npr--2020-12-04--As Trump's Election Pressure Campaign Hits Republican Officials, Some Hit Back

As Trump 's Election Pressure Campaign Hits Republican Officials , Some Hit Back Republicans at the national level have mostly stayed quiet during President Trump 's month-long baseless crusade against November 's election results .
But at the state and county level it 's been a different story .
Local election administrators , most of whom are elected along partisan lines , are in charge of the nuts and bolts of voting in America 's decentralized elections system .
In many cases , it 's been Republican officials who have held firm in their position that the results were not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ despite a pressure campaign by the president unlike any in American history .
`` This was unprecedented scrutiny , '' said Martha Kropf , an elections administration expert at the University of North Carolina Charlotte .
`` For two reasons : the amount of pressure that Donald Trump has been putting on the election officials , but also for the unprecedented amount of things those officials had to do to prepare for this election . ''
The officials Trump is targeting oversaw a shift towards more voting options this year to reduce the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pandemic .
For that reason , many see his campaign against the election 's legitimacy as salt in the wounds of officials , many of whom have been working 12-16 hour days for months , in some instances seeing colleagues sickened and even killed by COVID-19 on the job .
`` How un-American and how undemocratic it is that the actual individuals that are responsible for the process of this most sacred democratic institution of elections are the ones getting the blowback here , '' said Chris Krebs , the Republican cybersecurity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , at a Washington Post event this week .
Krebs , who also served in the George W. Bush administration , has been maybe the highest profile Republican official involved in election administration to speak out against Trump 's claims .
`` It was the right thing to do in the name of democracy , '' Krebs told NPR this week .
He led the federal government 's efforts over the past three years to improve the country 's systems after Russia 's attack on the 2016 election .
Trump has seized specifically @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to offer more voting by mail , and the longer time it 's taken to count those ballots , as a sign of something nefarious going on — despite the fact that such delays were expected .
But as the certification process has chugged along , with roughly 75 % of states having certified their vote totals at this point , Republicans have begun to use their partisan affiliation to their advantage to push back on Trump 's claims , said Trey Grayson , the former Republican Secretary of State of Kentucky .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ are Republicans speaking out against some of the truly unfounded Republican complaints leveled by the president , '' Grayson said .
Greyson wrote an op-ed in the New York Times shortly after the election , pleading for more Republicans to defend the election process , especially considering they want Republican voters to turn out in just a few weeks in Georgia 's runoff elections , which will determine which party controls the Senate .
`` What boggles my mind is the Senate is very much at stake and Republicans are telling Georgia voters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the presidential race , but come back out and vote on the exact same machines , with the exact same people running the election for this U.S. Senate race , '' Grayson said .
`` I mean , it 's crazy . ''
He says he reached out to a number of current Republican Secretaries of State last month asking them if they were planning to publicly speak out , and they declined at the time .
But he 's been encouraged by recent developments .
In Arizona , the Republican chairman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said he would not `` violate the law or deviate from my own moral compass , '' even though that 's what some people would like him to do .
`` No matter how you voted , this election was administered with integrity , transparency , and most importantly in accordance with Arizona state laws , '' Chairman Clint Hickman said , when Maricopa County certified .
Some Republican officials have also begun to argue that silence on the issue at this stage is complicity .
During an emotional press conference Tuesday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ under the Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger , pleaded for a stop to Trump 's conspiracy theories , which have led to threats of violence against election officials across the country and in his office .
Raffensperger has also been among the loudest state level Republican critics of the president 's campaign .
`` Someone 's going to get hurt , someone 's going to get shot , someone 's going to get killed , '' Sterling said .
`` It 's not right . ''
He begged for more support from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a position of leadership , show some . ''
That message inspired Brian Corley , the Republican election supervisor of Pasco County , Fl .
to speak out .
Pasco is a district that Trump won by 20 points this year ; yet Corley released a statement Wednesday saying he felt compelled both in a professional capacity and as an `` American citizen '' to push back against lies about the process .
`` I can not stand by as my work , and the work of all professional elections ' administrators , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gain , '' Corley said , while noting that widespread voter fraud has never been found in American elections , and that President-elect Joe Biden 's margins of victory in swing states are larger than Trump 's were in 2016 .
`` I believe that history will not be kind to those who are cognizant of the truth and yet choose silence for political expediency , '' he said .
Still , there is fear among experts that the conspiracies about election fraud are becoming more and more mainstream in Republican politics .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Republicans in the future , even after Trump leaves office , if the majority of the party is not willing to condemn it now .
`` I 'm sure we will have people try to follow that , because you 're going to look at the Republican electorate like , 'they think it got stolen , I 'm going to appeal to that grievance , ' '' said Grayson , the Republican former secretary of state of Kentucky .
`` It just it boggles my mind that these appeals are still being @ @ @ @ @ @

As Trump's Election Pressure Campaign Hits Republican Officials, Some Hit Back
Enlarge this image toggle caption John Bazemore/AP John Bazemore/AP
Republicans at the national level have mostly stayed quiet during President Trump's monthlong baseless crusade against November's election results. But at the state and county level, it has been a different story.
Local election administrators, most of whom are elected along partisan lines, are in charge of the nuts and bolts of voting in America's decentralized elections system.
In many cases, it has been Republican officials who have held firm in their position that the results were not tainted by a widespread cheating scheme, despite a pressure campaign by the president unlike any in American history.
"This was unprecedented scrutiny," said Martha Kropf, an elections administration expert at the University of North Carolina, Charlotte. "For two reasons: the amount of pressure that Donald Trump has been putting on the election officials, but also for the unprecedented amount of things those officials had to do to prepare for this election."
The officials Trump is targeting oversaw a shift toward more voting options this year to reduce the risk of people getting sick while voting during the pandemic.
For that reason, many see the president's campaign against the election's legitimacy as salt in the wounds of officials, many of whom have been working 12- to 16-hour days for months, in some instances seeing colleagues sickened and even killed by COVID-19 on the job.
"How un-American and how undemocratic it is that the actual individuals that are responsible for the process of this most sacred democratic institution of elections are the ones getting the blowback here," said Chris Krebs, the Republican cybersecurity and election security official fired by Trump, at a Washington Post event this week.
Krebs, who also served in the George W. Bush administration, has been maybe the highest-profile Republican official involved in election administration to speak out against Trump's claims.
"It was the right thing to do in the name of democracy," Krebs told NPR this week. He led the federal government's efforts over the past three years to improve the country's systems after Russia's attack on the 2016 election.
Trump has seized specifically on the efforts of officials this year to offer more voting by mail as well as the longer time it has taken to count those ballots as a sign of something nefarious going on — despite the fact that such delays were expected.
But as the certification process has chugged along, with roughly 75% of states having certified their vote totals at this point, Republicans have begun to use their partisan affiliation to their advantage to push back on Trump's claims, said Trey Grayson, the former Republican secretary of state of Kentucky.
"These folks bring credibility because those are Republicans speaking out against some of the truly unfounded Republican complaints leveled by the president," Grayson said.
Grayson wrote an op-ed in The New York Times shortly after the election, pleading for more Republicans to defend the election process, especially considering they want Republican voters to turn out in just a few weeks in Georgia's runoff elections, which will determine which party controls the Senate.
"What boggles my mind is the Senate is very much at stake and Republicans are telling Georgia voters: 'Your election was stolen from you in the presidential race, but come back out and vote on the exact same machines, with the exact same people running the election for this U.S. Senate race,' " Grayson said. "I mean, it's crazy."
He says he reached out to a number of current Republican secretaries of state last month asking them if they were planning to publicly speak out. They declined at the time. But he has been encouraged by recent developments.
In Arizona, the Republican chairman of the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors said he would not "violate the law or deviate from my own moral compass," even though that's what some people would like him to do.
"No matter how you voted, this election was administered with integrity, transparency, and most importantly in accordance with Arizona state laws," Chairman Clint Hickman said when Maricopa County certified.
Some Republican officials have also begun to argue that silence on the issue at this stage is complicity.
During an emotional press conference Tuesday, Gabriel Sterling, a top election official under the Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, pleaded for a stop to Trump's conspiracy theories, which have led to threats of violence against election officials across the country and in his office. Raffensperger has also been one of the loudest state-level Republican critics of the president's campaign.
"Someone's going to get hurt, someone's going to get shot, someone's going to get killed," Sterling said. "It's not right."
He begged for more support from other Republicans: "If you take a position of leadership, show some."
That message inspired Brian Corley, the Republican election supervisor of Pasco County, Fla., to speak out.
Pasco is a county that Trump won by 20 points this year; yet Corley released a statement Wednesday saying he felt compelled both in a professional capacity and as an "American citizen" to push back against lies about the process.
"I cannot stand by as my work, and the work of all professional elections' administrators, becomes the scapegoat of those seeking political gain," Corley said, while noting that widespread voter fraud has never been found in American elections and that President-elect Joe Biden's margins of victory in swing states are larger than Trump's were in 2016.
"I believe that history will not be kind to those who are cognizant of the truth and yet choose silence for political expediency," he said.
Still, there is fear among experts that the conspiracies about election fraud are becoming more and more mainstream in Republican politics. And that this could become a strategy for Republicans in the future, even after Trump leaves office, if the majority of the party is not willing to condemn it now.
"I'm sure we will have people try to follow that, because you're going to look at the Republican electorate like, 'they think it got stolen, I'm going to appeal to that grievance,' " said Grayson, the Republican former secretary of state of Kentucky. "It just it boggles my mind that these appeals are still being believed with no evidence."


