huffpost--2020-05-30--In A Bone To Evangelicals, CDC Drops Warning About COVID-19 Risks In Choirs

The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday suddenly dropped its warning about the risk of choirs spreading COVID-19 at religious services after being told to do so by White House officials , The Washington Post reported .
The warning was omitted even though choirs can become “ super-spreader ” events infecting large groups of people at once .
Singing can increase the intensity of “ aerosol emission ” of the coronavirus .
Nearly all 61 members of a choir in Washington state became infected with COVID-19 after a single rehearsal in March , a CDC study found @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just last Friday issued safety guidelines for restarting religious services .
It recommended then that religious communities “ consider suspending or at least decreasing use of choir/musical ensembles and congregant singing , chanting , or reciting during services or other programming.
” ( The original guidelines are available via web archive . )
But a source insisted to NPR that the CDC “ posted the wrong version of the guidance , ” adding : “ The version that is currently up on the website is the version cleared by the White House.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Now the CDC simply urges that faith-based organizations promote “ social distancing at services and other gatherings , ensuring that clergy , staff , choir , volunteers and attendees at the services follow social distancing ... to lessen their risk.
” Communicable disease expert Lea Hamner of Skagit County Public Health , the lead author of the CDC Washington choir report , told NPR she is worried about the changes — and reopening houses of worship .
“ As a public health official , I would strongly encourage that religious services continue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” she wrote in an email .
Large group gatherings should “ not take place unless strict safety measures are put in place such as physical distancing , wearing face coverings or masks , providing tools for excellent hand hygiene , and not attending while ill , ” she added .
President Donald Trump last week deemed houses of worship “ essential places that provide essential services ” that he said must be reopened “ right now.
” He threatened to “ override governors ” if they ignored his demand .
Sources told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shore up support from the religious right , which was beginning to slip away .
The choir changes were also a push by White House officials not to alienate the evangelical community , the Post reported , regardless of increased health risks .
The CDC earlier this month issued a report warning about “ super-spreader ” events where the coronavirus might be “ highly transmissible in certain settings , including group singing events.
” The study detailed the contagion of 52 of 61 singers at a single choir practice in Washington state in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ multiple opportunities for droplet transmission from close contact ... and the act of singing itself might have contributed to SARS-CoV-2 transmission , ” the study noted .
“ Aerosol emission during speech has been correlated with loudness of vocalization , and certain persons , who release an order of magnitude more particles than their peers , have been referred to as super-emitters and have been hypothesized to contribute to super-spreading events .
Members had an intense and prolonged exposure , singing while sitting 6–10 inches from one another , possibly emitting aerosols.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ risk spreading the coronavirus .
A CDC study last week revealed that COVID-19 cases first contracted by a pastor and his wife ended up spreading to 35 others who attended events at their rural Arkansas church .
Three people died .
An additional 26 cases in the community occurred among people who had contact with those who participated in the church events .
One of them also died .
“ This outbreak highlights the potential for widespread transmission of ... the virus that causes COVID-19 , both at group gatherings during church events @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the study warned .
“ These findings underscore the opportunity for faith-based organizations to prevent COVID-19 by following local authorities ’ guidance and the U.S. Government ’ s Guidelines .
”

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The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday suddenly dropped its warning about the risk of choirs spreading COVID-19 at religious services after being told to do so by White House officials, The Washington Post reported.
The warning was omitted even though choirs can become “super-spreader” events infecting large groups of people at once. Singing can increase the intensity of “aerosol emission” of the coronavirus. Nearly all 61 members of a choir in Washington state became infected with COVID-19 after a single rehearsal in March, a CDC study found. Two people died.
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The CDC just last Friday issued safety guidelines for restarting religious services. It recommended then that religious communities “consider suspending or at least decreasing use of choir/musical ensembles and congregant singing, chanting, or reciting during services or other programming.” (The original guidelines are available via web archive.)
The “act of singing may contribute to transmission of COVID-19, possibly through emission of aerosols,” the CDC warned.
But those guidelines suddenly vanished.
Sources told the Post that the CDC was ordered by White House officials to make the change.
But a source insisted to NPR that the CDC “posted the wrong version of the guidance,” adding: “The version that is currently up on the website is the version cleared by the White House.”
