines down many miles of dusty roads and connected homes to the grid .
`` That day was the most incredible day for a lot of families — when they finally got to throw that kerosene lantern out the window , which many people did , '' says Case .
Decades later President Obama was sworn into office amid an economic downturn .
His stimulus plan included $ 90 billion that helped reshape the country 's energy landscape .
`` It 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of renewable energy produced over the next three years , '' Obama told a crowd as he signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act .
Solar and wind grew quickly and are now the cheapest source of electricity in some places .
But in the wake of the pandemic , hundreds of thousands of renewable energy jobs have been lost .
With about $ 3 trillion in relief packages already passed , energy and climate change have received almost no attention .
That as scientists says carbon emissions must be reduced dramatically to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Accomplishing that would require huge investments and since the government already is spending a lot of money it seems a natural fit to many in Washington .
`` It is irresponsible from a very basic good government perspective to not have any of that money go to clean energy and fighting climate change , '' says Julian Brave NoiseCat , Vice President of Policy and Strategy at Data for Progress .
NoiseCat co-authored a Green Stimulus proposal similar to the Green New Deal .
It calls for spending at least $ 2 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as building and retrofitting houses , installing rooftop solar panels and deploying electric buses .
The plan ambitiously aims for 100 percent carbon-emission-free energy within a decade .
Heather Reams also is concerned about climate change but her politics are more conservative and market-focused .
She heads the group Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions .
`` If you 're going to put taxpayer money some place , put it where you 're going to get a good return and that is in clean energy , '' says Reams .
She says there are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ programs , even with an administration that shows little interest in climate change .
`` They do recognize the economic value that clean energy brings , the jobs it brings , particularly to a lot of red states .
So , I think the business certainty 'trumps ' , if you will , any kind of political challenges , '' says Reams .
Another idea has the support of some conservatives and big oil companies : taxing carbon dioxide emissions .
`` I think it 's fair to say that carbon taxes are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ change , '' says Ioana Marinescu , who is an economics professor at University of Pennsylvania .
Carbon taxes work like sin taxes .
Governments tax the thing they want to reduce .
Most proposals , including one from the Climate Leadership Council , then redistribute the proceeds back to taxpayers .
But Marinescu says this would be a bad time to levy new taxes — in the middle of an economic downturn .
In a recent podcast , she suggested the government invest lots of money in clean energy up front and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for it when the economy recovers .
It 's one more idea among many .
The point is that climate change arguably is the biggest problem humans face now and fixing it requires sweeping solutions at a time the U.S. is spending lots of money .
`` It 's a sad time but also an opportunity to do some investments that perhaps we did n't have the mojo to get our act together and do before .
Sometimes it takes a good crisis to finally move in a whole new direction just like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Here 's what 's different though .
After the Great Depression and the 2008 recession the country had presidents who believed in fixing the big energy problems of their day .
President Trump has doubts about climate change and shown no sign it 's a challenge he wants to take on .

Absent From Stimulus Packages: Overhauling Energy, Climate Programs
Enlarge this image toggle caption Library of Congress Library of Congress
Around the world leaders see opportunity in the global pandemic to address the other big problem humanity faces: climate change.
The United Nations and International Energy Agency suggest all nations consider climate when drafting stimulus plans. The European Union is developing a plan that does that.
But here in the United States, climate change and reducing greenhouse gas emissions have not been a part of the $3 trillion in relief packages passed so far. That's despite the country's history of passing big energy programs to boost the economy.
Consider President Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal a century ago and electricity may not come to mind. But a big element was building massive hydro-electric dams on the Columbia River in the Pacific Northwest. Then the government paid Woody Guthrie to write songs about them.
The legacy of those dams is mixed. They forever changed the environment but they also brought electricity to rural America.
"During the 1920s and 1930s about 90% of the U.S. farms had no electricity," says Ted Case, executive director Oregon Rural Electric Cooperative Association. He's also written about a New Deal agency called the Rural Electrification Administration that installed utility poles and power lines down many miles of dusty roads and connected homes to the grid.
"That day was the most incredible day for a lot of families — when they finally got to throw that kerosene lantern out the window, which many people did," says Case.
