npr--2020-07-10--After Pleas From Officials, Republicans Signal Openness To More Election Funding

After Pleas From Officials , Republicans Signal Openness To More Election Funding Ever since the pandemic struck , state and local election officials across the country have made it clear : To avoid an election disaster in November , they need more money now .
Congressional Republicans are now signalling a new willingness to provide that , after initial fears from voting rights advocates that the federal government would provide no more support than the $ 400 million that came as part of a March relief package .
Experts expect as many as 70 % of all ballots cast in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through the mail , a quick and radical shift that will require equipment upgrades and greatly increase costs for cash-strapped states and counties .
During the 2018 midterms , about a quarter of ballots were cast by mail .
Officials across the country , like Lynn Bailey , who is the board of elections executive director of Augusta , Ga. , are looking ahead to November and wondering how they will pay for it .
Bailey testified Wednesday as part of an Election Assistance Commission hearing about the 2020 primaries .
She said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 60 percent more than a normal election would have in her jurisdiction , due to adjustments made as a result of the pandemic .
`` We had about a 35 percent turnout rate in our jurisdiction in this past election , and we know that in November that number will likely double , '' Bailey said .
`` We can only expect therefore that our budget will likely double over what we spent this time , if not more . ''
Similarly , the executive director of Kentucky 's state board of elections @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the majority of money Congress allocated in March just on the state 's primary in late June .
`` We ca n't afford not to get the money [ from Congress ] , '' said Wendy Weiser , who directs the Democracy Program at NYU 's Brennan Center for Justice .
`` The consequences would be so dire .
It would be so devastating , not just to our election , but to America 's standing in the world overall . ''
Democrats in Congress have supported a massive influx of elections funding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to help the country adjust to voting during a national emergency .
The Brennan Center estimated the total cost of such adjustments to be $ 4 billion , which is how much was allocated in a proposal that passed the Democratic-controlled House in May .
What 's unclear now is how much Senate Republicans are actually willing to approve as part of the next relief package that Congress is expected to begin negotiating later this month .
After the CARES Act was passed in March , `` there was a time it looked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ table , '' Weiser said .
But , she added , it 's only become more apparent since , after a number of primaries saw huge lines and bungled mail voting expansions , why the funding is necessary .
`` We 've already had four months slip between our fingers , '' said Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold .
`` The decision on whether to act or not is really the decision of whether you want your citizens to have to risk their health to have their voice heard in November .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Prevention also released new guidances for elections safety that noted that in addition to providing `` a wide variety of voting options , '' election administrators must also adjust their Election Day precincts to respond to the pandemic .
They will need to provide adequate hygiene supplies and try to find bigger spaces that provide more room to social distance , all of which will cost more money .
While President Trump has made a series of false claims in an effort to discredit voting by mail , many state and congressional Republicans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rules Committee chair Sen. Roy Blunt , R-Mo.
, said on the Senate floor before lawmakers went on recess , that he was `` prepared to look at more money for the states to use for elections this year . ''
The Senate Rules Committee , which has jurisdiction over federal election law , is expected to hold a hearing about elections safety in late July , which may also be a precursor to more funding being approved .
`` We continue to work toward an election that produces a result that people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` And done in a way that everybody that wants to vote , gets to vote . ''
In addition to more money , Democrats had wanted broader policy changes , including mandated weeks of early voting and universal access to mail ballots nationwide , but Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , R-Ky. , has said that such requests are a non-starter .
While many congressional Republicans have voiced support for mail voting as an option for voters , they are loathe to have the federal government set national standards over U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the individual states and localities .
Senate Democrats now seem resigned to the fact that more money may be the most they can get .
Still , they are pushing for individual states to greatly expand access to mail voting , and they see providing more funding as a means to allow that .
`` I would rather put ballots in the mail , than voters in the hospital , '' said Senate Rules Committee ranking member Sen. Amy Klobuchar , D-Minn .

Republicans Signal They're Willing To Pay Up To Avoid An Election Day Disaster
Enlarge this image toggle caption Patrick Semansky/AP Patrick Semansky/AP
Ever since the pandemic struck, state and local election officials across the country have made it clear: To avoid an election disaster in November, they need more money now.
Congressional Republicans are now signaling a new willingness to provide that, after initial fears from voting-rights advocates that the federal government would provide no more support than the $400 million that came as part of a March relief package.
Experts expect as many as 70% of all ballots cast in November's presidential election will be cast through the mail, a quick and radical shift that will require equipment upgrades and greatly increase costs for cash-strapped states and counties. During the 2018 midterms, about a quarter of ballots were cast by mail.
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Officials across the country, like Lynn Bailey, who is the board of elections executive director of Augusta, Ga., are looking ahead to November and wondering how they will pay for it.
Bailey testified Wednesday as part of an Election Assistance Commission hearing about the 2020 primaries. She said Georgia's June 9 primary cost about 60% more than a normal election would have in her jurisdiction, because of adjustments made as a result of the pandemic.
"We had about a 35% turnout rate in our jurisdiction in this past election, and we know that in November that number will likely double," Bailey said. "We can only expect therefore that our budget will likely double over what we spent this time, if not more."
Similarly, the executive director of Kentucky's state board of elections testified that the state had already spent the majority of money Congress allocated in March just on the state's primary in late June.
"We can't afford not to get the money [from Congress]," said Wendy Weiser, who directs the Democracy Program at NYU's Brennan Center for Justice. "The consequences would be so dire. It would be so devastating, not just to our election, but to America's standing in the world overall."
New optimism
Democrats in Congress have supported a massive influx of elections funding virtually since the onset of the pandemic to help the country adjust to voting during a national emergency. The Brennan Center estimated the total cost of such adjustments to be $4 billion, which is how much was allocated in a proposal that passed the Democratic-controlled House in May.
What's unclear now is how much Senate Republicans are actually willing to approve as part of the next relief package that Congress is expected to begin negotiating later this month.
After the CARES Act was passed in March, "there was a time it looked like more funding would be off the table," Weiser said.
But, she added, it's only become more apparent since, after a number of primaries saw huge lines and bungled mail-in voting expansions, why the funding is necessary.
"We've already had four months slip between our fingers," said Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold. "The decision on whether to act or not is really the decision of whether you want your citizens to have to risk their health to have their voice heard in November."
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also released new guidances for elections safety that noted that in addition to providing "a wide variety of voting options," election administrators must also adjust their Election Day precincts to respond to the pandemic. They will need to provide adequate hygiene supplies and try to find bigger spaces that provide more room to social distance, all of which will cost more money.
While President Trump has made a series of false claims in an effort to discredit voting by mail, many state and congressional Republicans support efforts to expand it.
Senate Rules Committee Chair Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., said on the Senate floor before lawmakers went on recess that he was "prepared to look at more money for the states to use for elections this year."
"We continue to work toward an election that produces a result that people have confidence in," Blunt said. "And done in a way that everybody that wants to vote, gets to vote."
On Friday he announced the committee will hold a hearing on July 22 about preparing for the general election.
In addition to more money, Democrats had wanted broader policy changes, including mandated weeks of early voting and universal access to mail-in ballots nationwide, but Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has said that such requests are a non-starter.
While many congressional Republicans have voiced support for mail voting as an option for voters, they are loathe to have the federal government set national standards over U.S. elections, which are run mostly by the individual states and localities.
Senate Democrats now seem resigned to the fact that more money may be the most they can get. Still, they are pushing for individual states to greatly expand access to mail voting, and they see providing more funding as a means to allow that.
"I would rather put ballots in the mail than voters in the hospital," said Senate Rules Committee ranking member Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn.


npr--2020-07-10--Keisha Lance Bottoms, A Possible Biden VP Pick, Sees Profile Rise Amid Crises