The guidelines no longer recommend suspending choirs. Now the CDC simply urges that faith-based organizations promote “social distancing at services and other gatherings, ensuring that clergy, staff, choir, volunteers and attendees at the services follow social distancing ... to lessen their risk.”
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Communicable disease expert Lea Hamner of Skagit County Public Health, the lead author of the CDC Washington choir report, told NPR she is worried about the changes — and reopening houses of worship.
“As a public health official, I would strongly encourage that religious services continue to happen remotely or in cars,” she wrote in an email. Large group gatherings should “not take place unless strict safety measures are put in place such as physical distancing, wearing face coverings or masks, providing tools for excellent hand hygiene, and not attending while ill,” she added.
President Donald Trump last week deemed houses of worship “essential places that provide essential services” that he said must be reopened “right now.” He threatened to “override governors” if they ignored his demand.
Sources told Politico that he made the move to shore up support from the religious right, which was beginning to slip away.
The choir changes were also a push by White House officials not to alienate the evangelical community, the Post reported, regardless of increased health risks.
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The CDC earlier this month issued a report warning about “super-spreader” events where the coronavirus might be “highly transmissible in certain settings, including group singing events.” The study detailed the contagion of 52 of 61 singers at a single choir practice in Washington state in March.
“Choir practice attendees had multiple opportunities for droplet transmission from close contact ... and the act of singing itself might have contributed to SARS-CoV-2 transmission,” the study noted. “Aerosol emission during speech has been correlated with loudness of vocalization, and certain persons, who release an order of magnitude more particles than their peers, have been referred to as super-emitters and have been hypothesized to contribute to super-spreading events. Members had an intense and prolonged exposure, singing while sitting 6–10 inches from one another, possibly emitting aerosols.”
Other events at houses of worship also risk spreading the coronavirus. A CDC study last week revealed that COVID-19 cases first contracted by a pastor and his wife ended up spreading to 35 others who attended events at their rural Arkansas church. Three people died.
An additional 26 cases in the community occurred among people who had contact with those who participated in the church events. One of them also died. “This outbreak highlights the potential for widespread transmission of ... the virus that causes COVID-19, both at group gatherings during church events and within the broader community,” the study warned. “These findings underscore the opportunity for faith-based organizations to prevent COVID-19 by following local authorities’ guidance and the U.S. Government’s Guidelines.”


huffpost--2020-05-29--This Is What The CDC Wants Offices To Look Like When They Reopen

When you return to the office , you should commute alone , undergo a daily temperature screening and communicate to your colleagues and visitors through a transparent shield when it ’ s not possible to stay six feet apart , according to new recommendations released this week by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
Say goodbye to water coolers and shared public transportation .
Say hello to temperature checks and cloth masks .
One of the more radical guidelines pertains to how employees get to the office .
The CDC recommends commuting to work alone through single-occupancy rides @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for transportation costs to incentivize this .
If commuting alone is not possible , the agency suggests employers shift work hours so some commutes take place during less busy times .
Erin Sorrell , an assistant research professor in Georgetown University ’ s department of microbiology and immunology , said the commuting advice can be a challenging recommendation for those who rely on public transportation to get around not just for work , but for errands and groceries .
Her advice for using public transportation to get to work is “ [ maintain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ six feet apart from others , wear your face mask and do not touch your face.
” Kimmel offered an example of a company with a 100,000-square-foot space on a floor of a building .
“ Let ’ s say you had about 200 workers in there .
Now you may be housing 100 workers instead of 200 workers .
Where do the other 100 go ?
Do we leave them at home ?
” he said .
“ That company is going to be paying rent as if they were housing 200 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ignored other facets of office buildings .
“ You ’ re dealing with this big physical space that has hard boundaries , and it ’ s not as easy to just say , ‘ I ’ m going to work from the left side of my desk or the right side , ’ ” he said .
“ Your work station is physically there and some of them are easier to move than others .
Walls are very tough to move.
“ If you find yourself stuck using a more crowded elevator for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ risk , said Dr. Lucy Wilson , chair of the department of emergency health services at the University of Maryland , Baltimore County .
“ Fortunately , time spent in an elevator is generally short , which minimizes human exposure , and with the use of masks and distancing , elevator use can be made lower risk for disease transmission , ” Wilson said .
Telecommuting is still the safer option .