Decades later President Obama was sworn into office amid an economic downturn. His stimulus plan included $90 billion that helped reshape the country's energy landscape.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Gerald Herbert/ASSOCIATED PRESS Gerald Herbert/ASSOCIATED PRESS
"It's an investment that will double the amount of renewable energy produced over the next three years," Obama told a crowd as he signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
Solar and wind grew quickly and are now the cheapest source of electricity in some places. But in the wake of the pandemic, hundreds of thousands of renewable energy jobs have been lost.
With about $3 trillion in relief packages already passed, energy and climate change have received almost no attention.
That as scientists says carbon emissions must be reduced dramatically to avoid the worst effects of climate change. Accomplishing that would require huge investments and since the government already is spending a lot of money it seems a natural fit to many in Washington.
"It is irresponsible from a very basic good government perspective to not have any of that money go to clean energy and fighting climate change," says Julian Brave NoiseCat, Vice President of Policy and Strategy at Data for Progress.
NoiseCat co-authored a Green Stimulus proposal similar to the Green New Deal. It calls for spending at least $2 trillion to create jobs for such things as building and retrofitting houses, installing rooftop solar panels and deploying electric buses. The plan ambitiously aims for 100 percent carbon-emission-free energy within a decade.
Heather Reams also is concerned about climate change but her politics are more conservative and market-focused. She heads the group Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions.
"If you're going to put taxpayer money some place, put it where you're going to get a good return and that is in clean energy," says Reams. She says there are bills in Congress that could become stimulus programs, even with an administration that shows little interest in climate change.
"They do recognize the economic value that clean energy brings, the jobs it brings, particularly to a lot of red states. So, I think the business certainty 'trumps', if you will, any kind of political challenges," says Reams.
Another idea has the support of some conservatives and big oil companies: taxing carbon dioxide emissions.
"I think it's fair to say that carbon taxes are economists' favorite way of addressing climate change," says Ioana Marinescu, who is an economics professor at University of Pennsylvania.
Carbon taxes work like sin taxes. Governments tax the thing they want to reduce. Most proposals, including one from the Climate Leadership Council, then redistribute the proceeds back to taxpayers.
But Marinescu says this would be a bad time to levy new taxes — in the middle of an economic downturn. In a recent podcast, she suggested the government invest lots of money in clean energy up front and then levy a carbon tax to pay for it when the economy recovers.
It's one more idea among many. The point is that climate change arguably is the biggest problem humans face now and fixing it requires sweeping solutions at a time the U.S. is spending lots of money.
"It's a sad time but also an opportunity to do some investments that perhaps we didn't have the mojo to get our act together and do before. Sometimes it takes a good crisis to finally move in a whole new direction just like the New Deal," Marinescu says.
Here's what's different though. After the Great Depression and the 2008 recession the country had presidents who believed in fixing the big energy problems of their day. President Trump has doubts about climate change and shown no sign it's a challenge he wants to take on.


npr--2020-06-17--More Republican Women Than Ever Are Running For Congress: Here's Why

More Republican Women Than Ever Are Running For Congress : Here 's Why A familiar tale is unfolding in American politics in 2020 : women are once again setting records as candidates for Congress .
While the 2018 midterms saw a historic wave of Democratic candidates and general election winners , this time the surge in candidates is among Republican women running for the House .
When the dust settled after the 2018 Democratic wave , the ranks of Republican women had been decimated .
Just 13 were left standing .
`` It was really such a kick to all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Susan Brooks , R-Ind.
, told NPR , `` We were really not expecting to lose as many as we lost . ''
Brooks , who is not seeking reelection , was tapped to serve as candidate recruitment chair for the House GOP 's campaign operation .
Along with Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York , they set out to recruit more women to run this year .
`` This year we 're seeing more Republican women running than ever , '' said Professor Kelly Dittmar with the Center for American Women and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at least 217 Republican women who have filed to run for the House , with more state filing deadlines still to come .
That 's already close to doubling the previous record of 133 filed Republican women candidates a decade ago .