npr--2020-12-04--5 Things We've Learned About Virtual School In 2020

Deborah Rosenthal starts her virtual kindergarten class on Zoom every morning with a song — today , it 's the Spanish version of , `` If You 're Happy and You Know It . ''
Her students clap along .
There 's a greeting from the class mascot ( a dragon ) , yoga , meditation and then some practice with letter sounds : `` Oso , oso , O , O , O '' .
Rosenthal teaches Spanish immersion in a public school in San Francisco 's Mission District .
Most of the families are low-income , and many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
She has taught kindergarten for 15 years , and she loves how `` hands-on '' `` tactile , '' and `` cozy '' it is to work with 5-year-olds .
But this year , she 's spending 10 or 12 hours a day on , basically , her own home production of Mister Rogers ' Neighborhood En Español .
`` It 's a very two-dimensional experience , '' she says .
Few people would tell you that online kindergarten was a good idea , or frankly even possible .
That was , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as cases rise across the country , but throughout this fall pandemic semester , between 40 and 60 percent of students have been enrolled in districts that offer only remote learning , according to a tracker maintained by the company Burbio .
And even in hybrid districts , some students have been learning remotely , either part or full time .
In short , online learning is the reality for a majority of students this fall .
We are still starved for data on what this all means .
The earliest standardized test @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for students in math , but there are worries that the most at-risk students are not being tested at all .
For this story I talked to educators in six states , from California to South Carolina .
For the most part they say things have improved since last spring .
But they are close to burnout , with only a patchwork of support .
They said the heart of the job right now is getting students connected with school and keeping them that way — both technologically and even more importantly , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so far .
1 .
The digital divide is still big and complex .
Eight months after schools first shut down , how many students still ca n't sign on ?
We do n't really know , and that 's a problem , says Nicol Turner Lee , director of the Center for Technology Innovation at the Brookings Institution .
`` We 've not done a really great job in aggregating the data as to how many kids are still disconnected , '' she adds .
`` It 's very disappointing as well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Association recently reported , based on pre-pandemic Census data , that one quarter of households with children aged 5 to 17 lacked either high-speed Wi-Fi , a computer or both .
For households near the poverty line , the number was closer to half .
That figure may have gotten better .
Many districts have scrambled to distribute their classroom laptops to families , to buy portable hotspots , and call on private and corporate donations .
But there are still gaps .
Partly , that 's because there has n't been any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since April .
State revenue is down , too .
For example , Richard Carranza , the chancellor of New York City public schools , said last month that 60,000 of the district 's 1.1 million students are still missing devices — about 5.5 percent .
Nicol Turner Lee at Brookings is working on a book about the digital divide , and she says it 's multidimensional .
There 's housing : Lose your home and you lose your broadband connection .
There are backlogs of items like Chromebooks .
`` That rural @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it 's a real problem right now in America , '' says Caroline Weathers , who teaches in a small town in South Carolina .
Her district gave out hotspots , but in some places they did n't work because there was n't cell service from the major carriers .
And , the digital divide is about more than equipment .
Deborah Rosenthal 's school in San Francisco , Buena Vista Horace Mann , is a community school , meaning there are wraparound services , including lots of help with technology .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ make contact with one of her students until two and a half months into the school year .
That 's so even though her mother had come to school to pick up a laptop and hotspot .
`` The little girl was going to a babysitter that was not literate , '' Rosenthal says .
`` And so nobody could help this child get onto a computer . ''
Another of her students has a single mother who works cleaning hotel rooms ; the little girl goes along , and often joins the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Because of barriers like these , although attendance on her daily Zooms is high , Rosenthal says no more than a fourth of her students have been accessing the written assignments .
2 .
Relationships are everything when it comes to keeping kids engaged remotely .
Successful schools are using every adult on the team and every form of communication possible .
Theresa Rouse is the superintendent of Joliet Public School District 86 in Illinois , where a majority of the students are low-income and either Latino or Black .
She says their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ district spent the first three weeks of the school year focusing just on social and emotional learning .
Educators communicate expectations to parents and teachers by email , calls , texts , over social media , YouTube videos and podcasts .
And , says Rouse , any adult at a school — from teachers , to the assistant principal , to a school counselor or social worker — might drop in during video class to show they care : `` If they 're seeing a student that looks distressed , they pull them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a conversation . ''
In South Carolina , Caroline Weathers usually teaches science at St. George Middle School .
This year she created a new role for herself , helping families — sometimes with an app that parents can download to track kids ' grades , or with strategies to build kids ' executive function skills so they can succeed in remote learning .
She says she 'd like to continue the role going forward , making parents more active partners in their kids ' education and taking learning out into the community @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this as a learning moment , '' Weathers says .
`` Now we have the parents ' attention .
So maybe now is the time to really reach out and say , 'this is what we need you to do on your end and we 'll take care of this on our end . '
And in 10 years , we might see something entirely different in education in the country if we did that . ''
3 .
Digital teaching can be good , even great with the right support for teachers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ norm .
Districts like Weathers ' and Rouse 's are working with the Digital Learning Collaborative , a nonprofit that is dedicated to best practices in digital learning .
Rouse , in Joliet , calls their training `` pretty fabulous '' and essential to her district 's transition from teaching mainly through paper packets in the spring , to full-on remote using Google Classroom this fall .
The training , `` was more intense than [ teachers ] expected it would be , but that 's OK because teaching online is more intense @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Another organization , Cadence , is also trying to improve digital teaching at scale .
They pair `` mentor teachers '' with `` partner teachers '' to deliver a standardized curriculum in reading , math and science .
The teaching is a high-intensity blend of video lessons , active classroom instruction with breakout sessions and software-based practice .
Olyvia Kozicki teaches 5th grade at Augustine Prep , a nondenominational private school in Milwaukee , and is a Cadence partner teacher for English language arts .
She says she 's overjoyed at the quality @ @ @ @ @ @ @ producing .
It 's not only more than she expected from online teaching , `` it 's more just in general . ''
Twice a week , she meets with other Cadence teachers from around the country who are also teaching the exact same material on the same timetable .
She says that makes it the most practical and actionable professional education she 's ever had .
`` When we switched to virtual , it was very overwhelming and it seemed like such a daunting task , '' she said .
And now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the kids have been able to do . ''
Justin Reich says Kozicki 's experience is unusual for teachers this year .
Reich is an expert on educational technology at MIT and the author of the new book Failure to Disrupt : Why Technology Alone Ca n't Transform Education .
He says that across the country this fall , `` I 've heard very little evidence of innovation . ''
Even moves that might seem relatively simple , like adopting a free , online university-level course for use by high school students , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he adds , districts are trying to recreate classroom teaching routines online with varying levels of success .
`` I do n't think it 's getting better because there are major approaches that people have figured out or there 's a model that 's sort of spreading around , '' he says .
Nor is there a lot of leadership or direction on improving online learning coming from the federal Department of Education or anyone else .
Instead , Reich says , what improvement there has been since last spring comes mainly from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hours and learning as they go .
`` It 's just kind of folks sanding down one little rough edge at a time . ''
At last count , according to Burbio , 17.5 percent of districts were offering school in-person just a few days a week , with students learning from home the rest of the time .
The purpose was to maintain social distancing by reducing class sizes , but the model has created confusion and constant interruptions .
Many students are struggling to adjust to classroom routines when they may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weeks .
Depending on available staffing , teachers , meanwhile , may be yelling through a mask and face shield to be heard by students over Zoom .
Jennifer Echols is the director of online and personalized learning for Mesa Public Schools , the largest school district in Arizona .
She calls this model , `` one of the biggest challenges '' in remote learning right now .
Randi Weingarten , the president of the American Federation of Teachers , has called for this `` hybrid '' model to be phased out .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Weingarten says flatly .
`` You ca n't livestream and teach in person at the same time . ''
5 .
Some kids are not learning much online .
They 'll be playing catchup in years to come .
There are some anecdotes of children who are thriving with remote learning .
`` There 's [ approximately ] 10 percent of people for whom it works better , '' says Reich .
And for these students , `` this is actually a better version of school . ''
Maybe they had school anxiety @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of bullying or discrimination , or have sensory issues and enjoy having more control over their learning environment .
But districts including Houston , St. Paul , Minn. , and Fairfax County , Va. , have reported historically high failure rates this fall .
Echols , in Arizona , says both attendance and engagement in online learning is suffering .
`` Some kids have had difficulty just paying attention and keeping themselves focused . ''
In other cases , she adds , `` we have families where parents are working and there 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , or children that need to be babysitting siblings during the school day . ''
What keeps Rosenthal up at night are the kids she just ca n't reach .
Every year , she says , out of a class of 20 or 21 , there are five or six students who show up unprepared for kindergarten .
`` They 're struggling , but at least they 're with me all day long .
And so I can support them six or seven hours a day . ''
This year , she sees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , despite all the obstacles .
But those five or six who started out behind , are n't getting much of anywhere .