“ If you have the option to work from home at this time , it is better to do so , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for those who need to come in to access systems or materials to do so with the minimum number of people possible .
It also gives employers time to determine how their newly designed workflows are best implemented and can adapt as more people return to the physical space.
” Experts are still learning about the novel coronavirus .
The information in this story is what was known or available as of press time , but guidance concerning COVID-19 could change as scientists discover more about the virus .
Please check the Centers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most updated recommendations .

Akarawut Lohacharoenvanich via Getty Images Federal guidelines envision a new socially distant way of life for corporate America.
When you return to the office, you should commute alone, undergo a daily temperature screening and communicate to your colleagues and visitors through a transparent shield when it’s not possible to stay six feet apart, according to new recommendations released this week by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The nation’s top public health agency offered detailed technical, engineering and administrative advice for how workers should limit their exposure to the infectious coronavirus disease in enclosed spaces. The goal is to “isolate workers from the hazard,” as the CDC put it.
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Say goodbye to water coolers and shared public transportation. Say hello to temperature checks and cloth masks.
The recommendations include:
Employees should have daily, in-person screenings for their temperature or coronavirus symptoms before they enter the workplace.
To maintain social distance, employers need to modify furniture and install transparent shields or other physical barriers when social distancing isn’t possible.
Employers should bid farewell to water coolers, coffee pots, office snack dispensers and other high-touch communal kitchen offerings and replace many snacks with “pre-packaged, single-serving items.”
Employers should forgo hugs, handshaking and fist bumps.
Offices need to improve ventilation by increasing the percentage of outdoor air and opening windows if it is possible and safe to do so.
Employees need to wear cloth masks while doing business.
Offices need to limit the occupancy of elevators so that people can maintain social distances of at least six feet.
Some of the public health advice is familiar at this point: The CDC recommends office workers wash hands often with soap and water, particularly after a commuting trip.
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To better maintain social distancing, the CDC recommends staggering shifts, start times and break times, which is similar to what advocates of flexible, shorter workweeks already have urged employers to arrange.
One of the more radical guidelines pertains to how employees get to the office. The CDC recommends commuting to work alone through single-occupancy rides, and says employers should reimburse employees for transportation costs to incentivize this. If commuting alone is not possible, the agency suggests employers shift work hours so some commutes take place during less busy times.
Erin Sorrell, an assistant research professor in Georgetown University’s department of microbiology and immunology, said the commuting advice can be a challenging recommendation for those who rely on public transportation to get around not just for work, but for errands and groceries. Her advice for using public transportation to get to work is “[maintain] your distance, keep the recommended six feet apart from others, wear your face mask and do not touch your face.”
She added, “If you can walk or ride a bike instead of taking public transit, that would be a good alternative.“
Peter S. Kimmel, publisher of the facilities management resource FMLink, has released his own guide to reopening and occupying buildings safely. Kimmel applauded the aims of the CDC’s new guidelines, but told HuffPost that translating the agency’s recommendations to reality doesn’t reflect real-world situations.
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Kimmel offered an example of a company with a 100,000-square-foot space on a floor of a building. “Let’s say you had about 200 workers in there. Now you may be housing 100 workers instead of 200 workers. Where do the other 100 go? Do we leave them at home?” he said. “That company is going to be paying rent as if they were housing 200 workers.”
Sergey Granev via Getty Images One of the recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is to "limit use and occupancy of elevators to maintain social distancing."
Kimmel said that the guidelines ignored other facets of office buildings. “You’re dealing with this big physical space that has hard boundaries, and it’s not as easy to just say, ‘I’m going to work from the left side of my desk or the right side,’” he said. “Your work station is physically there and some of them are easier to move than others. Walls are very tough to move.“
He said that following the CDC’s suggestion to limit the number of people on an elevator means “there are going to be lines forming in queues for the elevator.”
He added, “All of this is workable over the short-term, but to make it a long-term solution, it defeats all the design principles that the architectural firms and interior design firms have been using for many years.”
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If you find yourself stuck using a more crowded elevator for work, you can still minimize your risk, said Dr. Lucy Wilson, chair of the department of emergency health services at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. “Fortunately, time spent in an elevator is generally short, which minimizes human exposure, and with the use of masks and distancing, elevator use can be made lower risk for disease transmission,” Wilson said.