Dittmar says better recruiting is part of it , but also says many women were motivated to run because of what happened in 2018 .
`` I do think there were some women who may have seen the narrative from the last cycle — which was really the attention to Democratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decline in 2018 — and sort of wanted to change the narrative to say : 'The Republican Party is n't bad for women . '
'' South Carolina Republican candidate Nancy Mace is one of those women .
She is a state representative and a single mother of two .
She told NPR her daughter was the first to encourage her to run after a Democrat won her local congressional district for a seat President Trump carried by double-digits .
`` She turned to me the day after the November 2018 election and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we going to take out [ Democratic Rep. ] Joe Cunningham ? '
'' Mace recently won her primary and will face Cunningham this November .
She is one of many GOP women candidates with politically compelling biographies who are running this year , which also helped Mace earn the early endorsement of Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy .
`` I was the first woman to graduate form the Citadel , the military college of South Carolina , and could be the first Republican woman elected to Congress from the state of South Carolina @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's candidates are also more diverse .
Right now , 45 Republican women have cleared their primaries , putting the party on track to beat their previous record of 53 general election nominees back in 2004 .
Of those 45 , nearly half are women of color .
California Republican Michelle Steel , a first generation Asian-American is challenging a Democratic incumbent for an Orange County-based district .
Steel currently serves in local office on the Orange County Board of Supervisors and she last won reelection with 63 % of the vote , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can replicate this November .
`` You know what ?
They see me with this accent , they see me , I 'm a first generation .
They all voted for me . ''
Often women candidates say they do n't want the focus to be just on their gender .
And that resonates with Texas Republican nominee Beth Van Duyne , who is running in an open-seat race to replace retiring Republican Rep. Kenny Marchant .
`` I think sometimes it 's a cop out if we concentrate on a trait rather @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like to think we see beyond gender and we see beyond the things that divide us but we really look at what the best things are in all of us , '' she told NPR .
The gender divide is one of the starkest among key demographics in American politics right now under President Trump .
According to the latest NPR/PBS/Marist poll , former Vice President Joe Biden has an 18 percentage point advantage among women over Trump — even greater than the 13 percentage point advantage that Hillary Clinton saw in 2016 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and suburban races , Republican women candidates will have to convince women voters who oppose Trump to vote for them — a tricky path in a nationalized election climate .
It remains to be seen how many GOP women will ultimately win their races this November , especially when Democrats are heavily favored to maintain control of the House .
Even if this is a record-breaking year for candidates , Republican women still have a longer way to go to find gender parity in their party in the House .
Dittmar points out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of House Republicans , compared to 38 % of House Democrats .
`` It 's not to rain on the parade , it 's to say ok this is a start and let 's continue and see if this momentum also continues not only through the general election but also in to future cycles , '' she said .
The record number of Republican women to ever serve at one time is 25 .
Republicans would need to net at least 15 seats to break that record this November .

More Republican Women Than Ever Are Running For Congress: Here's Why
Enlarge this image toggle caption Meg Kinnard/AP Meg Kinnard/AP
A familiar tale is unfolding in American politics in 2020: Women are once again setting records as candidates for Congress. While the 2018 midterms saw a historic wave of Democratic candidates and general election winners, this time the surge in candidates is among Republican women running for the House.
When the dust settled after the 2018 Democratic wave, the ranks of Republican women had been decimated. Just 13 were left standing. "It was really such a kick to all of the Republican women," Rep. Susan Brooks, R-Ind., told NPR. "We were really not expecting to lose as many as we lost."
Brooks, who is not seeking reelection, was tapped to serve as candidate recruitment chair for the House GOP's campaign operation. Along with Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York, they set out to recruit more women to run this year.
It's paid off.
"This year we're seeing more Republican women running than ever," said professor Kelly Dittmar with the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University. CAWP counts at least 217 Republican women who have filed to run for the House, with more state filing deadlines still to come. That's already close to doubling the previous record of 133 filed Republican women candidates a decade ago.