5 Things We've Learned About Virtual School In 2020
Enlarge this image Carson McNamara for NPR Carson McNamara for NPR
Deborah Rosenthal starts her virtual kindergarten class on Zoom every morning with a song — today, it's the Spanish version of "If You're Happy and You Know It." Her students clap along. There's a greeting from the class mascot (a dragon), yoga, meditation and then some practice with letter sounds: "Oso, oso, O, O, O."
Rosenthal teaches Spanish immersion in a public school in San Francisco's Mission District. Most of the families are low-income, and many are now affected by job losses related to COVID-19. She has taught kindergarten for 15 years, and she loves how "hands-on," "tactile" and "cozy" it is to work with 5-year-olds.
But this year, she's spending 10 or 12 hours a day on, basically, her own home production of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood en Español. "It's a very two-dimensional experience," she says.
Few people would tell you that online kindergarten was a good idea, or frankly even possible. That was before 2020. The number has fluctuated as cases rise across the country, but throughout this fall pandemic semester, between 40% and 60% of students have been enrolled in districts that offer only remote learning, according to a tracker maintained by the company Burbio.
And even in hybrid districts, some students have been learning remotely, either part or full time. In short, online learning is the reality for a majority of students this fall.
We are still starved for data on what this all means. The earliest standardized test scores coming out show modest learning loss for students in math, but there are worries that the most at-risk students are not being tested at all.
For this story I talked to educators in six states, from California to South Carolina. For the most part they say things have improved since the spring. But they are close to burnout, with only a patchwork of support. They say the heart of the job right now is getting students connected with school and keeping them that way — both technologically and even more importantly, emotionally. Here are five lessons learned so far:
1. The digital divide is still big and complex.
Eight months after schools first shut down, how many students still can't sign on? We don't really know, and that's a problem, says Nicol Turner Lee, director of the Center for Technology Innovation at the Brookings Institution. "We've not done a really great job in aggregating the data as to how many kids are still disconnected," she adds. "It's very disappointing as well as concerning."
The National Education Association recently reported, based on pre-pandemic census data, that one quarter of households with children ages 5 to 17 lacked either high-speed Wi-Fi, a computer or both. For households near the poverty line, the number was closer to half.
That figure may have gotten better. Many districts have scrambled to distribute their classroom laptops to families, to buy portable hot spots, and call on private and corporate donations. But there are still gaps.
Partly, that's because there hasn't been any pandemic federal stimulus aid to public schools since April. State revenue is down, too. For example, Richard Carranza, chancellor of New York City public schools, said last month that 60,000 of the district's 1.1 million students are still missing devices — about 5.5%.
Lee at Brookings is working on a book about the digital divide, and she says it's multidimensional. There's housing: Lose your home and you lose your broadband connection. There are backlogs of items such as Chromebooks.
Then there's infrastructure.
"That rural Internet divide is real. I mean it's a real problem right now in America," says Caroline Weathers, who teaches in a small town in South Carolina. Her district gave out hot spots, but in some places they didn't work because there wasn't cell service from the major carriers.
And the digital divide is about more than equipment. Rosenthal's school in San Francisco, Buena Vista Horace Mann, is a community school, meaning there are wraparound services, including lots of help with technology.
Despite all that, she didn't make contact with one of her students until 2 1/2 months into the school year. That's so even though her mother had come to school to pick up a laptop and hot spot. "The little girl was going to a babysitter that was not literate," Rosenthal says. "And so nobody could help this child get onto a computer."
Another of her students has a single mother who works cleaning hotel rooms; the girl goes along and often joins the class from her mother's smartphone. Because of barriers such as these, although attendance on her daily Zooms is high, Rosenthal says no more than a fourth of her students have been accessing the written assignments.
2. Relationships are everything when it comes to keeping kids engaged remotely.
Successful schools are using every adult on the team and every form of communication possible. Theresa Rouse is the superintendent of Joliet Public Schools District 86 in Illinois, where a majority of the students are low-income and either Latino or Black. She says their focus has been on relationships.
The district spent the first three weeks of the school year focusing just on social and emotional learning. Educators communicate expectations to parents and teachers by email, calls, texts, over social media, YouTube videos and podcasts.
And, Rouse says, any adult at a school — from teachers, to the assistant principal, to a school counselor or social worker — might drop in during video class to show they care: "If they're seeing a student that looks distressed, they pull them aside into a breakout room, have a conversation."
In South Carolina, Weathers usually teaches science at St. George Middle School. This year she created a new role for herself, helping families — sometimes with an app that parents can download to track kids' grades, or with strategies to build kids' executive function skills so they can succeed in remote learning. She says she'd like to continue the role going forward, making parents more active partners in their kids' education and taking learning out into the community as well.
"We could take this as a learning moment," Weathers says. "Now we have the parents' attention. So maybe now is the time to really reach out and say, 'This is what we need you to do on your end, and we'll take care of this on our end.' And in 10 years, we might see something entirely different in education in the country if we did that."
3. Digital teaching can be good, even great with the right support for teachers. But that's far from the norm.
Districts such as Weathers' and Rouse's are working with the Digital Learning Collaborative, a nonprofit that is dedicated to best practices in digital learning.
Rouse, in Joliet, calls its training "pretty fabulous" and essential to her district's transition from teaching mainly through paper packets in the spring to full-on remote using Google Classroom this fall. The training "was more intense than [teachers] expected it would be, but that's OK because teaching online is more intense than people anticipate as well."
Another organization, Cadence, is also trying to improve digital teaching at scale. It pairs "mentor teachers" with "partner teachers" to deliver a standardized curriculum in reading, math and science. The teaching is a high-intensity blend of video lessons, active classroom instruction with breakout sessions, and software-based practice.
Olyvia Kozicki teaches fifth grade at Augustine Prep, a nondenominational private school in Milwaukee, and is a Cadence partner teacher for English language arts. She says she's overjoyed at the quality and quantity of work her students are producing. It's not only more than she expected from online teaching, "it's more just in general."
Twice a week, she meets with other Cadence teachers from around the country who are also teaching the exact same material on the same timetable. She says that makes it the most practical and actionable professional education she's ever had.
"When we switched to virtual, it was very overwhelming, and it seemed like such a daunting task," she says. And now "I am so happy with what the kids have been able to do."
Justin Reich says Kozicki's experience is unusual for teachers this year. Reich is an expert on educational technology at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the author of the new book Failure to Disrupt: Why Technology Alone Can't Transform Education.
He says that across the country this fall, "I've heard very little evidence of innovation." Even moves that might seem relatively simple, such as adopting a free, online university-level course for use by high school students, aren't happening often. Mostly, he adds, districts are trying to re-create classroom teaching routines online with varying levels of success.
"I don't think it's getting better because there are major approaches that people have figured out or there's a model that's sort of spreading around," he says. Nor is there a lot of leadership or direction on improving online learning coming from the federal Department of Education or anyone else.
Instead, Reich says, what improvement there has been since spring comes mainly from teachers such as Rosenthal — putting in long hours and learning as they go. "It's just kind of folks sanding down one little rough edge at a time."
4. Hybrid models are extremely challenging.
At last count, according to Burbio, 17.5% of districts were offering school in person just a few days a week, with students learning from home the rest of the time. The purpose was to maintain social distancing by reducing class sizes, but the model has created confusion and constant interruptions. Many students are struggling to adjust to classroom routines when they may attend only five days out of three weeks.
Depending on available staffing, teachers, meanwhile, may be yelling through a mask and face shield to be heard by students over Zoom. Jennifer Echols is the director of online and personalized learning for Mesa Public Schools, the largest school district in Arizona. She calls this model "one of the biggest challenges" in remote learning right now. Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, has called for this "hybrid" model to be phased out. "Hybrid doesn't work," Weingarten says flatly. "You can't livestream and teach in person at the same time."
5. Some kids are not learning much online. They'll be playing catch-up in years to come.
There are some anecdotes of children who are thriving with remote learning. "There's [approximately] 10% of people for whom it works better," Reich says. And for these students, "this is actually a better version of school."
Maybe they had school anxiety, he explains, or were victims of bullying or discrimination, or have sensory issues and enjoy having more control over their learning environment.
But districts including Houston, St. Paul, Minn., and Fairfax County, Va., have reported historically high failure rates this fall.
Echols, in Arizona, says both attendance and engagement in online learning is suffering. "Some kids have had difficulty just paying attention and keeping themselves focused." In other cases, she adds, "we have families where parents are working, and there's not the appropriate supervision for young learners, or children that need to be babysitting siblings during the school day."
What keeps Rosenthal up at night are the kids she just can't reach. Every year, she says, out of a class of 20 or 21, there are five or six students who show up unprepared for kindergarten.
"They're struggling, but at least they're with me all day long. And so I can support them six or seven hours a day."
This year, she sees most of her students learning and growing despite all the obstacles. But those five or six who started out behind aren't getting much of anywhere.