Telecommuting is still the safer option.
Of course, one other option to keep workers and visitors safe is to follow what a growing number of companies are doing: keeping workers at home and away from office buildings.
“If you have the option to work from home at this time, it is better to do so,” Sorrell said. “This allows for those who need to come in to access systems or materials to do so with the minimum number of people possible. It also gives employers time to determine how their newly designed workflows are best implemented and can adapt as more people return to the physical space.”
Experts are still learning about the novel coronavirus. The information in this story is what was known or available as of press time, but guidance concerning COVID-19 could change as scientists discover more about the virus. Please check the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for the most updated recommendations.


huffpost--2020-05-30--When Leaving Campus Means Going Back In The Closet

One of the first things Luke did , when he learned he would have to leave his college campus due to the coronavirus , was take off his dark purple nail polish .
Then he carefully wrapped his makeup palettes and brushes in bedsheets and hid them in his luggage .
He canceled a manicure appointment he ’ d made with a friend as a small end-of-spring-break treat .
Now , he was ready to return to his dad ’ s house .
Luke , a gay gender-fluid college freshman , has always had to hide his sexuality from his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ discovered gender identity .
So when he found out that he and his classmates at the University of Vermont would be remote learning for the rest of spring semester , he was overwhelmed .
He only had two days to pack up his things and head home to Virginia , where he was already dreading splitting time between his divorced parents ’ homes .
Luke had to carefully plan what he would unpack and where .
He had one week at his dad ’ s house before he went to live with his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gay and is supportive of his gender expression .
During his first week home , Luke kept his makeup and nail polishes hidden .
He embroidered to pass the time , which attracted some jabs from his dad , who joked that it was too “ girly.
” At one point , Luke accidentally had some makeup brushes shipped to his dad ’ s house instead of his mom ’ s .
He had to quickly wrap the box and pretend it was a present for his sister .
As welcoming and diverse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ students , home is often the opposite .
For Luke and other queer students who aren ’ t out to their families or fully accepted by them , a sudden shift to remote learning didn ’ t just mean awkward Zoom classes , missing out on seeing friends and graduating virtually from the couch .
It meant going back into the closet .
For some , this also means living in a constant state of fear .
Online Just Isn ’ t The Same Not all the learning that takes place in college @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interpersonal relationships inside and outside the classroom , they often discover who they are as people , what they want to pursue in life and what type of leader they want to be .
For LGBTQ students , college can provide a space to be their authentic selves for the first time in their lives .
It can be the first place they meet fellow queer people , and it can provide coursework to learn about the history of gender and sexuality .
Being at home can also be painful or downright dangerous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t accept queer students for who they are .
That rejection can take any number of forms , from microaggressions ( referring to a student with the wrong pronouns , assuming someone of the wrong gender is their romantic partner ) to life-threatening acts ( kicking a student out on the street during a pandemic ) .
“ It ’ s not like we see on some of these Netflix shows where kids say , ‘ Oh I can just come out and they might reject me , but they ’ ll eventually @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dole , chief clinical operations officer at the Trevor Project , a national nonprofit providing crisis intervention to queer young people .
“ Actually , you could end up being placed in a really dangerous physical situation if you get caught.
” Some queer college students are also dealing with the trauma of sexual assault , adding a layer of difficulty to their strained relationships at home .
Luke and Jordan , a third-year student in the Boston area , both say they were sexually assaulted at school but can ’ t be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Jordan , a trans student who uses they/them pronouns , said they decided not to tell their parents because they don ’ t think their parents would believe them .
Luke said his father ignores the issue because he doesn ’ t believe men can be sexually assaulted .
For several reasons , not least that Jordan ’ s parents are not accepting of their gender identity , Jordan decided not to return home and is instead living in an off-campus apartment .
“ Several friends have asked how my parents haven @ @ @ @ @ @ @ m transgender , but I think they ’ re just projecting their mental image of their ideal daughter onto me , no matter how inaccurate it is , ” they said .
Right before remote learning began for their school , Jordan started hormone therapy .
They knew they wouldn ’ t be able to receive testosterone shots if they were home under their parents ’ watchful eyes .
“ If I had come home with a box of needles and syringes for my testosterone injections , they would probably be terrified that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Jordan said .