One of a series of reports looking at Joe Biden 's potential running mates Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms , one of several candidates said to be under consideration as Joe Biden 's presidential running mate , has seen her profile rise fast in recent weeks as the first-term mayor has spoken out against the state of Georgia 's Republican-led pandemic response and spoken forcefully to protesters in her city .
Her early loyalty to the former vice president also stands out .
Bottoms endorsed Biden more than a year ago .
`` I think that this is not a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Democratic presidential debate in Atlanta in November .
`` In a conventional year , you wait .
And you lick your finger and you stick it up , you see which way the wind is blowing .
We do n't have time for that this year . ''
She traveled the country stumping for Biden , arguing he is a `` statesman '' and the one to beat President Trump .
Tharon Johnson , an adviser to her mayoral campaign and the Southern regional director for Barack Obama 's 2012 campaign , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it was cool to be . ''
`` And she stayed committed to his campaign , even when it looked like his chance of being the nominee for the Democratic Party was bleak , '' Johnson said .
`` That 's got to count for something . ''
Amid the pandemic , Bottoms has criticized Republican Gov .
Brian Kemp 's coronavirus response as he moved forward with the state 's early reopening and more recently as he declined to issue a statewide mask ordinance .
On Wednesday , Bottoms joined a handful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issued a mask mandate in Atlanta , even though Kemp 's order technically supersedes local emergency action .
Her handling of protests in the wake of George Floyd 's death has also put her in the spotlight .
At a late-night May press conference after previously peaceful Atlanta protesters had begun destroying buildings , Bottoms pleaded with them to `` go home . ''
`` If you care about this city , then go home , '' she said forcefully .
`` If you want change in America , go and register to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city .
You are disgracing the life of George Floyd and every other person who has been killed in this country . ''
Bottoms , a mother of four children , said she thinks the message resonated because Atlanta has led on social justice issues going back to the Rev .
Martin Luther King Jr. — and because she speaks from personal experience .
`` I 've been there , '' she said .
`` I have a nephew who was murdered .
I know what it feels like to lose someone suddenly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it feels like to experience racism . ''
Bottoms grew up as the daughter of a famous singer , Major Lance .
But he ended up serving three years in prison for selling and possessing cocaine , and her mother struggled to support the family and keep a small business afloat in Atlanta .
She was a lawyer , then served as a magistrate judge and on the Atlanta City Council for two terms before winning the mayoral race in 2017 .
Former adviser Johnson said Bottoms ' relatability , drawn from her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ key to her success .
`` I think she 's just a Black woman who understands what it feels like to be middle class but also poor in Atlanta . ''
He also pointed to the way she announced her positive coronavirus test this week .
`` She could have easily been selfish and not told anyone and tried to cover it up , '' Johnson said .
`` But what did she do ?
She came out and said , 'Look , it 's hit home and I want people to know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Atlanta `` is not out of control '' While her messages to protesters have landed well , some have questioned whether she remains in control of the city , particularly after another wave of unrest following the officer-involved killing of Rayshard Brooks in Atlanta .
Nearly 200 police officers called out sick , though city leaders were quick to clarify the department remained able to stay properly staffed .
Last weekend the city saw a spate of shootings , including the killing of 8-year-old Secoriea Turner , prompting another emotional press conference @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Atlanta `` is not out of control .
And in fact , our crime numbers are even lower than they were this time last year , '' she said .
`` That being said , when people are being killed , and we see the number of people who were shot and killed in our city over a weekend period , that is a problem . ''
She said the city will keep two focuses , on the short-term problem of stopping the shootings and the long-term problem of the systemic issues that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a result of a whole bunch of other stuff that comes before that moment in time before someone opens fire on our streets , '' she said .
`` It 's concerning ; it should be concerning to all of us who call Atlanta home , and we will continue to focus on it . ''
Like Biden , Bottoms has steered clear of the `` defund the police '' push .
Her administration 's new budget dedicates about a third of city funding to the police ; it instead reallocates corrections money @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who teaches political science at Clark Atlanta University and Atlanta Metropolitan State College , said the mayor 's clear message for protesters has resonated well , particularly as the state and federal governments have sent mixed signals .
`` That forward-facing side has been one of strength .
The forward-facing side has been one of decisiveness , '' Greer said .
`` And I say forward-facing because the policies do not align with the forward-facing side . ''
Greer argued Bottoms ' two-plus-year administration has not been able to change the status quo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one estimate is the greatest income inequality in the country , and that the administration 's recent criminal justice reforms in the wake of protests have not gone far enough to make real change .
The mayor signed a series of executive orders related to use of force reform and transparency , calling it part of a `` top-to-bottom review of how we police in Atlanta . ''
But police are still not bound by any recommendations of the Atlanta Citizen Review Board , Greer pointed out .
`` There 's a thought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but that does n't add up with the policies , '' Greer said .
Bottoms asserted there has been progress in the city , particularly on inequality and affordable housing .
`` We 're already at close to 5,000 affordable housing units in the city that have been created and/or preserved .
And we are also nearly $ 300 million into a $ 1 billion [ affordable housing fund ] goal .
And so the work continues , '' she said .
`` But when people do n't feel as if we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ perception is everything .
But it 's happening and it 's getting better .
But with so many systemic issues , and challenges that we have , it just ca n't happen soon enough . ''
To the question of whether Bottoms thinks she 's qualified to be a vice presidential candidate , or to hold another national role , she said yes : `` When you are leading a major city , you are dealing with a number of issues all at once ; you 're dealing with the same issues that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Johnson , the adviser , agrees that Bottoms fits the bill — that the problems she 's dealing with at the local level are relevant nationally .
`` This is a woman who is waking up every day , not only dealing with a national pandemic , but she is dealing with one of the core issues that we 've got to solve , '' he said .
`` And that is , how do we make sure that people understand that Black lives matter ?
But we also need to figure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police department so they can actually get the support that they need ? ''
She 's also proven she 's a `` fighter , '' Johnson said , like Biden .
`` She 's definitely proven that she 's not one that will shy away from problems , '' he said .
`` And I think that she 's a person that can develop relationships all across the country . ''
Bottoms said while she knows people will keep talking about the vice presidential rumors , `` I 'm continuing to focus on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and that 's leading our city during some very unprecedented times . ''

Keisha Lance Bottoms, A Possible Biden VP Pick, Sees Profile Rise Amid Crises
Enlarge this image toggle caption Dustin Chambers/Getty Images Dustin Chambers/Getty Images
One of a series of reports looking at Joe Biden's potential running mates
Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, one of several candidates said to be under consideration as Joe Biden's presidential running mate, has seen her profile rise fast in recent weeks as the first-term mayor has spoken out against the state of Georgia's Republican-led pandemic response and spoken forcefully to protesters in her city.
Her early loyalty to the former vice president also stands out.
Bottoms endorsed Biden more than a year ago. "I think that this is not a conventional year," she said at a Democratic presidential debate in Atlanta in November. "In a conventional year, you wait. And you lick your finger and you stick it up, you see which way the wind is blowing. We don't have time for that this year."
She traveled the country stumping for Biden, arguing he is a "statesman" and the one to beat President Trump.
Tharon Johnson, an adviser to her mayoral campaign and the Southern regional director for Barack Obama's 2012 campaign, said Bottoms was with Biden "before it was cool to be."
"And she stayed committed to his campaign, even when it looked like his chance of being the nominee for the Democratic Party was bleak," Johnson said. "That's got to count for something."
Amid the pandemic, Bottoms has criticized Republican Gov. Brian Kemp's coronavirus response as he moved forward with the state's early reopening and more recently as he declined to issue a statewide mask ordinance. On Wednesday, Bottoms joined a handful of cities flouting that state decision and issued a mask mandate in Atlanta, even though Kemp's order technically supersedes local emergency action.
Her handling of protests in the wake of George Floyd's death has also put her in the spotlight. At a late-night May press conference after previously peaceful Atlanta protesters had begun destroying buildings, Bottoms pleaded with them to "go home."
"If you care about this city, then go home," she said forcefully. "If you want change in America, go and register to vote. ... You are disgracing our city. You are disgracing the life of George Floyd and every other person who has been killed in this country."
"I've been there"
Bottoms, a mother of four children, said she thinks the message resonated because Atlanta has led on social justice issues going back to the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. — and because she speaks from personal experience.
"I've been there," she said. "I have a nephew who was murdered. I know what it feels like to lose someone suddenly to senseless violence. I know what it feels like to experience racism."
Bottoms grew up as the daughter of a famous singer, Major Lance. But he ended up serving three years in prison for selling and possessing cocaine, and her mother struggled to support the family and keep a small business afloat in Atlanta.
She was a lawyer, then served as a magistrate judge and on the Atlanta City Council for two terms before winning the mayoral race in 2017.
Former adviser Johnson said Bottoms' relatability, drawn from her range of life experiences, is the key to her success. "I think she's just a Black woman who understands what it feels like to be middle class but also poor in Atlanta."
He also pointed to the way she announced her positive coronavirus test this week.
"She could have easily been selfish and not told anyone and tried to cover it up," Johnson said. "But what did she do? She came out and said, 'Look, it's hit home and I want people to know that this pandemic is real.' "
Atlanta "is not out of control"
While her messages to protesters have landed well, some have questioned whether she remains in control of the city, particularly after another wave of unrest following the officer-involved killing of Rayshard Brooks in Atlanta. Nearly 200 police officers called out sick, though city leaders were quick to clarify the department remained able to stay properly staffed.
Last weekend the city saw a spate of shootings, including the killing of 8-year-old Secoriea Turner, prompting another emotional press conference.
In an interview, Bottoms asserted Atlanta "is not out of control. And in fact, our crime numbers are even lower than they were this time last year," she said. "That being said, when people are being killed, and we see the number of people who were shot and killed in our city over a weekend period, that is a problem."
She said the city will keep two focuses, on the short-term problem of stopping the shootings and the long-term problem of the systemic issues that led to them.
"Violence is a result of a whole bunch of other stuff that comes before that moment in time before someone opens fire on our streets," she said. "It's concerning; it should be concerning to all of us who call Atlanta home, and we will continue to focus on it."
Enlarge this image toggle caption Curtis Compton/Pool/Getty Images Curtis Compton/Pool/Getty Images
Like Biden, Bottoms has steered clear of the "defund the police" push. Her administration's new budget dedicates about a third of city funding to the police; it instead reallocates corrections money to social services.
Tammy Greer, who teaches political science at Clark Atlanta University and Atlanta Metropolitan State College, said the mayor's clear message for protesters has resonated well, particularly as the state and federal governments have sent mixed signals. "That forward-facing side has been one of strength. The forward-facing side has been one of decisiveness," Greer said. "And I say forward-facing because the policies do not align with the forward-facing side."
Greer argued Bottoms' two-plus-year administration has not been able to change the status quo in a city plagued by what by one estimate is the greatest income inequality in the country, and that the administration's recent criminal justice reforms in the wake of protests have not gone far enough to make real change. The mayor signed a series of executive orders related to use of force reform and transparency, calling it part of a "top-to-bottom review of how we police in Atlanta."
But police are still not bound by any recommendations of the Atlanta Citizen Review Board, Greer pointed out. "There's a thought process that she's a progressive mayor, but that doesn't add up with the policies," Greer said.
Bottoms asserted there has been progress in the city, particularly on inequality and affordable housing. "We're already at close to 5,000 affordable housing units in the city that have been created and/or preserved. And we are also nearly $300 million into a $1 billion [affordable housing fund] goal. And so the work continues," she said.
"But when people don't feel as if we're moving the needle, then obviously perception is everything. But it's happening and it's getting better. But with so many systemic issues, and challenges that we have, it just can't happen soon enough."
Vice presidential material?
Enlarge this image toggle caption John Amis/AP John Amis/AP
To the question of whether Bottoms thinks she's qualified to be a vice presidential candidate, or to hold another national role, she said yes: "When you are leading a major city, you are dealing with a number of issues all at once; you're dealing with the same issues that we're seeing across this country."
Johnson, the adviser, agrees that Bottoms fits the bill — that the problems she's dealing with at the local level are relevant nationally.
"This is a woman who is waking up every day, not only dealing with a national pandemic, but she is dealing with one of the core issues that we've got to solve," he said. "And that is, how do we make sure that people understand that Black lives matter? But we also need to figure out, how do we reform our police department so they can actually get the support that they need?"
She's also proven she's a "fighter," Johnson said, like Biden. "She's definitely proven that she's not one that will shy away from problems," he said. "And I think that she's a person that can develop relationships all across the country."
Bottoms said while she knows people will keep talking about the vice presidential rumors, "I'm continuing to focus on the job that I have before me, and that's leading our city during some very unprecedented times."