npr--2020-12-03--Google Employees Say Scientist's Ouster Was 'Unprecedented Research Censorship'

Hundreds of Google employees have published an open letter following the firing of a colleague who is an accomplished scientist known for her research into the ethics of artificial intelligence and her work showing racial bias in facial recognition technology .
She says she was forced out of the company following a dispute over a research paper and an email she subsequently sent to peers expressing frustration over how the tech giant treats employees of color and women .
`` Instead of being embraced by Google as an exceptionally talented and prolific contributor , Dr. Gebru has faced defensiveness , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and now a retaliatory firing , '' the open letter said .
By Thursday evening , more than 400 Google employees and hundreds of outsiders — many of them academics — had signed it .
The research paper in question was co-authored by Gebru along with four others at Google and two other researchers .
It examined the environmental and ethical implications of an AI tool used by Google and other technology companies , according to NPR 's review of the draft paper .
The 12-page draft explored the possible pitfalls of relying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ amounts of information on the Internet and produces text as if written by a human .
The paper argued it could end up mimicking hate speech and other types of derogatory and biased language found online .
The paper also cautioned against the energy cost of using such large-scale AI models .
According to Gebru , she was planning to present the paper at a research conference next year , but then her bosses at Google stepped in and demanded she retract the paper , or remove all the Google employees as authors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then took to an internal email list to vent about what she saw as empty promises to increase the number of underrepresented groups at Google .
Describing her own treatment as `` silencing marginalized voices , '' she also claimed she was given an insufficient explanation for why Google opposed her research paper .
It made her feel like her expertise was not valued at the company .
`` Instead of being like , 'OK let 's talk , ' they 're like , 'You know what ?
Nope , bye , ' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do n't feel like they thought it through .
They could have had a much better outcome through dialogue . ''
In the open letter , Gebru 's former colleagues described her as a `` pathbreaking scientist '' who sought to ensure the artificial intelligence systems were held accountable .
They wrote that Gebru was one of the few Black women research scientists at Google .
Google 's dismissing Gebru , according to the letter , amounted to `` unprecedented research censorship . ''
Google had no immediate response to the letter .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ obtained by NPR , Google 's head of AI research , Jeff Dean , said Gebru 's paper `` did n't meet our bar for publication , '' citing unspecified research she allegedly left out that undercut her premise .
Dean said since Gebru threatened to step down over Google 's lack of support for her paper , she was not fired , but rather resigned — something Gebru and her supporters dispute .
`` Given Timnit 's role as a respected researcher and a manager in our Ethical AI team , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a place where she feels this way about the work we 're doing , '' Dean wrote in the email .
Emails from Dean and Gebru were first reported by Platformer 's Casey Newton .
Gebru 's row with Google unleashed a flurry of support from researchers and others on Twitter , organizing around the hashtag # ISupportTimnit .
Researcher Joy Buolamwini , who co-authored a seminal 2018 study with Gebru showing facial recognition technology is far more likely to misidentify people of color , particularly women , than white men , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reputation in holding its own technology accountable .
`` Ousting Timnit for having the audacity to demand intellectual integrity severely undermines Google 's credibility for supporting rigorous research on AI ethics and algorithmic auditing , '' Buolamwini said .
`` She deserves more than Google knew how to give , and now she is an all-star free agent who will continue to transform the tech industry . ''
In July , Buolamwini and Gebru 's research played a prominent role in Amazon , IBM and Microsoft pulling back on providing the technology to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over the death of George Floyd .
Ifeoma Ozoma , a former Pinterest executive who left the company after voicing concern over the treatment of Black employees , said in an interview with NPR that she believed Google would not have let go a white male employee for similar behavior .
`` She was fired because of who she is and not because of what she did , '' said Ozoma , who also used to work at Google .
Gebru 's ouster , which she first tweeted about on Wednesday night , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Relations Board said Google had illegally fired two employees who were involving in labor organizing last year .
The federal agency also found that Google had illegally spied on employees who viewed a union organizing presentation .
Ozoma , who is a friend of Gebru , says Google has shown a pattern regarding employees who agitate for change inside the company .
`` Google is doing this over and over again and seems to not care at all and seems to believe they can get away with it , '' she said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ employees ask that senior leadership meet with the artificial intelligence team Gebru helped lead to explain how and why the paper Gebru co-authored was `` unilaterally rejected '' by management at the company .
Letting Gebru go could make Google 's workplace less welcome to Black researchers and other employees of color , the letter signatories wrote .
`` The termination is an act of retaliation against Dr. Gebru , and it heralds danger for people working for ethical and just AI — especially Black people and People of Color — across Google @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is among NPR 's financial supporters .