Dittmar says better recruiting is part of it, but also says many women were motivated to run because of what happened in 2018. "I do think there were some women who may have seen the narrative from the last cycle — which was really the attention to Democratic women's success and Republican women's decline in 2018 — and sort of wanted to change the narrative to say, 'The Republican Party isn't bad for women.' "
South Carolina Republican candidate Nancy Mace is one of those women. She is a state representative and a single mother of two. She told NPR her daughter was the first to encourage her to run after a Democrat won her local congressional district for a seat President Trump carried by double-digits. "She turned to me the day after the November 2018 election and said, 'Hey mommy, when are we going to take out [Democratic Rep.] Joe Cunningham?' "
Mace recently won her primary and will face Cunningham this November. She is one of many GOP women candidates with politically compelling biographies who are running this year, which also helped Mace earn the early endorsement of Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy. "I was the first woman to graduate from the Citadel, the military college of South Carolina, and could be the first Republican woman elected to Congress from the state of South Carolina," she said.
The party's candidates are also more diverse. Right now, 45 Republican women have cleared their primaries, putting the party on track to beat their previous record of 53 general election nominees back in 2004. Of those 45, nearly half are women of color.
California Republican Michelle Steel, a first generation Asian American, is challenging a Democratic incumbent for an Orange County-based district. Steel currently serves in local office on the Orange County Board of Supervisors and she last won reelection with 63% of the vote, a cross-party appeal model she thinks she can replicate this November. "You know what? They see me with this accent, they see me, I'm a first generation. They all voted for me."
Often women candidates say they don't want the focus to be just on their gender. And that resonates with Texas Republican nominee Beth Van Duyne, who is running in an open-seat race to replace retiring Republican Rep. Kenny Marchant. "I think sometimes it's a cop out if we concentrate on a trait rather than a whole person, and I like to think we see beyond gender and we see beyond the things that divide us but we really look at what the best things are in all of us," she told NPR.
The gender divide is one of the starkest among key demographics in American politics right now under Trump. According to the latest NPR/PBS/Marist poll, former Vice President Joe Biden has an 18 percentage point advantage among women over Trump — even greater than the 13 percentage point advantage that Hillary Clinton saw in 2016. In order to win in competitive and suburban races, Republican women candidates will have to convince women voters who oppose Trump to vote for them — a tricky path in a nationalized election climate.
It remains to be seen how many GOP women will ultimately win their races this November, especially when Democrats are heavily favored to maintain control of the House. Even if this is a record-breaking year for candidates, Republican women still have a longer way to go to find gender parity in their party in the House. Dittmar points out that women make up about 7% of House Republicans, compared to 38% of House Democrats. "It's not to rain on the parade, it's to say, OK this is a start and let's continue and see if this momentum also continues not only through the general election but also in to future cycles," she said.
The record number of Republican women to ever serve at one time is 25. Republicans would need to net at least 15 seats to break that record this November.


npr--2020-06-17--Cows Help With COVID-19 Treatment, No Bull

Cows Help With COVID-19 Treatment , No Bull It turns out , cows may play an important role in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic .
SAB Biotherapeutics is in the business of making what are known as polyclonal antibodies .
These are a collection of different antibodies that a body makes to ward off a specific invading organism .
The company has made polyclonal antibodies to treat influenza and MERS .
Now it 's making them with the aim of treating or even preventing COVID-19 .
To make them , SAB uses cows .
These are n't just any cows @ @ @ @ @ @ @ given genes from the human immune system that make antibodies .
These special cows are injected with what essentially amounts to a coronavirus vaccine that will then cause them to try to fight off what the body sees as an infection — and they will `` produce a specifically targeted high-neutralizing antibody that can be used in patients , '' says SAB CEO Eddie Sullivan .
These targeted neutralizing antibodies can , in theory , help slow an infection in someone who is sick or prevent an infection in someone who is exposed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
The antibodies circulate in the animals ' plasma , and you can get a lot of plasma from a cow .
`` Between 30 and 45 liters of plasma every month from each animal , '' says Sullivan .
Sullivan says they 've already shown that this concept can work for Middle East respiratory syndrome , an illness caused by a virus similar to the one that causes COVID-19 .
`` So we already have considerable background in producing these antibodies to a coronavirus , '' he says .