npr--2020-07-09--Police Viewed Less Favorably, But Few Want To 'Defund' Them, Survey Finds

Police Viewed Less Favorably , But Few Want To 'Defund ' Them , Survey Finds In a survey of Americans ' attitudes toward law enforcement , two-thirds of respondents said that individual officers should be held legally accountable for using excessive force , but few of those polled said they would support cutting police budgets .
Unsurprisingly , however , the results of the survey conducted by the Pew Research Center were significantly skewed by the race and political persuasion of those answering the questions .
The poll , conducted from June 16-22 , took the temperature amid nationwide protests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The survey asked questions of 4,708 adults .
On a point advocated by many of the protesters , only a quarter of those surveyed ( 25 % ) said that funding for the police should be decreased .
Seventy-three percent said they thought funding for the police should either stay about the same ( 42 % ) , be increased a little ( 20 % ) or a lot ( 11 % ) .
Pew 's findings show that , overall , opinions of the police are less favorable today than in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years ago .
Two-thirds ( 66 % ) of those surveyed rejected the notion of `` qualified immunity , '' that individual officers should be shielded from lawsuits unless they commit clear violations of the law .
That majority agreed that `` civilians need to have the power to sue police officers in order to hold them accountable for excessive use of force or misconduct . ''
Parsed by race , 86 % of Black respondents agreed with the statement , while 60 % of whites did and 75 % of Hispanics .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ lines , with 84 % of those who consider themselves Democrats or lean that way agreeing with the statement .
By contrast , a majority ( 53 % to 45 % ) of those who identify as Republican or lean Republican disagreed with ending qualified immunity .
Of those surveyed , 58 % believe the police do a `` good '' to `` excellent '' job of protecting the public from crime .
That figure is down from 62 % who answered that way in Pew 's 2016 poll .
The respondents also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a number of areas .
On using the right amount of force in each situation , only 35 % agreed that police do today , a drop of 10 percentage points from four years ago .
Just 34 % agreed that the police treat racial and ethnic groups equally , down from 47 % in 2016 .
And 31 % said they believed that police are doing a good to excellent job of holding police officers accountable when misconduct occurs .
That 's down from 44 % in the previous survey .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Black respondents were much more likely to rate the police as doing a poor to only fair job than white respondents .
Hispanics tended to fall roughly between the other two groups .
Likewise , Democrats were more critical of the police than Republicans .
And the partisan divide has only grown in the past four years , Pew found .
While the political and racial gap carried through to a series of proposals and possible policy changes for law enforcement , there was nonetheless considerable agreement all around .
Ninety-two percent either @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should be trained in nonviolent alternatives to deadly force , for example .
Nearly as many agreed overall that a federal government database should be established to track officers accused of misconduct .
Roughly three-quarters agreed strongly or somewhat strongly that it should be a crime for police to use chokeholds and strangleholds .
The same number said civilian advisory boards should investigate and discipline officers accused of misconduct or inappropriate use of force .

Police Viewed Less Favorably, But Few Want To 'Defund' Them, Survey Finds
Enlarge this image toggle caption Jeff Chiu/AP Jeff Chiu/AP
In a survey of Americans' attitudes toward law enforcement, two-thirds of respondents said that individual officers should be held legally accountable for using excessive force, but few of those polled said they would support cutting police budgets.
Unsurprisingly, however, the results of the survey conducted by the Pew Research Center were significantly skewed by the race and political persuasion of those answering the questions.
The poll, conducted from June 16-22, took the temperature amid nationwide protests over police brutality sparked by the police killing of George Floyd. The survey asked questions of 4,708 adults.
On a point advocated by many of the protesters, only a quarter of those surveyed (25%) said that funding for the police should be decreased. Seventy-three percent said they thought funding for the police should either stay about the same (42%), be increased a little (20%) or a lot (11%).
Pew's findings show that, overall, opinions of the police are less favorable today than in a similar poll conducted by Pew four years ago.
Two-thirds (66%) of those surveyed rejected the notion of "qualified immunity," that individual officers should be shielded from lawsuits unless they commit clear violations of the law. That majority agreed that "civilians need to have the power to sue police officers in order to hold them accountable for excessive use of force or misconduct."
Parsed by race, 86% of Black respondents agreed with the statement, while 60% of whites and 75% of Hispanics did. There was a similar gulf along party lines, with 84% of those who consider themselves Democrats or lean that way agreeing with the statement. By contrast, a majority (53% to 45%) of those who identify as Republican or lean Republican disagreed with ending qualified immunity.
Of those surveyed, 58% believe the police do a "good" to "excellent" job of protecting the public from crime. That figure is down from 62% who answered that way in Pew's 2016 poll.
The respondents also held less favorable views of the police in a number of areas. On using the right amount of force in each situation, only 35% agreed that police do today, a drop of 10 percentage points from four years ago. Just 34% agreed that the police treat racial and ethnic groups equally, down from 47% in 2016. And 31% said they believed that police are doing a good to excellent job of holding police officers accountable when misconduct occurs. That's down from 44% in the previous survey.
But on all of those questions, Black respondents were much more likely to rate the police as doing a poor to only fair job than white respondents. Hispanics tended to fall roughly between the other two groups. Likewise, Democrats were more critical of the police than Republicans. And the partisan divide has only grown in the past four years, Pew found.
While the political and racial gap carried through to a series of proposals and possible policy changes for law enforcement, there was nonetheless considerable agreement all around. Ninety-two percent either agreed strongly or somewhat strongly that police should be trained in nonviolent alternatives to deadly force, for example. Nearly as many agreed overall that a federal government database should be established to track officers accused of misconduct. Roughly three-quarters agreed strongly or somewhat strongly that it should be a crime for police to use chokeholds and strangleholds. The same number said civilian advisory boards should investigate and discipline officers accused of misconduct or inappropriate use of force.


npr--2020-07-09--Supreme Court Rules That About Half Of Oklahoma Is Native American Land