Google Employees Call Black Scientist's Ouster 'Unprecedented Research Censorship'
Enlarge this image toggle caption Kimberly White/Getty Images for TechCrunch Kimberly White/Getty Images for TechCrunch
Updated 11:36 p.m. ET
Hundreds of Google employees have published an open letter following the firing of an accomplished scientist known for her research into the ethics of artificial intelligence and her work showing racial bias in facial recognition technology.
That scientist, Timnit Gebru, helped lead Google's Ethical Artificial Intelligence Team until Tuesday.
Gebru, who is Black, says she was forced out of the company after a dispute over a research paper and an email she subsequently sent to peers expressing frustration over how the tech giant treats employees of color and women.
"Instead of being embraced by Google as an exceptionally talented and prolific contributor, Dr. Gebru has faced defensiveness, racism, gaslighting, research censorship, and now a retaliatory firing," the open letter said. By Thursday evening, more than 400 Google employees and hundreds of outsiders — many of them academics — had signed it.
The research paper in question was co-authored by Gebru along with four others at Google and two other researchers. It examined the environmental and ethical implications of an AI tool used by Google and other technology companies, according to NPR's review of the draft paper.
The 12-page draft explored the possible pitfalls of relying on the tool, which scans massive amounts of information on the Internet and produces text as if written by a human. The paper argued it could end up mimicking hate speech and other types of derogatory and biased language found online. The paper also cautioned against the energy cost of using such large-scale AI models.
According to Gebru, she was planning to present the paper at a research conference next year, but then her bosses at Google stepped in and demanded she retract the paper or remove all the Google employees as authors.
Gebru threatened to resign. She then took to an internal email list to vent about what she saw as empty promises to increase the number of underrepresented groups at Google.
Describing her own treatment as "silencing marginalized voices," she also claimed she was given an insufficient explanation for why Google opposed her research paper. It made her feel like her expertise was not valued at the company.
"Instead of being like, 'OK let's talk,' they're like, 'You know what? Nope, bye,' " Gebru told NPR."I don't feel like they thought it through. They could have had a much better outcome through dialogue."
In the open letter, Gebru's former colleagues described her as a "pathbreaking scientist" who sought to ensure the artificial intelligence systems were held accountable. They wrote that Gebru was one of the few Black female research scientists at Google.
Google's dismissing Gebru, according to the letter, amounted to "unprecedented research censorship."
Google had no immediate response to the letter.
But in an email sent internally and obtained by NPR, Google's head of AI research, Jeff Dean, said Gebru's paper "didn't meet our bar for publication," citing unspecified research she allegedly left out that undercut her premise.
Dean said since Gebru threatened to step down over Google's lack of support for her paper, she was not fired, but rather resigned — something Gebru and her supporters dispute.
"Given Timnit's role as a respected researcher and a manager in our Ethical AI team, I feel badly that Timnit has gotten to a place where she feels this way about the work we're doing," Dean wrote in the email.
Emails from Dean and Gebru were first reported by Platformer's Casey Newton.
Gebru's row with Google unleashed a flurry of support from researchers and others on Twitter, organizing around the hashtag #ISupportTimnit.
Researcher Joy Buolamwini, who co-authored a seminal 2018 study with Gebru showing facial recognition technology is far more likely to misidentify people of color, particularly women, than white men, said Gebru's termination could hurt Google's reputation in holding its own technology accountable.
"Ousting Timnit for having the audacity to demand intellectual integrity severely undermines Google's credibility for supporting rigorous research on AI ethics and algorithmic auditing," Buolamwini said. "She deserves more than Google knew how to give, and now she is an all-star free agent who will continue to transform the tech industry."
In July, Buolamwini and Gebru's research played a prominent role in Amazon, IBM and Microsoft pulling back on providing the technology to law enforcement agencies during the national protests over the death of George Floyd by police.
Ifeoma Ozoma, a former Pinterest executive who left the company after voicing concern over the treatment of Black employees, said in an interview with NPR that she believed Google would not have let go a white male employee for similar behavior.
"She was fired because of who she is and not because of what she did," said Ozoma, who also used to work at Google.
Gebru's ouster, which she first tweeted about on Wednesday night, came the same day the National Labor Relations Board said Google had illegally fired two employees who were involving in labor organizing last year. The federal agency also found that Google had illegally spied on employees who viewed a union organizing presentation.
Ozoma, who is a friend of Gebru, says Google has shown a pattern regarding employees who agitate for change inside the company.
"Google is doing this over and over again and seems to not care at all and seems to believe they can get away with it," she said.
In their open letter, the Google employees ask that senior leadership meet with the artificial intelligence team Gebru helped lead to explain how and why the paper Gebru co-authored was "unilaterally rejected" by management at the company.
Letting Gebru go could make Google's workplace less welcome to Black researchers and other employees of color, the letter signatories wrote.
"The termination is an act of retaliation against Dr. Gebru, and it heralds danger for people working for ethical and just AI — especially Black people and People of Color — across Google."
Editor's note: Google is among NPR's financial supporters.


npr--2020-12-04--Judge Orders Trump Administration To Restore DACA As It Existed Under Obama

Judge Orders Trump Administration To Restore DACA As It Existed Under Obama A federal judge has reversed the Trump administration 's latest round of rules placing further limits on the Obama-era program that shields undocumented immigrants who came to the country as children from deportation .
Under the order filed Friday , Judge Nicholas Garaufis of U.S. District Court in Brooklyn instructed the Department of Homeland Security to begin accepting new applications for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program as soon as Monday .
In his ruling , Garaufis said the terms of the federal program must be immediately @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the attempted rescission of September 2017 '' when the White House began a series of maneuvers to dismantle the program .
The judge also instructed officials to reinstate two-year permits for qualifying applicants .
Over the summer , the administration had begun issuing one-year permits .
DACA currently protects about 640,000 undocumented young immigrants .
As of July , an estimated 300,000 young people living in the U.S. are eligible for the program and still waiting for a chance to apply .
That includes 55,000 who have aged into eligibility over the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a huge victory for people who have been waiting to apply for DACA for the first time , '' Veronica Garcia , staff attorney at the Immigrant Legal Resource Center , said in a statement .
She added that acting DHS Secretary Chad Wolf 's `` decision to suspend the program was just another attempt by the Trump administration to wield its extremely racist and anti-immigrant views and policies . ''
Garaufis ' decision is the latest court ruling against the administration .
In June , the Supreme Court blocked the Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , saying the administration 's reasoning was `` arbitrary and capricious . ''
In July , a federal court in Maryland also ordered the administration to start accepting new applicants .
But 11 days later , Wolf issued a memorandum cutting renewal permits from two years to one and blocking all new applications .
That prompted a November ruling by Garaufis saying that Wolf was not lawfully serving as DHS acting secretary when he issued the changes `` because the Department of Homeland Security failed to follow its order of succession , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Security Act . ''
As a result , Garaufis vacated the changes initiated by Wolf .
Wolf has been serving as acting secretary since November 2019 ; he has not been confirmed by the Senate .
Kirstjen Nielsen , who resigned in April 2019 , was the last DHS secretary to be confirmed by the Senate .
Court documents said that DHS has until Monday to post a public notice `` displayed prominently on its website and on the websites of all other relevant agencies , that it is accepting first-time requests for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ''

Judge Orders Trump Administration To Restore DACA As It Existed Under Obama
Enlarge this image toggle caption Damian Dovarganes/AP Damian Dovarganes/AP
A federal judge has reversed the Trump administration's latest round of rules placing further limits on the Obama-era program that shields undocumented immigrants who came to the country as children from deportation.
Under the order filed Friday, Judge Nicholas Garaufis of the U.S. District Court in Brooklyn instructed the Department of Homeland Security to begin accepting new applications for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program as soon as Monday.
In his ruling, Garaufis said the terms of the federal program must be immediately restored to what they were "prior to the attempted rescission of September 2017" when the White House began a series of maneuvers to dismantle the program.
The judge also instructed officials to reinstate two-year permits for qualifying applicants. Over the summer, the administration had begun issuing one-year permits.
DACA currently protects about 640,000 undocumented young immigrants. As of July, an estimated 300,000 young people living in the U.S. are eligible for the program and still waiting for a chance to apply. That includes 55,000 who have aged into eligibility over the last three years.
"The ruling is a huge victory for people who have been waiting to apply for DACA for the first time," Veronica Garcia, staff attorney at the Immigrant Legal Resource Center, said in a statement.
She added that acting DHS Secretary Chad Wolf's "decision to suspend the program was just another attempt by the Trump administration to wield its extremely racist and anti-immigrant views and policies."
Garaufis' decision is the latest court ruling against the administration.
In June, the Supreme Court blocked the Trump administration's 2017 attempt to end DACA, saying the administration's reasoning was "arbitrary and capricious." In July, a federal court in Maryland also ordered the administration to start accepting new applicants.
But 11 days later, Wolf issued a memorandum cutting renewal permits from two years to one and blocking all new applications.
That prompted a November ruling by Garaufis saying that Wolf was not lawfully serving as DHS acting secretary when he issued the changes "because the Department of Homeland Security failed to follow its order of succession, as it was lawfully designated under the Homeland Security Act."
As a result, Garaufis vacated the changes initiated by Wolf.
Wolf has been serving as acting secretary since November 2019; he has not been confirmed by the Senate. Kirstjen Nielsen, who resigned in April 2019, was the last DHS secretary to be confirmed by the Senate.
Court documents said that DHS has until Monday to post a public notice "displayed prominently on its website and on the websites of all other relevant agencies, that it is accepting first-time requests for consideration of deferred action under DACA."


npr--2020-12-04--Education Department Extends Student Loan Payment Freeze Through January