The secrecy has an emotional toll .
Heather Mann , a junior at Auburn University who identifies as queer , is the president of her school ’ s LGBTQ club , Spectrum , but is not out to her family , who lives about three hours away from her college .
Now that she ’ s back home , it was initially very hard to oversee weekly Spectrum meetings , because she was afraid her parents or grandparents would walk in on a Zoom call .

One of the first things Luke did, when he learned he would have to leave his college campus due to the coronavirus, was take off his dark purple nail polish. Then he carefully wrapped his makeup palettes and brushes in bedsheets and hid them in his luggage. He canceled a manicure appointment he’d made with a friend as a small end-of-spring-break treat. Now, he was ready to return to his dad’s house.
Luke, a gay gender-fluid college freshman, has always had to hide his sexuality from his dad, as well as his newly discovered gender identity. So when he found out that he and his classmates at the University of Vermont would be remote learning for the rest of spring semester, he was overwhelmed. He only had two days to pack up his things and head home to Virginia, where he was already dreading splitting time between his divorced parents’ homes.
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Luke had to carefully plan what he would unpack and where. He had one week at his dad’s house before he went to live with his mom, who knows he’s gay and is supportive of his gender expression. During his first week home, Luke kept his makeup and nail polishes hidden. He embroidered to pass the time, which attracted some jabs from his dad, who joked that it was too “girly.” At one point, Luke accidentally had some makeup brushes shipped to his dad’s house instead of his mom’s. He had to quickly wrap the box and pretend it was a present for his sister.
“It feels like I lost a part of myself that I had just found,” Luke said. “It’s a lot harder to try to figure out who you are when you really can’t experiment with anything.”
“It’s just tiring,” he added, “especially when you’re trying to put on this schtick that you’re someone completely different than who you are.”
“It feels like I lost a part of myself that I had just found.” - Luke
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As welcoming and diverse as many college campuses can be for students, home is often the opposite. For Luke and other queer students who aren’t out to their families or fully accepted by them, a sudden shift to remote learning didn’t just mean awkward Zoom classes, missing out on seeing friends and graduating virtually from the couch. It meant going back into the closet. For some, this also means living in a constant state of fear.
Many queer students are feeling isolated while stuck at home, without the freedom and privacy they had at school. This can affect their mental health and financial stability, and sometimes it can mean no more access to therapy or gender-affirming medical services.
And there’s no telling how long this may go on. With the coronavirus still spreading, many schools are unsure if they’ll resume in-person classes in August, and queer college students are struggling to find ways to cope.
Emily, a gay first-year student at James Madison University, was initially only able to correspond with HuffPost via email because she was afraid her mother would hear the conversation. While her family knows about her identity, they refuse to acknowledge it.
“I think it took me a few weeks to understand that this would be my new reality,” Emily said. “After being at home, it helped me realize the support I had at school, especially being LGBTQ. Being a college kid in quarantine feels like high school again ― no freedom or privacy.”
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Online Just Isn’t The Same
Not all the learning that takes place in college is academic. As young people navigate interpersonal relationships inside and outside the classroom, they often discover who they are as people, what they want to pursue in life and what type of leader they want to be. For LGBTQ students, college can provide a space to be their authentic selves for the first time in their lives. It can be the first place they meet fellow queer people, and it can provide coursework to learn about the history of gender and sexuality.
Some of that can still happen online, but it’s not the same.
“How is this going to impact student life? There’s academic life, which is the classroom ― the classroom can be delivered through online learning to some extent,” said Shane Windmeyer, executive director of Campus Pride, a national nonprofit working to create a safer college environment for LGBTQ students. “But the part that college really provides is this opportunity for student life, for engagement, for human interaction.”
Being at home can also be painful or downright dangerous if parents and family members don’t accept queer students for who they are. That rejection can take any number of forms, from microaggressions (referring to a student with the wrong pronouns, assuming someone of the wrong gender is their romantic partner) to life-threatening acts (kicking a student out on the street during a pandemic).
“It’s not like we see on some of these Netflix shows where kids say, ‘Oh I can just come out and they might reject me, but they’ll eventually accept me,’” said Tia Dole, chief clinical operations officer at the Trevor Project, a national nonprofit providing crisis intervention to queer young people. “Actually, you could end up being placed in a really dangerous physical situation if you get caught.”