Supreme Court Rules That About Half Of Oklahoma Is Native American Land The Supreme Court ruled Thursday that about half of the land in Oklahoma is within a Native American reservation , a decision that will have major consequences for both past and future criminal and civil cases .
The court 's decision hinged on the question of whether the Creek reservation continued to exist after Oklahoma became a state .
`` Today we are asked whether the land these treaties promised remains an Indian reservation for purposes of federal criminal law .
Because Congress has not said otherwise , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote in the majority opinion .
The decision was 5-4 , with Justices Gorsuch , Sonia Sotomayor , Ruth Bader Ginsburg , Elena Kagan and Stephen Breyer in the majority , while Justices John Roberts , Brett Kavanaugh , Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas dissented .
The ruling will have significant legal implications for eastern Oklahoma .
Much of Tulsa , the state 's second-largest city , is located on Muscogee ( Creek ) land .
The Muscogee ( Creek ) Nation cheered the court 's decision .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ United States ' sacred promise to the Muscogee ( Creek ) Nation of a protected reservation , '' the tribe said in a statement .
`` Today 's decision will allow the Nation to honor our ancestors by maintaining our established sovereignty and territorial boundaries . ''
In a dissenting opinion , Roberts , the chief justice , wrote that the decision `` will undermine numerous convictions obtained by the State , as well as the State 's ability to prosecute serious crimes committed in the future , '' and `` may destabilize @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
Kevin Washburn is dean of the law school at the University of Iowa , where he teaches a course on federal Indian law — `` It 's basically 15 weeks of how the law in the United States has failed my people , '' he said .
He served as assistant secretary of Indian affairs from 2012 to 2016 , and he 's a citizen of the Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma .
He called the court 's ruling `` a great decision . ''
`` For Indian people , their land @ @ @ @ @ @ @ really important .
They 're sacred .
And this reaffirms the sacredness of those promises and those treaties . ''
`` Now and then there 's a great case that helps you keep the faith about the rule of law , '' he said .
`` And this is one of those . ''
The ruling has a number of significant consequences for criminal law in the relevant portion of Oklahoma .
The first is that going forward , certain major crimes committed within the boundaries of reservations must be prosecuted in federal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Native American is involved .
So if a Native American is accused of a major crime in downtown Tulsa , the federal government rather than the state government will prosecute it .
Less serious crimes involving Native Americans on American Indian land will be handled in tribal courts .
This arrangement is already common in Western states like Arizona , New Mexico and Montana , said Washburn .
Then there 's the issue of past decisions — many of them are now considered wrongful convictions because the state lacked jurisdiction .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ convicted in the past will now have grounds to challenge their convictions , arguing that the state never had jurisdiction to try them .
The case before the court , McGirt v. Oklahoma , concerned Jimcy McGirt , an enrolled member of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma who was convicted of sex crimes against a child on Creek land .
In post-conviction proceedings , McGirt argued that the state lacked jurisdiction in the case and that he must be retried in federal court .
The high court agreed .
The ruling will affect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Oklahoma tribes with identical treaties .
Civil court issues are also affected .
It 's important to note that the case concerned jurisdiction , not land ownership .
Ruling that these lands are in fact reservations `` does n't mean the tribe owns all the land within the reservation , just like the county does n't own all the land within the county .
In fact , it probably does n't own very much of that land , '' Washburn explained .
`` That 's not what a reservation is these days .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a joint statement with the Muscogee ( Creek ) , Cherokee , Chickasaw , Choctaw and Seminole nations on Thursday , indicating that they `` have made substantial progress toward an agreement to present to Congress and the U.S. Department of Justice addressing and resolving any significant jurisdictional issues . ''
Ian Heath Gershengorn , an attorney at Jenner & Block , argued McGirt 's case before the Supreme Court .
He said his team was thrilled with the result and had felt optimistic knowing that Gorsuch could prove to be the deciding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's more liberal members in the decision .
Prior to his appointment to the high court , Gorsuch was a judge on the 10th U.S .
Circuit Court of Appeals , which frequently sees cases involving Native American lands .
`` Justice Gorsuch has made very clear in his short time on the bench that he takes the text deeply seriously , '' Gershengorn said .
`` And I think you saw that the core of his analysis today was a textual one .
We felt like we had the right argument at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''

Supreme Court Rules That About Half Of Oklahoma Is Native American Land
Enlarge this image toggle caption Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images
The Supreme Court ruled Thursday that about half of the land in Oklahoma is within a Native American reservation, a decision that will have major consequences for both past and future criminal and civil cases.
The court's decision hinged on the question of whether the Creek reservation continued to exist after Oklahoma became a state.
"Today we are asked whether the land these treaties promised remains an Indian reservation for purposes of federal criminal law. Because Congress has not said otherwise, we hold the government to its word," Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote in the majority opinion.
The decision was 5-4, with Justices Gorsuch, Sonia Sotomayor, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Elena Kagan and Stephen Breyer in the majority, while Justices John Roberts, Brett Kavanaugh, Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas dissented.
The ruling will have significant legal implications for eastern Oklahoma. Much of Tulsa, the state's second-largest city, is located on Muscogee (Creek) land. The Muscogee (Creek) Nation cheered the court's decision.
"The Supreme Court today kept the United States' sacred promise to the Muscogee (Creek) Nation of a protected reservation," the tribe said in a statement. "Today's decision will allow the Nation to honor our ancestors by maintaining our established sovereignty and territorial boundaries."
In a dissenting opinion, Roberts, the chief justice, wrote that the decision "will undermine numerous convictions obtained by the State, as well as the State's ability to prosecute serious crimes committed in the future," and "may destabilize the governance of vast swathes of Oklahoma."
Kevin Washburn is dean of the law school at the University of Iowa, where he teaches a course on federal Indian law — "It's basically 15 weeks of how the law in the United States has failed my people," he said.
He served as assistant secretary of Indian affairs from 2012 to 2016, and he's a citizen of the Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma. He called the court's ruling "a great decision."
"For Indian people, their land is really important, and treaties are really important. They're sacred. And this reaffirms the sacredness of those promises and those treaties."
"Now and then there's a great case that helps you keep the faith about the rule of law," he said. "And this is one of those."
The ruling has a number of significant consequences for criminal law in the relevant portion of Oklahoma.
The first is that going forward, certain major crimes committed within the boundaries of reservations must be prosecuted in federal court rather than state court, if a Native American is involved. So if a Native American is accused of a major crime in downtown Tulsa, the federal government rather than the state government will prosecute it. Less serious crimes involving Native Americans on American Indian land will be handled in tribal courts. This arrangement is already common in Western states like Arizona, New Mexico and Montana, said Washburn.
Then there's the issue of past decisions — many of them are now considered wrongful convictions because the state lacked jurisdiction. A number of criminal defendants who have been convicted in the past will now have grounds to challenge their convictions, arguing that the state never had jurisdiction to try them.
The case before the court, McGirt v. Oklahoma, concerned Jimcy McGirt, an enrolled member of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma who was convicted of sex crimes against a child on Creek land. In post-conviction proceedings, McGirt argued that the state lacked jurisdiction in the case and that he must be retried in federal court. The high court agreed.
The ruling will affect lands of the Muscogee and four other Oklahoma tribes with identical treaties. Civil court issues are also affected.
It's important to note that the case concerned jurisdiction, not land ownership.
Ruling that these lands are in fact reservations "doesn't mean the tribe owns all the land within the reservation, just like the county doesn't own all the land within the county. In fact, it probably doesn't own very much of that land," Washburn explained. "That's not what a reservation is these days."
Washburn compares a reservation to a county — terms that describe jurisdictional boundaries.
Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter released a joint statement with the Muscogee (Creek), Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw and Seminole nations on Thursday, indicating that they "have made substantial progress toward an agreement to present to Congress and the U.S. Department of Justice addressing and resolving any significant jurisdictional issues."
Ian Heath Gershengorn, an attorney at Jenner & Block, argued McGirt's case before the Supreme Court. He said his team was thrilled with the result and had felt optimistic knowing that Gorsuch could prove to be the deciding vote.
Gorsuch joined with the court's more liberal members in the decision. Prior to his appointment to the high court, Gorsuch was a judge on the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which frequently sees cases involving Native American lands.
"Justice Gorsuch has made very clear in his short time on the bench that he takes the text deeply seriously," Gershengorn said. "And I think you saw that the core of his analysis today was a textual one. We felt like we had the right argument at the right time for the right justice."


npr--2020-07-10--Nearly 6 Years After MH17 Was Shot Down, Dutch Prosecutors Say They Will Sue Russia

Nearly 6 Years After MH17 Was Shot Down , Dutch Prosecutors Say They Will Sue Russia The Netherlands said Friday that it will sue Russia at the European Court of Human Rights for Moscow 's alleged role in the shooting down of an airliner over Ukraine six years ago that killed all 298 aboard , two-thirds of whom were Dutch .
Russia has denied any involvement in the crash of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur , which went down on July 17 , 2014 .
However , Dutch investigators have concluded that the Boeing 777 was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pro-Russian rebels in eastern Ukraine .
A similar conclusion is widely accepted by Western intelligence .
`` Achieving justice for 298 victims of the downing of Flight MH17 is and will remain the government 's highest priority , '' Foreign Minister Stef Blok said .
`` By taking this step today ... we are moving closer to this goal . ''
In a letter to parliament , the Dutch government said it hopes to get `` truth , justice and accountability '' for those who died in the crash .
M.V .
Zakharova @ @ @ @ @ @ @ called the move by the Netherlands `` another blow to Russian-Dutch relations . ''
`` The Hague from the very beginning embarked on the path of unilateral blaming Russia for the crash of flight MH17 , '' the spokesperson said in a statement .
`` We believe that this step will only lead to further politicization and will complicate the search for truth . ''
Last year , Dutch prosecutors charged four individuals – three Russians and one Ukrainian who it said were responsible for downing the jetliner .
The most prominent of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prosecutors contend is a former Russian intelligence officer who operated out of the rebel-held eastern city of Donetsk .
Girkin has denied that the rebels shot down the plane .
Russia refuses to extradite its citizens and the Ukrainian charged is believed to have acquired a Russian passport .
As a result , the four are being tried in abstentia in a Dutch court .
Investigators concluded that Russian forces transferred a Buk mobile surface-to-air missile battery to the rebels , who used it to shoot down the airliner , likely because they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The suit against Russia is meant to support individual cases brought by relatives of 65 of the Dutch victims .
`` Many relatives have begun procedures and have now entered a phase where they need evidence , '' Blok wrote in his letter to parliament .
`` We have that evidence and providing it to the court by starting this procedure is the best way to help them . ''