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos announced Friday that pandemic relief for about 41 million federal student loan borrowers will continue until Jan. 31 .
In March , borrowers were granted a reprieve on their loan payments , interest was set to 0 % and collections of defaulted federal student loans stopped .
Congress initiated this relief in the CARES Act , and President Trump later extended it .
`` The coronavirus pandemic has presented challenges for many students and borrowers , and this temporary pause in payments will help those who have been impacted , '' DeVos said in a statement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Congress to do its job and determine what measures it believes are necessary and appropriate . ''
Before DeVos ' latest action , the relief was set to expire on Dec. 31 , just weeks before President-elect Joe Biden 's Jan. 20 inauguration , making many who study loan repayment nervous .
`` We know that periods of uncertainty and transition can cause borrowers to fall off track with repayment , '' says Sarah Sattelmeyer , director of the Pew Charitable Trust 's Student Borrower Success project .
`` One of the most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and this will certainly provide consistency through to a new administration . ''
Scott Buchanan , executive director of the Student Loan Servicing Alliance , says , `` The decision provides borrowers today a little bit more flexibility .
It means that payment wo n't have to resume for them .
But we still have the question that remains of what happens after Jan .
31 . ''
Regardless of when the current relief expires , Buchanan says any change will generate confusion and many phone calls from borrowers .
`` We still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ] borrowers going back to repayment at the same time .
... Now the work begins to move everything . ''
The student loan system is n't structured for frequent policy changes and extensions .
The Education Department says it is now working with federal student loan servicers to notify borrowers of the extended relief measures and when payments are expected to resume .
That messaging would need to begin before Biden takes office .
And deadlines could again change if Congress steps in , or if Biden issues his own extension or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The student loan repayment system was n't designed to start and stop on a dime , '' Sattelmeyer says .
And what happens when millions of borrowers are unclear of when to pay ?
`` A massive volume of incoming communication from borrowers that could overwhelm the system writ large . ''
Even a recent report from the Education Department notes the upcoming resumption of payments might be messy .
Loan servicers and the federal government , the report says , will `` face a heavy burden in 'converting ' millions of borrowers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could also be confusing to borrowers , with some `` becoming delinquent , at least initially . ''
One solution Sattelmeyer suggests is creating a short grace period for borrowers after the payments resume — whenever they resume — to try and catch those struggling to repay or those who are unsure or confused about timing .
She says this could potentially help borrowers avoid delinquency or default during a very discombobulating time .
`` A lot of people are confused , and that 's hugely problematic , '' Sattelmeyer says .
Research @ @ @ @ @ @ @ found that , among borrowers who said the relief applied to them , about 40 % did not know when their loan payments were set to resume .
Sattelmeyer explains that borrowers are also struggling financially due to the pandemic : Almost 6 in 10 borrowers with paused payments reported to Pew that it would be difficult to begin making their payments if they had to do so in the next month .
Many hope temporary pandemic relief for borrowers will open the door to more permanent loan forgiveness .
But it 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would do that .
In November , Biden repeated his support for a provision in the HEROES Act that calls for the federal government to pay off up to $ 10,000 in private , nonfederal student loans for `` economically distressed '' borrowers .
But many Democrats want him to go further .
In September , Democratic Sens .
Elizabeth Warren and Chuck Schumer unveiled a plan calling for the next president to cancel up to $ 50,000 of outstanding federal student loans per borrower .
Biden has yet to signal his interest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proposal , he outlined a number of changes to paying back loans , including canceling $ 10,000 in debt for students who work in national or community service .

Education Department Extends Student Loan Payment Freeze Through January
Enlarge this image toggle caption Matt York/AP Matt York/AP
Education Secretary Betsy DeVos announced Friday that pandemic relief for about 41 million federal student loan borrowers will continue until Jan. 31.
In March, borrowers were granted a reprieve on their loan payments, interest was set to 0% and collections of defaulted federal student loans stopped. Congress initiated this relief in the CARES Act, and President Trump later extended it.
"The coronavirus pandemic has presented challenges for many students and borrowers, and this temporary pause in payments will help those who have been impacted," DeVos said in a statement. "The added time also allows Congress to do its job and determine what measures it believes are necessary and appropriate."
Before DeVos' latest action, the relief was set to expire on Dec. 31, just weeks before President-elect Joe Biden's Jan. 20 inauguration, making many who study loan repayment nervous.
"We know that periods of uncertainty and transition can cause borrowers to fall off track with repayment," says Sarah Sattelmeyer, director of the Pew Charitable Trust's Student Borrower Success project.
"One of the most important things for borrowers is consistency, and this will certainly provide consistency through to a new administration."
Scott Buchanan, executive director of the Student Loan Servicing Alliance, says, "The decision provides borrowers today a little bit more flexibility. It means that payment won't have to resume for them. But we still have the question that remains of what happens after Jan. 31."
Regardless of when the current relief expires, Buchanan says any change will generate confusion and many phone calls from borrowers.
"We still have the challenge of [millions of] borrowers going back to repayment at the same time. ... Now the work begins to move everything."
The student loan system isn't structured for frequent policy changes and extensions. The Education Department says it is now working with federal student loan servicers to notify borrowers of the extended relief measures and when payments are expected to resume. That messaging would need to begin before Biden takes office. And deadlines could again change if Congress steps in, or if Biden issues his own extension or offers other forms of relief.
"The student loan repayment system wasn't designed to start and stop on a dime," Sattelmeyer says. And what happens when millions of borrowers are unclear of when to pay? "A massive volume of incoming communication from borrowers that could overwhelm the system writ large."
Even a recent report from the Education Department notes the upcoming resumption of payments might be messy. Loan servicers and the federal government, the report says, will "face a heavy burden in 'converting' millions of borrowers to active repayment." The transition could also be confusing to borrowers, with some "becoming delinquent, at least initially."
One solution Sattelmeyer suggests is creating a short grace period for borrowers after the payments resume — whenever they resume — to try and catch those struggling to repay or those who are unsure or confused about timing. She says this could potentially help borrowers avoid delinquency or default during a very discombobulating time.
"A lot of people are confused, and that's hugely problematic," Sattelmeyer says.
Research from Pew conducted in August and September found that, among borrowers who said the relief applied to them, about 40% did not know when their loan payments were set to resume.
Sattelmeyer explains that borrowers are also struggling financially due to the pandemic: Almost 6 in 10 borrowers with paused payments reported to Pew that it would be difficult to begin making their payments if they had to do so in the next month.
Many hope temporary pandemic relief for borrowers will open the door to more permanent loan forgiveness. But it's unclear to what extent the Biden administration would do that. In November, Biden repeated his support for a provision in the HEROES Act that calls for the federal government to pay off up to $10,000 in private, nonfederal student loans for "economically distressed" borrowers. But many Democrats want him to go further.
In September, Democratic Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Chuck Schumer unveiled a plan calling for the next president to cancel up to $50,000 of outstanding federal student loans per borrower. Biden has yet to signal his interest in this plan. In his campaign proposal, he outlined a number of changes to paying back loans, including canceling $10,000 in debt for students who work in national or community service.


npr--2020-12-04--Chinese Chang'e-5 Is Returning From Moon With Rocks, Left A Flag To Celebrate

Chinese Chang ' e-5 Is Returning From Moon With Rocks , Left A Flag To Celebrate China 's lunar probe Chang ' e-5 is on its way back to Earth after a brief visit to the moon Thursday .
The craft collected soil and rock samples over the course of about 19 hours and then left the lunar surface .
The samples are expected to land on Earth around the middle of the month .
Before it left , the spacecraft planted a flag there — making China only the second country to leave its national banner on the moon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two previous landings .
Getting a flag to the moon is n't easy and solar radiation has likely bleached out the ones planted by U.S. astronauts , according to NASA .
For China , its most recent accomplishment has a nostalgic feel , aerospace expert and TV commentator Song Zhongping told China 's Global Times .
It has been more than half a century since the NASA Apollo 11 crew walked on the moon .
`` Yesterday 's memory is still fresh and clear , when the U.S. astronauts stepped outside their cabins @ @ @ @ @ @ @ history , an American national flag , on the moon in 1969 , '' Zhongping said .
`` But China is about to showcase our own national flag as well , which I believe is a recognition of achievements and breakthroughs that we have made , which will be the most valuable thing . ''
The Soviet Union was the first country to leave its mark on the moon , intentionally smashing the Luna 2 probe there in 1959 .

Chinese Chang'e-5 Is Returning From Moon With Rocks, Left A Flag To Celebrate
Enlarge this image toggle caption Xinhua News Agency via AP Xinhua News Agency via AP
China's lunar probe Chang'e-5 is on its way back to Earth after a brief visit to the moon Thursday. The craft collected soil and rock samples over the course of about 19 hours and then left the lunar surface.
The samples are expected to land on Earth around the middle of the month.
Before it left, the spacecraft planted a flag there — making China only the second country to leave its national banner on the moon. China hadn't deployed one in two previous landings.
Getting a flag to the moon isn't easy and solar radiation has likely bleached out the ones planted by U.S. astronauts, according to NASA.
For China, its most recent accomplishment has a nostalgic feel, aerospace expert and TV commentator Song Zhongping told China's Global Times. It has been more than half a century since the NASA Apollo 11 crew walked on the moon.
"Yesterday's memory is still fresh and clear, when the U.S. astronauts stepped outside their cabins and planted the first flag in human history, an American national flag, on the moon in 1969," Zhongping said. "But China is about to showcase our own national flag as well, which I believe is a recognition of achievements and breakthroughs that we have made, which will be the most valuable thing."
The Soviet Union was the first country to leave its mark on the moon, intentionally smashing the Luna 2 probe there in 1959.


npr--2020-12-04--Coronavirus FAQs: Are Playgrounds Too Risky? Do I Need A Mask For Outdoor Exercise?