Whether the antibodies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 still has to be shown .
To do that , SAB has partnered with William Klimstra at the University of Pittsburgh .
Klimstra says the first step is to show that the COVID-19 antibodies are not causing more health problems than they solve .
`` We 're doing initial antibody tests for that , and then subsequently we 'll be doing efficacy tests , '' Klimstra says .
Efficacy tests will show whether the antibodies actually prevent disease in animals exposed to the coronavirus .
`` We will look at virus production @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to evaluate how sick they get , '' he says .
Assuming Klimstra 's tests show that the antibodies can prevent disease , SAB says it hopes to start testing them in humans later this summer .
Both the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Defense have supported SAB 's polyclonal antibody production plans .
The DoD is always looking for ways to protect its war-fighters from infectious diseases .
Traci Pals is with the Defense Threat Reduction Agency .
As an example , she says her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ebola vaccine .
`` Started out in development in our office .
So we did the early development , '' Pals says .
So it 's not surprising that the DoD was interested in the work that SAB was doing .
Perhaps more surprising is where SAB is located .
Biotech companies tend to crop up adjacent to research universities , frequently on the East and West coasts .
SAB is in Sioux Falls , South Dakota , but for a good reason .
`` One of the best reasons I can give @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for cattle to live , '' says Sullivan .
`` If you 're going to be a cow , you would want to live in one of our facilities in South Dakota . ''

Cows Help With COVID-19 Treatment, No Bull
Enlarge this image toggle caption Walter Portz/SAB Biotherapeutics Walter Portz/SAB Biotherapeutics
It turns out, cows may play an important role in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.
SAB Biotherapeutics is in the business of making what are known as polyclonal antibodies. These are a collection of different antibodies that a body makes to ward off a specific invading organism.
The company has made polyclonal antibodies to treat influenza and MERS. Now it's making them with the aim of treating or even preventing COVID-19. To make them, SAB uses cows.
These aren't just any cows. They are cows that have been given genes from the human immune system that make antibodies.
These special cows are injected with what essentially amounts to a coronavirus vaccine that will then cause them to try to fight off what the body sees as an infection — and they will "produce a specifically targeted high-neutralizing antibody that can be used in patients," says SAB CEO Eddie Sullivan.
These targeted neutralizing antibodies can, in theory, help slow an infection in someone who is sick or prevent an infection in someone who is exposed to the virus.
Why a cow? The antibodies circulate in the animals' plasma, and you can get a lot of plasma from a cow.
"Between 30 and 45 liters of plasma every month from each animal," says Sullivan.
Sullivan says they've already shown that this concept can work for Middle East respiratory syndrome, an illness caused by a virus similar to the one that causes COVID-19.
"So we already have considerable background in producing these antibodies to a coronavirus," he says.
Whether the antibodies will work against the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 still has to be shown. To do that, SAB has partnered with William Klimstra at the University of Pittsburgh. Klimstra says the first step is to show that the COVID-19 antibodies are not causing more health problems than they solve.
"We're doing initial antibody tests for that, and then subsequently we'll be doing efficacy tests," Klimstra says.
Efficacy tests will show whether the antibodies actually prevent disease in animals exposed to the coronavirus.
"We will look at virus production, weight loss, signs of infection to evaluate how sick they get," he says.
Assuming Klimstra's tests show that the antibodies can prevent disease, SAB says it hopes to start testing them in humans later this summer.
Both the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Defense have supported SAB's polyclonal antibody production plans.
The DoD is always looking for ways to protect its war-fighters from infectious diseases.
Traci Pals is with the Defense Threat Reduction Agency. As an example, she says her agency was behind the production of an Ebola vaccine.
"Started out in development in our office. So we did the early development," Pals says.
So it's not surprising that the DoD was interested in the work that SAB was doing.
Perhaps more surprising is where SAB is located. Biotech companies tend to crop up adjacent to research universities, frequently on the East and West coasts.
SAB is in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, but for a good reason.
"One of the best reasons I can give you is this is a great environment for cattle to live," says Sullivan. "If you're going to be a cow, you would want to live in one of our facilities in South Dakota."