Nearly 6 Years After MH17 Was Shot Down, Dutch Prosecutors Say They Will Sue Russia
Enlarge this image toggle caption Dominique Faget/AFP via Getty Images Dominique Faget/AFP via Getty Images
The Netherlands said Friday that it will sue Russia at the European Court of Human Rights for Moscow's alleged role in the shooting down of an airliner over Ukraine six years ago that killed all 298 aboard, two-thirds of whom were Dutch.
Russia has denied any involvement in the crash of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, which went down on July 17, 2014. However, Dutch investigators have concluded that the Boeing 777 was hit by a surface-to-air missile supplied to pro-Russian rebels in eastern Ukraine. A similar conclusion is widely accepted by Western intelligence.
"Achieving justice for 298 victims of the downing of Flight MH17 is and will remain the government's highest priority,'' Foreign Minister Stef Blok said. "By taking this step today ... we are moving closer to this goal."
In a letter to parliament, the Dutch government said it hopes to get "truth, justice and accountability" for those who died in the crash.
M.V. Zakharova, a Russian foreign ministry spokesperson, called the move by the Netherlands "another blow to Russian-Dutch relations."
"The Hague from the very beginning embarked on the path of unilateral blaming Russia for the crash of flight MH17," the spokesperson said in a statement. "We believe that this step will only lead to further politicization and will complicate the search for truth."
Last year, Dutch prosecutors charged four individuals – three Russians and one Ukrainian who it said were responsible for downing the jetliner. The most prominent of the four is Igor Girkin, who prosecutors contend is a former Russian intelligence officer who operated out of the rebel-held eastern city of Donetsk.
Girkin has denied that the rebels shot down the plane.
Russia refuses to extradite its citizens and the Ukrainian charged is believed to have acquired a Russian passport. As a result, the four are being tried in abstentia in a Dutch court.
Investigators concluded that Russian forces transferred a Buk mobile surface-to-air missile battery to the rebels, who used it to shoot down the airliner, likely because they mistook it for a Ukrainian military transport.
The suit against Russia is meant to support individual cases brought by relatives of 65 of the Dutch victims.
"Many relatives have begun procedures and have now entered a phase where they need evidence," Blok wrote in his letter to parliament. "We have that evidence and providing it to the court by starting this procedure is the best way to help them."


npr--2020-07-10--Trump Commutes Sentence Of Longtime Friend And Adviser Roger Stone

President Trump on Friday commuted the prison sentence of his longtime friend Roger Stone , a veteran Republican operative who was convicted of lying to Congress about his efforts to contact WikiLeaks during Russia 's interference in the 2016 election .
`` Roger Stone is a victim of the Russia Hoax that the Left and its allies in the media perpetuated for years in an attempt to undermine the Trump Presidency , '' White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said in a statement .
`` There was never any collusion between the Trump Campaign , or the Trump Administration , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has already suffered greatly , '' she continued .
`` He was treated very unfairly , as were many others in this case .
Roger Stone is now a free man ! ''
Stone 's attorney Robert Buschel told NPR , `` We are grateful and relieved .
Glad this nightmare is over . ''
The commutation , which Trump issued days before Stone was to report to federal prison , brings an end to Stone 's legal fight — but only further inflames the political battle over his prosecution and the broader @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a federal appeals court denied an emergency bid from Stone to stay out of prison .
The case against Stone was brought by then-special counsel Robert Mueller as part of his probe into Russia 's interference in the 2016 election and possible ties between Moscow and the Trump campaign .
Stone was indicted over lying to Congress , witness tampering and obstruction .
The charges related to his efforts during the 2016 presidential race to act as an intermediary between the Trump campaign and WikiLeaks .
WikiLeaks was releasing Democratic emails stolen by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and privately presented himself as someone with inside knowledge about the group 's operations .
After the election , when Stone was questioned under oath about the matter by the House Intelligence Committee , he lied to lawmakers about his efforts to contact WikiLeaks .
He also tried to prevent an associate from testifying before the committee .
After a tumultuous runup to his trial , during which the presiding judge , Amy Berman Jackson , imposed a gag order on Stone after he published a threatening photograph of her , a jury @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in November .
After his trial , Stone raised allegations of juror misconduct and tried to get the verdict dismissed .
Jackson entertained the motion , even holding a hearing in which she brought back members of the jury for questioning , but she ultimately rejected Stone 's bid for a new trial and sentenced him to more than three years in prison .
Stone has since appealed his conviction .
In an interview this month with ABC News , Attorney General William Barr called Stone 's prosecution `` righteous '' and said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
Stone was scheduled to report to prison on July 1 , but he received a two-week reprieve from Jackson due to concerns about the coronavirus pandemic .
On Monday , he filed an emergency motion with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit to try to postpone his surrender date .
The court denied that request on Friday evening .
Stone 's legal defense fund sent out a fundraising appeal with a message from Stone 's wife , Nydia , asking for donations to help buy advertisements @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Washington , D.C. , area to appeal to the president to keep her husband out of prison .
Prisons have become hotbeds of infection , and authorities have sought to mitigate the spread as much as possible , including with releases of inmates who are then expected to confine themselves at home .
Stone was the last person charged under the Mueller investigation , and he is one of two Trump advisers to go to trial as part of the probe .
The other , Paul Manafort , served as Trump 's campaign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Stone 's .
Manafort was convicted of a range of crimes .
He was sentenced to more than seven years in prison but was released to home confinement this year due to the pandemic .
The president has been outspoken about the case against both men .
He has repeatedly said that he feels Stone and Manafort were being treated unfairly despite the fact that juries convicted both of them .
Trump 's views square with his theory that the Russia investigation was a plot by the so-called deep state to hamstring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ open the door for a pardon for both men .

Trump Commutes Sentence Of Longtime Friend And Adviser Roger Stone
Enlarge this image toggle caption Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images
Updated Saturday at 10:22 a.m. ET
President Trump on Friday evening commuted the prison sentence of his longtime friend Roger Stone, a veteran Republican operative who was convicted of lying to Congress about his efforts to contact WikiLeaks during Russia's interference in the 2016 election.
"Roger Stone is a victim of the Russia Hoax that the Left and its allies in the media perpetuated for years in an attempt to undermine the Trump Presidency," White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said in a statement. "There was never any collusion between the Trump Campaign, or the Trump Administration, with Russia."
"Roger Stone has already suffered greatly," she continued. "He was treated very unfairly, as were many others in this case. Roger Stone is now a free man!"
Stone's attorney Robert Buschel told NPR, "We are grateful and relieved. Glad this nightmare is over."
The commutation, which Trump issued days before Stone was to report to federal prison, brings an end to Stone's legal fight — but only further inflames the political battle over his prosecution and the broader Russia investigation.
Earlier Friday evening, a federal appeals court had denied an emergency bid from Stone to stay out of prison.
The case against Stone was brought by then-special counsel Robert Mueller as part of his probe into Russia's interference in the 2016 election and possible ties between Moscow and the Trump campaign.
Stone was indicted on charges of lying to Congress, witness tampering and obstruction. The charges related to his efforts during the 2016 presidential race to act as an intermediary between the Trump campaign and WikiLeaks.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Alex Brandon/AP Alex Brandon/AP
WikiLeaks was releasing Democratic emails stolen by Russian intelligence services, and Stone publicly and privately presented himself as someone with inside knowledge about the group's operations.
After the election, when Stone was questioned under oath about the matter by the House Intelligence Committee, he lied to lawmakers about his efforts to contact WikiLeaks. He also tried to prevent an associate from testifying before the committee.
After a tumultuous runup to his trial, during which the presiding judge, Amy Berman Jackson, imposed a gag order on Stone after he published a threatening photograph of her, a jury found him guilty on all seven counts in November.
After his trial, Stone raised allegations of juror misconduct and tried to get the verdict dismissed. Jackson entertained the motion, even holding a hearing in which she brought back members of the jury for questioning, but she ultimately rejected Stone's bid for a new trial and sentenced him to more than three years in prison.
Stone has since appealed his conviction.
In an interview this month with ABC News, Attorney General William Barr called Stone's prosecution "righteous" and said the sentence handed down was "fair."
On Twitter Friday night, Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., the chair of the House Intelligence Committee, said that "commuting Roger Stone's sentence is a terrible blow to justice and the rule of law." He added: "Through this act, Trump is saying: 'If you lie for me, if you cover up for me, if you obstruct for me, I will protect you.' "
Utah Sen. Mitt Romney, the lone Republican to vote to convict Trump in his impeachment trial, also blasted the commutation, calling it "[u]nprecedented, historic corruption" on Twitter on Saturday morning.
COVID-19 complexities
Stone was scheduled to report to prison on July 1, but he received a two-week reprieve from Jackson because of concerns about the coronavirus pandemic.
On Monday, he filed an emergency motion with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit to try to postpone his surrender date. The court denied that request on Friday evening.
Stone's legal defense fund sent out a fundraising appeal with a message from Stone's wife, Nydia, asking for donations to help buy advertisements online and on Fox TV in the Washington, D.C., area to appeal to the president to keep her husband out of prison.
Prisons have become hotbeds of infection, and authorities have sought to mitigate the spread as much as possible, including with releases of inmates who are then expected to confine themselves at home.
Stone was the last person charged under the Mueller investigation, and he is one of two Trump advisers to go to trial as part of the probe.
The other, Paul Manafort, served as Trump's campaign chairman and is a former business partner of Stone's. Manafort was convicted of a range of crimes. He was sentenced to more than seven years in prison but was released to home confinement this year due to the pandemic.
The president has been outspoken about the case against both men. He has repeatedly said that he feels Stone and Manafort were being treated unfairly despite the fact that juries convicted both of them.
Trump's views square with his theory that the Russia investigation was a plot by the so-called deep state to hamstring his presidency.
Trump also repeatedly left open the door for a pardon for both men.


npr--2020-07-10--Georgia Governor And The Mayor Of Atlanta In Turf War Over COVID-19 Restrictions