Coronavirus FAQs : Are Playgrounds Too Risky ?
Do I Need A Mask For Outdoor Exercise ?
Each week , we answer `` frequently asked questions '' about life during the coronavirus crisis .
If you have a question you 'd like us to consider for a future post , email us at goatsandsoda @ npr.org with the subject line : `` Weekly Coronavirus Questions . ''
After a long and toilsome week of Fortnite and family flicks , beleaguered parents of young children might well see a trip to the playground as a needed reprieve .
The benefits seem @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time while turning your child loose on swings and slides to the point of exhaustion — bringing the week to a tranquil close .
Ahh .
( Sigh of relief ) .
Yet with COVID-19 in play ( no pun intended ) it 's not always so simple .
This week , L.A. closed down its playgrounds for the second time , drawing furor from parents .
And across the country , at least 16 states have done the same since the start of the pandemic .
With the specter of an ever-increasing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wonder , are playgrounds really a good idea right now ?
According to Harvard Medical School physician Abraar Karan , if you 're prudent , a playground trip is actually a great idea .
The first thing to note is that the risks of picking up the virus from surfaces — so in the context of playgrounds , think : jungle gyms , rock walls , slides and swings — are lower than initially assumed .
We know this thanks to breakthroughs in COVID-19 fomite research .
A fomite is any object or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , possibly because someone recently sneezed or coughed respiratory droplets onto it .
Fomites can include utensils , clothing ... and sliding boards ... says Sonali Advani , an assistant professor of medicine at Duke University .
If you touch a fomite , then bring your hands to your mouth , nose or eyes , you could become infected .
Even though there was concern early in the pandemic about this possible mode of transmission , the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in May that surfaces are `` not the main @ @ @ @ @ @ @ studies have fortified that belief .
Still , Advani says , while the risk of transmission from surfaces is low , `` it is not absent . ''
What does this mean for playgrounds ?
Well , Karan explains , since fomites , epidemiologically , are not a huge source of viral transfer , it 's probably not likely that children will pick up the virus and later infect themselves while careening down a slide or monkeying around on the monkey bars .
The bigger risk is respiratory transmission— so it 's critical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : masking , sanitizing hands after visiting , and physical distancing while on the scene .
`` Outdoor playgrounds do have the benefit of being outdoors , of being able to space children out , '' Advani says .
Outdoor airflow disrupts the flow of droplets and airborne particles .
`` But if everyone goes to the playground , it 's going to get crowded . ''
As an extra precaution , Advani advises practicing situational awareness : If there are a lot of families at the playground when you arrive , try @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And carry along a set of disinfectant wipes with you , wiping down surfaces before your kid gets on them — just to be extra safe !
The last stage of a safe and successful playground trip in the age of COVID-19 is the cleanup .
`` Washing your clothes is n't a bad idea [ once you arrive home ] , Advani says .
`` It 's not that hard to do , and you 'll probably want to do it in any case . ''
Even though the risk that your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is low , it 's better to be safe .
And do n't forget to wash hands after a visit with soap and water .
You can keep the playground spirit going by singing the alphabet song to make sure you hit the 20-to-30 second mark .
What should we make of the WHO 's guidelines on no-masking while doing exercise ?
This week , the World Health Organization released a controversial statement : masks should n't be worn during `` vigorous intensity physical activity . ''
The message was intended to tighten @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , when WHO released an infographic detailing why it may be a bad idea to wear masks while exercising .
During vigorous activity , the WHO says , `` sweat can make the mask become ... wet '' — which , the agency went on to say , can lead to bacterial growth on masks , and impede breathing ability .
Experts do n't all agree with WHO 's approach , and many flat-out rebuke it .
So it can be hard to figure out what to do .
Indeed , the experts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been well documented that the risk of non-masked outdoor exercise is pretty low , there can be important symbolic and public health advantages to having a mask on you .
In deciding what to do , you should come up with a strategy that gives you options to tailor your approach to your environment , your perceived risk levels and other factors .
`` Walking around , wearing a mask shows respect and it sends the message that you believe masking is important , '' Karan explains .
`` And the downside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ general , Karan says , it 's fine to exercise with a mask on .
And as long as you 're washing your mask after a workout , you can ensure there 's not a constant buildup of bacteria .
He adds that there 's been no large body of data to suggest that bacteria buildup has caused any medical issues .
But Advani acknowledges that it can be hard to mask while engaging in high-intensity exercise , simply on a breathing level .
She proposes a solution : Carry a mask with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stretches in the run where you may be around others , put it on if you feel inclined .
`` It 's not necessary to do while running [ without anyone around ] , but having one on hand will always be helpful . ''
One other component of the WHO 's brief stated that if distancing and ventilation are well-managed in a gym , it 's OK to take off a mask while working out in that setting .
To that point , both experts interviewed for this FAQ stressed that it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , where it 's more difficult for the virus to spread .
Pranav Baskar is a freelance journalist who regularly answers coronavirus FAQs for NPR .

Coronavirus FAQs: Are Playgrounds Too Risky? Do I Need A Mask For Outdoor Exercise?
Enlarge this image Malaka Gharib/NPR Malaka Gharib/NPR
Each week, we answer "frequently asked questions" about life during the coronavirus crisis. If you have a question you'd like us to consider for a future post, email us at goatsandsoda@npr.org with the subject line: "Weekly Coronavirus Questions."
After a long and toilsome week of Fortnite and family flicks, beleaguered parents of young children might well see a trip to the playground as a needed reprieve.
The benefits seem obvious enough: Catch some precious outdoor time while turning your child loose on swings and slides to the point of exhaustion — bringing the week to a tranquil close. Ahh. (Sigh of relief).
Yet with COVID-19 in play (no pun intended) it's not always so simple.
This week, L.A. closed down its playgrounds for the second time, drawing furor from parents. And across the country, at least 16 states have done the same since the start of the pandemic.
With the specter of an ever-increasing infection count, it's fair to wonder, are playgrounds really a good idea right now?
According to Harvard Medical School physician Abraar Karan, if you're prudent, a playground trip is actually a great idea.
The first thing to note is that the risks of picking up the virus from surfaces — so in the context of playgrounds, think: jungle gyms, rock walls, slides and swings — are lower than initially assumed.
We know this thanks to breakthroughs in COVID-19 fomite research. A fomite is any object or particle that is covered with virus particles, possibly because someone recently sneezed or coughed respiratory droplets onto it. Fomites can include utensils, clothing ... and sliding boards ... says Sonali Advani, an assistant professor of medicine at Duke University.
If you touch a fomite, then bring your hands to your mouth, nose or eyes, you could become infected.
Even though there was concern early in the pandemic about this possible mode of transmission, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in May that surfaces are "not the main way" the coronavirus spreads. Successive studies have fortified that belief.
Still, Advani says, while the risk of transmission from surfaces is low, "it is not absent."
What does this mean for playgrounds?
Well, Karan explains, since fomites, epidemiologically, are not a huge source of viral transfer, it's probably not likely that children will pick up the virus and later infect themselves while careening down a slide or monkeying around on the monkey bars. The bigger risk is respiratory transmission— so it's critical you follow some of the general guidelines: masking, sanitizing hands after visiting, and physical distancing while on the scene.
"Outdoor playgrounds do have the benefit of being outdoors, of being able to space children out," Advani says. Outdoor airflow disrupts the flow of droplets and airborne particles. "But if everyone goes to the playground, it's going to get crowded."
As an extra precaution, Advani advises practicing situational awareness: If there are a lot of families at the playground when you arrive, try coming back in a few hours. And carry along a set of disinfectant wipes with you, wiping down surfaces before your kid gets on them — just to be extra safe!
The last stage of a safe and successful playground trip in the age of COVID-19 is the cleanup.
"Washing your clothes isn't a bad idea [once you arrive home], Advani says. "It's not that hard to do, and you'll probably want to do it in any case." Even though the risk that your garb was contaminated by contact with fomites is low, it's better to be safe.
And don't forget to wash hands after a visit with soap and water. You can keep the playground spirit going by singing the alphabet song to make sure you hit the 20-to-30 second mark.
What should we make of the WHO's guidelines on no-masking while doing exercise?
This week, the World Health Organization released a controversial statement: masks shouldn't be worn during "vigorous intensity physical activity."
The message was intended to tighten guidelines the organization laid out in June, when WHO released an infographic detailing why it may be a bad idea to wear masks while exercising.
During vigorous activity, the WHO says, "sweat can make the mask become ... wet" — which, the agency went on to say, can lead to bacterial growth on masks, and impede breathing ability.
Experts don't all agree with WHO's approach, and many flat-out rebuke it. So it can be hard to figure out what to do.
Indeed, the experts we spoke to say that while it has been well documented that the risk of non-masked outdoor exercise is pretty low, there can be important symbolic and public health advantages to having a mask on you. In deciding what to do, you should come up with a strategy that gives you options to tailor your approach to your environment, your perceived risk levels and other factors.
"Walking around, wearing a mask shows respect and it sends the message that you believe masking is important," Karan explains. "And the downside of masks is minimal."
In general, Karan says, it's fine to exercise with a mask on. And as long as you're washing your mask after a workout, you can ensure there's not a constant buildup of bacteria. He adds that there's been no large body of data to suggest that bacteria buildup has caused any medical issues.
But Advani acknowledges that it can be hard to mask while engaging in high-intensity exercise, simply on a breathing level. She proposes a solution: Carry a mask with you, and at traffic lights or stretches in the run where you may be around others, put it on if you feel inclined.
"It's not necessary to do while running [without anyone around], but having one on hand will always be helpful."
One other component of the WHO's brief stated that if distancing and ventilation are well-managed in a gym, it's OK to take off a mask while working out in that setting. To that point, both experts interviewed for this FAQ stressed that it's preferable to keep your exercise outdoors, where it's more difficult for the virus to spread.
Pranav Baskar is a freelance journalist who regularly answers coronavirus FAQs for NPR.