Georgia Governor And The Mayor Of Atlanta In Turf War Over COVID-19 Restrictions Georgia 's governor and the mayor of the state 's capital and largest city are at odds over COVID-19 restrictions , with Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms announcing a return to tough measures to control a spike in coronavirus infections and Gov .
Brian Kemp insisting that her order is `` non-binding and legally unenforceable . ''
Bottoms , a Democrat , announced Friday that she was bringing Atlanta back to Phase 1 reopening — the most restrictive post-lockdown measures that require all residents to stay home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's order came on the same day that Georgia announced a record-breaking one-day spike in coronavirus , logging 4,400 new confirmed cases .
Health authorities in Atlanta 's Fulton County says about half of the new cases in Georgia in the past two weeks have occurred in the city .
But Kemp , a Republican , quickly dismissed the mayor 's directive , saying on Friday that it did n't supersede his own , more relaxed , statewide order issued at the end of June .
`` Mayor Bottoms ' action today is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unenforceable , '' Kemp said in a statement .
`` As clearly stated in the Governor 's executive order , no local action can be more or less restrictive , and that rule applies statewide , '' the governor said .
`` Once again , if the Mayor actually wants to flatten the curve in Atlanta , she should start enforcing state restrictions , which she has failed to do , '' he said .
`` We ask citizens and businesses alike to comply with the terms of the Governor 's order , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public health officials .
These common-sense measures will help protect the lives and livelihoods of all Georgians . ''
Earlier this week , Bottoms had issued a directive for Atlanta residents to wear masks in public , and Kemp responded similarly to that order .
Although the governor launched a `` Wear A Mask '' campaign to encourage their use , he has declined to make it mandatory .
Bottoms told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Wednesday that she had the authority to enforce the mask restrictions the way she would enforce any other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , East Point and Athens , Kemp 's hometown , have enacted similar mask directives .

Georgia Governor And The Mayor Of Atlanta In Turf War Over COVID-19 Restrictions
Enlarge this image toggle caption Bloomberg/Bloomberg via Getty Images Bloomberg/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Georgia's governor and the mayor of the state's capital and largest city are at odds over COVID-19 restrictions, with Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms announcing a return to tough measures to control a spike in coronavirus infections and Gov. Brian Kemp insisting that her order is "non-binding and legally unenforceable."
Bottoms, a Democrat, announced Friday that she was bringing Atlanta back to Phase 1 reopening — the most restrictive post-lockdown measures that require all residents to stay home except for essential trips.
The mayor's order came on the same day that Georgia announced a record-breaking one-day spike in coronavirus, logging 4,400 new confirmed cases. Health authorities in Atlanta's Fulton County says about half of the new cases in Georgia in the past two weeks have occurred in the city.
The @FultonHealth released their latest #COVID19 epidemiology report on July 9.
The full report (which includes data for hospitalizations, long-term care facilities, demographics, and maps) can be found on our @FultonInfo website at https://t.co/pqVzMBaLq3. pic.twitter.com/DHHuGZ6uid — Atlanta-Fulton EMA (@AFCEMA) July 9, 2020
But Kemp, a Republican, quickly dismissed the mayor's directive, saying on Friday that it didn't supersede his own, more relaxed, statewide order issued at the end of June.
Atlanta Mayor @KeishaBottoms' action today is merely guidance - both non-binding and legally unenforceable. As clearly stated in my executive orders, no local action can be more or less restrictive, and that rule applies statewide. (1/3) https://t.co/3pQdB0pI70 — Governor Brian P. Kemp (@GovKemp) July 10, 2020
"Mayor Bottoms' action today is merely guidance — both non-binding and legally unenforceable," Kemp said in a statement.
"As clearly stated in the Governor's executive order, no local action can be more or less restrictive, and that rule applies statewide," the governor said.
"Once again, if the Mayor actually wants to flatten the curve in Atlanta, she should start enforcing state restrictions, which she has failed to do," he said. "We ask citizens and businesses alike to comply with the terms of the Governor's order, which was crafted in conjunction with state public health officials. These common-sense measures will help protect the lives and livelihoods of all Georgians."
Earlier this week, Bottoms had issued a directive for Atlanta residents to wear masks in public, and Kemp responded similarly to that order. Although the governor launched a "Wear A Mask" campaign to encourage their use, he has declined to make it mandatory.
Bottoms told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Wednesday that she had the authority to enforce the mask restrictions the way she would enforce any other city ordinance.
The cities of Savannah, East Point and Athens, Kemp's hometown, have enacted similar mask directives.


npr--2020-07-10--3 LAPD Officers Charged Over Allegations They Falsely Identified Gang Members

Three Los Angeles police officers are facing charges of falsifying records and obstruction of justice over allegations that they wrongly identified people as gang members , the Los Angeles District Attorney 's Office announced on Friday .
In a 59-count complaint , LAPD officers Braxton Shaw , Michael Coblentz and Nicolas Martinez are alleged to have wrongly marked dozens of people as having gang affiliation on field interview cards used by officers on duty .
Citing body camera video , prosecutors say the officers identified people as gang members even when the officers failed to ask the question or the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accused of filing 43 field interview cards with false information .
Coblentz is accused of falsifying seven and Martinez is accused of falsifying two .
The officers , who were assigned to the Metro Division at the time , are charged with conspiracy to obstruct justice and multiple counts of filing a false police report and preparing false documentary evidence .
According to prosecutors , if convicted , Shaw could face up to 31 years and eight months in county jail , Coblentz , more than seven years , and Martinez , just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from a LAPD misconduct investigation , the department said .
The Los Angeles Times reports the department launched the investigation last year after a Van Nuys resident was informed her son was in a gang .
Body camera footage and other evidence found inaccuracies by the officer involved , according to the paper .
In addition to Shaw , Coblentz and Martinez , 21 officers are under scrutiny with most either currently assigned to home or administrative duties .
The LAPD said that two of the charged officers are assigned home and another @ @ @ @ @ @ @ possible removal .
The department did not specify which of the three officers face removal .
In a statement , Police Chief Michel Moore said the department was committed to continuing its investigation .
`` Public trust is the bedrock of community policing and these allegations shake that foundation .
The actions of these few tarnish the badge we all wear , '' Moore said .
The Times notes Metro is an elite division in the LAPD which has repeatedly come under scrutiny for its tactics .
The paper reports that its analysis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a rate five times their share of the city 's population .

3 LAPD Officers Charged Over Allegations They Falsely Identified Gang Members
Three Los Angeles police officers are facing charges of falsifying records and obstruction of justice over allegations that they wrongly identified people as gang members, the Los Angeles District Attorney's Office announced on Friday.
In a 59-count complaint, LAPD officers Braxton Shaw, Michael Coblentz and Nicolas Martinez are alleged to have wrongly marked dozens of people as having gang affiliation on field interview cards used by officers on duty.
Citing body camera video, prosecutors say the officers identified people as gang members even when the officers failed to ask the question or the person outright denied it.
Shaw is accused of filing 43 field interview cards with false information. Coblentz is accused of falsifying seven and Martinez is accused of falsifying two.
The officers, who were assigned to the Metro Division at the time, are charged with conspiracy to obstruct justice and multiple counts of filing a false police report and preparing false documentary evidence.
According to prosecutors, if convicted, Shaw could face up to 31 years and eight months in county jail, Coblentz, more than seven years, and Martinez, just over four years.
The charges stemmed from a LAPD misconduct investigation, the department said. The Los Angeles Times reports the department launched the investigation last year after a Van Nuys resident was informed her son was in a gang. Body camera footage and other evidence found inaccuracies by the officer involved, according to the paper.
In addition to Shaw, Coblentz and Martinez, 21 officers are under scrutiny with most either currently assigned to home or administrative duties. The LAPD said that two of the charged officers are assigned home and another has been relieved from duty and faces possible removal. The department did not specify which of the three officers face removal.
In a statement, Police Chief Michel Moore said the department was committed to continuing its investigation.
"Public trust is the bedrock of community policing and these allegations shake that foundation. The actions of these few tarnish the badge we all wear," Moore said.
The Times notes Metro is an elite division in the LAPD which has repeatedly come under scrutiny for its tactics. The paper reports that its analysis found the division stopped Black drivers at a rate five times their share of the city's population.


npr--2020-07-10--'In A Fight For Our Lives': Mississippi Issues New Mask Order Amid COVID-19 Spike

'In A Fight For Our Lives ' : Mississippi Issues New Mask Order Amid COVID-19 Spike Mississippi 's governor has imposed mandatory use of face masks and limited nonessential gatherings in 13 counties , including those that cover the state 's most populous cities , as COVID-19 cases have surged in recent days , causing record hospitalizations .
The state 's Department of Health reported 1,031 new coronavirus cases and 11 new deaths from the disease on Friday , one day after the State Department of Health Officer , Dr. Thomas Dobbs , said intensive care units in five Mississippi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in cases .
Gov .
Tate Reeves , speaking on Friday , said Mississippians should `` take this as an alarm . ''
`` Mississippi is in a fight for our lives , '' Reeves said .
`` COVID-19 is an ever-present threat and we are in the middle of a spike . ''
He said the face masks would be required while at public gatherings or in a `` shopping environment . ''
Since the start of the pandemic , the state has reported 34,622 confirmed cases and 1,215 COVID-19 deaths .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ mandate were chosen because they had experienced 200 new cases within the last two weeks or had an average of 500 cases per 100,000 residents in the same time period .
Counties that cover the cities of Jackson , Gulfport , Southaven and Biloxi were among those on the list .
Reeves had earlier closed public schools , limited nonessential gatherings to 10 people , shut down in-restaurant dining and curtailed visits to nursing homes and hospitals — although , as in several other states , churches were deemed essential and exempt from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restrictions were eased around the end of April , and by the start of June , most businesses were allowed to reopen .
Before the end of the month , however , the state had seen more than 1,000 cases in a single day for the first time .
Just days ago , Reeves blamed the media and protesters for the latest spike but cited no data to back up the claim .

'In A Fight For Our Lives': Mississippi Issues New Mask Order Amid COVID-19 Spike
Enlarge this image toggle caption Rogelio V. Solis/AP Rogelio V. Solis/AP
Mississippi's governor has imposed mandatory use of face masks and limited nonessential gatherings in 13 counties, including those that cover the state's most populous cities, as COVID-19 cases have surged in recent days, causing record hospitalizations.
The state's Department of Health reported 1,031 new coronavirus cases and 11 new deaths from the disease on Friday, one day after the State Department of Health Officer, Dr. Thomas Dobbs, said intensive care units in five Mississippi hospitals were full because of the increase in cases.
Gov. Tate Reeves, speaking on Friday, said Mississippians should "take this as an alarm."
"Mississippi is in a fight for our lives," Reeves said. "COVID-19 is an ever-present threat and we are in the middle of a spike."
He said the face masks would be required while at public gatherings or in a "shopping environment."
Since the start of the pandemic, the state has reported 34,622 confirmed cases and 1,215 COVID-19 deaths.
The counties that come under the stricter mandate were chosen because they had experienced 200 new cases within the last two weeks or had an average of 500 cases per 100,000 residents in the same time period. Counties that cover the cities of Jackson, Gulfport, Southaven and Biloxi were among those on the list.
Reeves had earlier closed public schools, limited nonessential gatherings to 10 people, shut down in-restaurant dining and curtailed visits to nursing homes and hospitals — although, as in several other states, churches were deemed essential and exempt from the 10-person rule.
Some of the restrictions were eased around the end of April, and by the start of June, most businesses were allowed to reopen. Before the end of the month, however, the state had seen more than 1,000 cases in a single day for the first time.
Just days ago, Reeves blamed the media and protesters for the latest spike but cited no data to back up the claim.


npr--2020-07-10--PHOTOS: How Hong Kong Reopened Schools — And Why It Closed Them Again

PHOTOS : How Hong Kong Reopened Schools — And Why It Closed Them Again Around the world , countries are debating what to do about schools during a pandemic .
In many places , they 've been shut .
In some they 've reopened .
Hong Kong offers a cautionary tale of how difficult these decisions can be .
Schoolchildren were sent home at the end of January as the first wave of the outbreak began , originating from visitors from mainland China .
Schools stayed closed through a second wave , sparked largely by European and North American travelers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ winning its war against COVID-19 , schools started to reopen .
That was the end of May .
Things looked promising : From June 13 to July 5 there were no locally transmitted cases in Hong Kong .
But the city is now fighting a third wave of infections , and the education bureau announced that the school year would end on Friday — about a week before the scheduled last day in mid-July .
The decision comes despite the fact that , as the Secretary of Education Kevin Yeung remarked , `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of infection at schools , which reflects the good work of our schools . ''
Nevertheless , because of a sharp increase in infections in the last week [ in Hong Kong ] , the government concluded that it 'd be unsafe for classes to continue .
The situation offers a stark reminder that despite best efforts , outbreaks can emerge out of seemingly nowhere and throw a wrench in the plans of even the most well-prepared cities .
`` As we all know , the COVID will likely be with us for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Yeung on Friday .
`` We have to balance between the normal daily life against the spreading of the COVID . ''
When Hong Kong made the decision to reopen schools in late May , the coronavirus seemed almost entirely under control .
In early June , on the first day of class in Hong Kong primary schools after the coronavirus shutdown , there were new citywide sanitary protocols in place for schools .
Things went surprisingly smoothly at Maryknoll Father 's Primary School .
Schoolchildren , in matching uniforms and face masks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scanned by a staff member wielding a thermal thermometer , then moved on to the next station , where they dutifully held out their palms for a squirt of hand sanitizer .
While only masks were obligatory , some students went the extra mile and donned protective goggles .
To prepare everyone for the big day , the government-funded school had sent out videos that demonstrated how each step of the sanitation protocols for arriving students and asked parents to practice with their children .
`` I was nervous of course , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's principal .
`` Parents were nervous , teachers were nervous , schools were nervous . ''
But he believed that it was the right move to reopen schools .
In a prescient remark , he said : `` If we had to wait until the virus was totally gone , maybe it would n't be gone even until after summer . ''
Hong Kongers had been well-accustomed to such measures by this point in the pandemic ; businesses and institutions had been voluntarily enacting their own safety measures – including temperature checks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ months .
When reports of a SARS-like disease spreading first started coming out of Wuhan , people in Hong Kong had feared the worst : The city borders mainland China and receives tens of millions of visitors from the mainland every year .
But to date , the territory of 7.5 million residents has had just over 1,400 cases and only seven deaths from COVID-19 .
Many people in Hong Kong attribute the early success to the city 's collective trauma and subsequent lessons learned from the 2003 SARS outbreak , when 299 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was also a novel coronavirus .
In 2003 , not long after the SARS epidemic was under control in Hong Kong , a major government report stressed that the `` most important lesson ... is that we must be prepared for new and emerging infectious diseases . ''
The following year , the Centre for Health Protection ( CHP ) was established to prevent and control disease .
To this day , CHP works closely with schools to maintain a hygienic and healthy environment .
`` Hong Kong people are more prepared , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was the first time we had such a big epidemic , and at the time we were not used to wearing masks and hand-washing . ''
School was canceled then as well , though technology has come a long way since the Zoom-free early 2000s : `` During SARS we really did stop , because there was n't any IT . ''
With the guidance of CHP , many schools had already been accustomed to measures like monitoring temperature and wearing masks .
`` The children understand because before COVID , they were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ season as well as having temperature checks , '' said Thelema Rigodon , a teacher at Tsung Tsin Primary School and Kindergarten .
SARS also led Hong Kongers to wear masks en masse .
So even before the current pandemic , it was not unusual for people to wear masks when feeling unwell to prevent getting others sick .
Almost two decades after SARS , residents did n't hesitate to adopt a daily mask-wearing habit in 2020 .
In a survey conducted just days after the city recorded its first case of COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ residents said they were already wearing masks to go outside .
Less than a month later , almost everyone – 97.5 % – said they wore masks when leaving the house .
In May , when the government declared that schools could `` resume their classes by phases in a gradual and orderly manner , there was a lot of paperwork to make sure the reopening would go smoothly .
Schools were required to send in their plans to keep students and workers safe .
In addition , numerous hefty documents were sent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safety measures ( for instance , certain classrooms would `` need to have the setting of the desks re-arranged '' so that children all face one direction instead of facing each other ) .
And the authorities provided a sample letter to send to parents in case a child came into contact with a known coronavirus case .
To help schools cope with the expenses of additional demands such as deep cleans , the authorities disbursed HKD42 million ( about $ 5.4 million USD ) in one-time grants to virtually all of Hong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ almost 900,000 students .
Unsurprisingly , school during a pandemic would be far from normal .
The days were only half as long as usual , cutting down time spent together and giving workers ample time to disinfect the premises on a daily basis .
The reduced hours would also allow many students to go home for lunch , which is considered a high-risk activity since meals are usually taken in close proximity with masks off and food particles flying .
`` The most dangerous times are recess and when they buy food @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the principal at Maryknoll Fathers ' Secondary School , where each class voted for their own `` coronavirus ambassador '' to remind students to maintain social distancing .
`` The students are n't used to it .
We all like to hug each other !
We are a bit scared , because what if we transmitted the virus ?
`` said Adrian Ngan , 14 , a Maryknoll Fathers ' Secondary School student .
Principal Ho takes the concerns , and measures , seriously : `` I am not [ scanning foreheads @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doing it to take their temperature , '' he said .
`` The more serious your measures , the safer you 'll feel . ''
At Hong Kong International School , physical education teachers had to get creative for their upper primary students , ages 8 to 10 .
Since wearing face masks can make it harder to catch your breath during intense physical activity , the teachers found a less-demanding alternative : students stayed inside squares marked on the ground and would pose based on prompts projected onto a wall .
Another @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taped across the table .
The school year at the international school was over on June 11 , just three weeks after schools reopened , but Ben Hart , principal of the upper primary grades , was still grateful for the time back in class .
`` It lets kids feel a sense of closure for the school year .
There are a ton of things we need to do to transition them out of a grade and get them excited for next year .
We could have done it over Zoom , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for small children was a special challenge at the Tsung Tsin Primary School and Kindergarten .
The playground is cordoned off , but students are allowed to ride bicycles and cars they propel with their feet .
Snacktime was a major operation .
First , each student was given a plastic protective barrier that shields their front and sides so they could share a table with three others .
Then , they took turns in small groups to be led to the bathroom to wash their hands , lining up in the hallway @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ground .
When they came back , a classroom assistant went around the room with a trash bag , and children discarded their masks carefully – touching only the strings – before receiving a squirt of hand sanitizer .
Only then were they allowed to eat their snacks .
Despite the difficulties of getting young children to stick to social distancing rules , everyone was simply glad for some semblance of normal life after four months at home .
`` I think [ the children ] are just really excited to be back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a bit of a routine , '' said Lauren Brooker , a kindergarten teacher .
In early June , a spokesperson for the Education Bureau wrote in an email that classes had been going smoothly , adding that staff have properly implemented the health recommendations to `` ensure schools are a safe and disinfected place for students to learn happily . ''
However , with the new spate of infections , the government is now re-evaluating its current COVID-19 strategy .
Although the school shutdown announced on Friday is certainly a setback for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Hong Kong has yet to see any coronavirus outbreaks within schools .
And some educators believe that the SARS experience has been a key reason .
`` We had SARS in Hong Kong .
That was before they were born , but it 's in the culture of Hong Kong , '' said kindergarten teacher Thelema Rigodon .
Laurel Chor is a journalist , photographer and filmmaker based in Hong Kong .
Follow her on Twitter or Instagram .