npr--2020-12-04--Offshore Drilling Set To Begin Off Florida Alarms Environmentalists

President Trump recently signed an order extending a ban on drilling in U.S. waters in the Atlantic .
But in the Bahamas , a small company has received permission to begin doing exploratory drilling just 150 miles from the Florida coast .
Bahamas Petroleum Company is headquartered on the Isle of Man , part of the United Kingdom , but has offices in the Bahamas .
More importantly , it has leases on potential oil fields covering some 4 million acres in waters between Andros , the nation 's largest island , and the north coast of Cuba .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , is expected to be onsite and ready to begin drilling by mid-December .
`` It 's something that 's being rushed into prematurely without adequate environmental protection in place , '' says Casuarina McKinney-Lambert with the Bahamas Reef Environment Educational Foundation .
BREEF is part of a coalition of environmental groups and ecotourism businesses that are raising alarms about plans for a drilling operation that , up till now , has drawn little attention .
The company did an environmental impact assessment and received approval from the Bahamian government .
But McKinney-Lambert @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to reassure critics by stressing that this is just an exploratory well , the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster in the Gulf of Mexico also came from exploratory drilling .
`` Exploratory wells can be even more dangerous than extractive wells , '' she says .
`` We 're very concerned about that and the potential for a large spill .
But , we 're also concerned about the day-to-day operations . ''
BPC has declined requests for interviews .
In documents it has filed , the company says the drilling site will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Andros Island .
It 's not far from where Shawn Leadon operates a fishing lodge , the Andros Island Bonefish Club , and an ecotourism business , Andros Outdoor Adventures .
The national park includes the largest estuary in the Bahamas .
Leadon says it 's an incubator for marine species that are important to the entire Caribbean .
`` Given that fact , why would you want to put any form of proposal that 's going to be damaging to that ? ''
he asks .
`` Not only is it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's going to damage the fisheries .
It 's going to damage the airline industry .
It 's a domino effect . ''
A coalition of businesses and environmental groups , Our Islands , Our Future has gathered some 50,000 signatures on a petition asking the Bahamian government to cancel all oil exploration licenses and ban offshore drilling .
If there 's no response , the group says it will take legal action to block the drilling .
Bahamian Prime Minister Hubert Minnis has n't responded to an interview request .
A big @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a major spill .
Eight years ago , when Cuba was preparing to drill exploratory wells in its waters , the U.S. Coast Guard and Cuban authorities worked out a detailed agreement on how they would coordinate their response .
So far , the Coast Guard has n't said what its role will be if there 's a spill in the Bahamas .
Jorge Pinon , head of the Latin American and Caribbean Energy program at the University of Texas , says the Bahamas does n't have the resources or expertise to respond @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would be the United States that would have to come and take care of the remediation , take care of stopping the spill , '' Pinon says .
`` So certainly , we need something on paper that says who 's going to be in command . ''
The possibility of an oil spill is n't a problem just for the Bahamas .
The exploratory well is located just north of Cuba and close to the Gulf Stream .
An oil spill would be a disaster for the entire region .
`` Because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ likely that it would first ricochet off Andros Island and then up through the Southeast coast of Florida .
It could also affect Cuban waters and Cuban reefs as well .
Everything is connected , '' says Dan Whittle , with the Environmental Defense Fund .
Eight years ago , Cuba 's attempts to look for oil came up empty .
Even so , industry experts say the geology indicates there should be oil reserves in the area .
If this effort is successful in the Bahamas , it will increase the pressure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ off Cuba and possibly , even off the coast of Florida .

Offshore Drilling Set To Begin Off Florida Alarms Environmentalists
Enlarge this image toggle caption Arvind Vallabh/Getty Images Arvind Vallabh/Getty Images
President Trump recently signed an order extending a ban on drilling in U.S. waters in the Atlantic. But in the Bahamas, a small company has received permission to begin doing exploratory drilling just 150 miles from the Florida coast.
Bahamas Petroleum Company is headquartered on the Isle of Man, part of the United Kingdom, but has offices in the Bahamas. More importantly, it has leases on potential oil fields covering some 4 million acres in waters between Andros, the nation's largest island, and the north coast of Cuba. A high-tech drill ship, the Stena IceMAX, is expected to be onsite and ready to begin drilling by mid-December.
"It's something that's being rushed into prematurely without adequate environmental protection in place," says Casuarina McKinney-Lambert with the Bahamas Reef Environment Educational Foundation.
BREEF is part of a coalition of environmental groups and ecotourism businesses that are raising alarms about plans for a drilling operation that, up till now, has drawn little attention.
The company did an environmental impact assessment and received approval from the Bahamian government. But McKinney-Lambert notes that though the company has tried to reassure critics by stressing that this is just an exploratory well, the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster in the Gulf of Mexico also came from exploratory drilling.
"Exploratory wells can be even more dangerous than extractive wells," she says. "We're very concerned about that and the potential for a large spill. But, we're also concerned about the day-to-day operations."
BPC has declined requests for interviews. In documents it has filed, the company says the drilling site will be some 90 miles from a national park on Andros Island.
It's not far from where Shawn Leadon operates a fishing lodge, the Andros Island Bonefish Club, and an ecotourism business, Andros Outdoor Adventures. The national park includes the largest estuary in the Bahamas. Leadon says it's an incubator for marine species that are important to the entire Caribbean.
"Given that fact, why would you want to put any form of proposal that's going to be damaging to that?" he asks. "Not only is it going to damage my business, it's going to damage the fisheries. It's going to damage the airline industry. It's a domino effect."
A coalition of businesses and environmental groups, Our Islands, Our Future has gathered some 50,000 signatures on a petition asking the Bahamian government to cancel all oil exploration licenses and ban offshore drilling. If there's no response, the group says it will take legal action to block the drilling. Bahamian Prime Minister Hubert Minnis hasn't responded to an interview request.
A big question is what happens if there's a major spill. Eight years ago, when Cuba was preparing to drill exploratory wells in its waters, the U.S. Coast Guard and Cuban authorities worked out a detailed agreement on how they would coordinate their response. So far, the Coast Guard hasn't said what its role will be if there's a spill in the Bahamas.
Jorge Pinon, head of the Latin American and Caribbean Energy program at the University of Texas, says the Bahamas doesn't have the resources or expertise to respond to a major spill.
"It would be the United States that would have to come and take care of the remediation, take care of stopping the spill," Pinon says. "So certainly, we need something on paper that says who's going to be in command."
The possibility of an oil spill isn't a problem just for the Bahamas. The exploratory well is located just north of Cuba and close to the Gulf Stream. An oil spill would be a disaster for the entire region.
"Because of the prevailing currents, it's likely that it would first ricochet off Andros Island and then up through the Southeast coast of Florida. It could also affect Cuban waters and Cuban reefs as well. Everything is connected," says Dan Whittle, with the Environmental Defense Fund.
Eight years ago, Cuba's attempts to look for oil came up empty. Even so, industry experts say the geology indicates there should be oil reserves in the area. If this effort is successful in the Bahamas, it will increase the pressure to drill elsewhere in the area — off Cuba and possibly, even off the coast of Florida.