PHOTOS: How Hong Kong Reopened Schools — And Why It Closed Them Again
Enlarge this image toggle caption Laurel Chor for NPR Laurel Chor for NPR
Around the world, countries are debating what to do about schools during a pandemic.
In many places, they've been shut. In some they've reopened.
Hong Kong offers a cautionary tale of how difficult these decisions can be.
Schoolchildren were sent home at the end of January as the first wave of the outbreak began, originating from visitors from mainland China. Schools stayed closed through a second wave, sparked largely by European and North American travelers.
When Hong Kong appeared to be winning its war against COVID-19, schools started to reopen. That was the end of May.
Things looked promising: From June 13 to July 5 there were no locally transmitted cases in Hong Kong.
But the city is now fighting a third wave of infections, and the education bureau announced that the school year would end on Friday — about a week before the scheduled last day in mid-July.
The decision comes despite the fact that, as the Secretary of Education Kevin Yeung remarked, "there has not been any confirmed cases of infection at schools, which reflects the good work of our schools." Nevertheless, because of a sharp increase in infections in the last week [in Hong Kong], the government concluded that it'd be unsafe for classes to continue.
The situation offers a stark reminder that despite best efforts, outbreaks can emerge out of seemingly nowhere and throw a wrench in the plans of even the most well-prepared cities. "As we all know, the COVID will likely be with us for a period of time," said Yeung on Friday. "We have to balance between the normal daily life against the spreading of the COVID."
Back To School
When Hong Kong made the decision to reopen schools in late May, the coronavirus seemed almost entirely under control.
In early June, on the first day of class in Hong Kong primary schools after the coronavirus shutdown, there were new citywide sanitary protocols in place for schools. Things went surprisingly smoothly at Maryknoll Father's Primary School.
toggle caption Laurel Chor for NPR
Schoolchildren, in matching uniforms and face masks, lined up to have their foreheads scanned by a staff member wielding a thermal thermometer, then moved on to the next station, where they dutifully held out their palms for a squirt of hand sanitizer. While only masks were obligatory, some students went the extra mile and donned protective goggles.
To prepare everyone for the big day, the government-funded school had sent out videos that demonstrated how each step of the sanitation protocols for arriving students and asked parents to practice with their children.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Laurel Chor for NPR Laurel Chor for NPR
"I was nervous of course," recalled Wai Man Ng, the school's principal. "Parents were nervous, teachers were nervous, schools were nervous." But he believed that it was the right move to reopen schools. In a prescient remark, he said: "If we had to wait until the virus was totally gone, maybe it wouldn't be gone even until after summer."
Hong Kongers had been well-accustomed to such measures by this point in the pandemic; businesses and institutions had been voluntarily enacting their own safety measures – including temperature checks at entrances and mandatory mask-wearing – for months.
toggle caption Laurel Chor for NPR
toggle caption Laurel Chor for NPR
When reports of a SARS-like disease spreading first started coming out of Wuhan, people in Hong Kong had feared the worst: The city borders mainland China and receives tens of millions of visitors from the mainland every year. But to date, the territory of 7.5 million residents has had just over 1,400 cases and only seven deaths from COVID-19.
Lessons From SARS
Many people in Hong Kong attribute the early success to the city's collective trauma and subsequent lessons learned from the 2003 SARS outbreak, when 299 people died from the virus, which was also a novel coronavirus.
In 2003, not long after the SARS epidemic was under control in Hong Kong, a major government report stressed that the "most important lesson ... is that we must be prepared for new and emerging infectious diseases." The following year, the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) was established to prevent and control disease. To this day, CHP works closely with schools to maintain a hygienic and healthy environment.
"Hong Kong people are more prepared," Principal Ng explained. "SARS was the first time we had such a big epidemic, and at the time we were not used to wearing masks and hand-washing."
School was canceled then as well, though technology has come a long way since the Zoom-free early 2000s: "During SARS we really did stop, because there wasn't any IT."
With the guidance of CHP, many schools had already been accustomed to measures like monitoring temperature and wearing masks. "The children understand because before COVID, they were used to wearing face masks during flu season as well as having temperature checks," said Thelema Rigodon, a teacher at Tsung Tsin Primary School and Kindergarten.
toggle caption Laurel Chor for NPR
SARS also led Hong Kongers to wear masks en masse. So even before the current pandemic, it was not unusual for people to wear masks when feeling unwell to prevent getting others sick. Almost two decades after SARS, residents didn't hesitate to adopt a daily mask-wearing habit in 2020. In a survey conducted just days after the city recorded its first case of COVID-19 in January, three-quarters of Hong Kong residents said they were already wearing masks to go outside. Less than a month later, almost everyone – 97.5% – said they wore masks when leaving the house.
toggle caption Laurel Chor for NPR
In May, when the government declared that schools could "resume their classes by phases in a gradual and orderly manner, there was a lot of paperwork to make sure the reopening would go smoothly." Schools were required to send in their plans to keep students and workers safe. In addition, numerous hefty documents were sent to schools, including 18-page-long instructions about safety measures (for instance, certain classrooms would "need to have the setting of the desks re-arranged" so that children all face one direction instead of facing each other). And the authorities provided a sample letter to send to parents in case a child came into contact with a known coronavirus case.
To help schools cope with the expenses of additional demands such as deep cleans, the authorities disbursed HKD42 million (about $5.4 million USD) in one-time grants to virtually all of Hong Kong's 2,200 schools, attended by almost 900,000 students.
toggle caption Laurel Chor for NPR
Unsurprisingly, school during a pandemic would be far from normal. The days were only half as long as usual, cutting down time spent together and giving workers ample time to disinfect the premises on a daily basis. The reduced hours would also allow many students to go home for lunch, which is considered a high-risk activity since meals are usually taken in close proximity with masks off and food particles flying.
"The most dangerous times are recess and when they buy food to eat," said Lobo Ho, the principal at Maryknoll Fathers' Secondary School, where each class voted for their own "coronavirus ambassador" to remind students to maintain social distancing.
toggle caption Laurel Chor for NPR
"The students aren't used to it. We all like to hug each other! We are a bit scared, because what if we transmitted the virus? " said Adrian Ngan, 14, a Maryknoll Fathers' Secondary School student.
Principal Ho takes the concerns, and measures, seriously: "I am not [scanning foreheads] for show – I am really doing it to take their temperature," he said. "The more serious your measures, the safer you'll feel."
At Hong Kong International School, physical education teachers had to get creative for their upper primary students, ages 8 to 10. Since wearing face masks can make it harder to catch your breath during intense physical activity, the teachers found a less-demanding alternative: students stayed inside squares marked on the ground and would pose based on prompts projected onto a wall. Another option: foosball with a plastic divider taped across the table.
toggle caption Laurel Chor for NPR
toggle caption Laurel Chor for NPR
The school year at the international school was over on June 11, just three weeks after schools reopened, but Ben Hart, principal of the upper primary grades, was still grateful for the time back in class. "It lets kids feel a sense of closure for the school year. There are a ton of things we need to do to transition them out of a grade and get them excited for next year. We could have done it over Zoom, but it's different."
Caring for small children was a special challenge at the Tsung Tsin Primary School and Kindergarten. The playground is cordoned off, but students are allowed to ride bicycles and cars they propel with their feet.
toggle caption Laurel Chor for NPR
Snacktime was a major operation. First, each student was given a plastic protective barrier that shields their front and sides so they could share a table with three others. Then, they took turns in small groups to be led to the bathroom to wash their hands, lining up in the hallway according to socially distanced dots on the ground. When they came back, a classroom assistant went around the room with a trash bag, and children discarded their masks carefully – touching only the strings – before receiving a squirt of hand sanitizer. Only then were they allowed to eat their snacks.
toggle caption Laurel Chor for NPR
Despite the difficulties of getting young children to stick to social distancing rules, everyone was simply glad for some semblance of normal life after four months at home. "I think [the children] are just really excited to be back and to see their teachers and have a bit of a routine," said Lauren Brooker, a kindergarten teacher.
Classes Suspended Again
In early June, a spokesperson for the Education Bureau wrote in an email that classes had been going smoothly, adding that staff have properly implemented the health recommendations to "ensure schools are a safe and disinfected place for students to learn happily."
toggle caption Laurel Chor for NPR
However, with the new spate of infections, the government is now re-evaluating its current COVID-19 strategy.
Although the school shutdown announced on Friday is certainly a setback for a society trying to return to normal, Hong Kong has yet to see any coronavirus outbreaks within schools.
And some educators believe that the SARS experience has been a key reason. "We had SARS in Hong Kong. That was before they were born, but it's in the culture of Hong Kong," said kindergarten teacher Thelema Rigodon.
Laurel Chor is a journalist, photographer and filmmaker based in Hong Kong. Follow her on Twitter or Instagram.