The Pain Of Hiding
Some queer college students are also dealing with the trauma of sexual assault, adding a layer of difficulty to their strained relationships at home. Luke and Jordan, a third-year student in the Boston area, both say they were sexually assaulted at school but can’t be open about it with their respective parents. Jordan, a trans student who uses they/them pronouns, said they decided not to tell their parents because they don’t think their parents would believe them. Luke said his father ignores the issue because he doesn’t believe men can be sexually assaulted.
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“My dad didn’t really get how [sexual assault] could happen to a boy,” Luke said. “Because of that, I don’t really like being touched or hugged, but my dad doesn’t really understand that. That’s probably the hardest part ― I’m going through that and I’m not able to fully be myself. It’s frustrating and upsetting.”
Jordan’s parents live in a Maryland suburb where, they said, “performative liberalism abounds.” “My parents have been supportive of their friends’ kids’ transgender identities, but have not extended that support to their own child,” Jordan said.
For several reasons, not least that Jordan’s parents are not accepting of their gender identity, Jordan decided not to return home and is instead living in an off-campus apartment. “Several friends have asked how my parents haven’t figured out that I’m transgender, but I think they’re just projecting their mental image of their ideal daughter onto me, no matter how inaccurate it is,” they said.
Right before remote learning began for their school, Jordan started hormone therapy. They knew they wouldn’t be able to receive testosterone shots if they were home under their parents’ watchful eyes. “If I had come home with a box of needles and syringes for my testosterone injections, they would probably be terrified that someone would think I was doing drugs,” Jordan said.
Although Jordan is relieved to be living independently right now, they’re still fearful. Their abuser, who Jordan said has talked about buying a gun, lives nearby.
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“Remaining [near] campus feels extremely unsafe, but somehow it’s better for me than the alternative of moving back in with my parents,” Jordan said.
Fearing For The Future
The secrecy has an emotional toll. Heather Mann, a junior at Auburn University who identifies as queer, is the president of her school’s LGBTQ club, Spectrum, but is not out to her family, who lives about three hours away from her college. Now that she’s back home, it was initially very hard to oversee weekly Spectrum meetings, because she was afraid her parents or grandparents would walk in on a Zoom call.
She’s able to conduct the meetings from her bedroom, which is away from most other rooms in the house. But keeping parts of her life from her family, when she’s around them full-time, can be exhausting.
“It’s very scary not knowing when I’m going back. It feels like my life is on hold.” - Emily
For one thing, Mann has to be careful what she shares with her family about her friends at school. “If I’m talking about one of my friends, I can’t mention the fact that she’s dating a nonbinary person, because that would bring up a whole conversation that my parents probably wouldn’t understand or agree with,” Mann said.
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“You would think that being president and community outreach for one [LGBTQ] club and then also a community outreach for a second [LGBTQ] club would be a large amount of work to do,” she said. “But it’s been so much more work trying to not talk about certain things.”
With the COVID-19 outbreak seemingly nowhere near its end, many students worry remote learning will extend to the fall semester. Now that opportunities to be their authentic selves have been shrunk to the length of surreptitious Zoom calls, or wrapped up in bedsheets and hidden away in luggage, many wonder what the future looks like and if they’ll ever get to be out and proud again in their college careers.
“It’s very scary not knowing when I’m going back. It feels like my life is on hold,” Emily said. “I know everyone feels that way. I think it’s only harder for LGBTQ students because they often have a taste of freedom at college, while it’s the exact opposite at home.”
Several of the students who spoke to HuffPost for this story asked to be identified by pseudonyms because of possible repercussions in their family lives if they were identified. These individuals are introduced with only one name.


huffpost--2020-05-30--Cities Brace For Increasing Unrest, Set Curfews, Call in National Guard

MINNEAPOLIS ( AP ) — Protesters set police cars ablaze , smashed businesses ’ windows and skirmished with baton-wielding officers in streets from Atlanta to Los Angeles , as anger over George Floyd ’ s death spread across the country .
Authorities were bracing for more violence Saturday , with some calling in the National Guard to beef up overwhelmed forces .
In Minneapolis , the city where Floyd died Monday after a white police officer pressed a knee into his neck and kept it there for more than eight minutes , Minnesota Gov .
Tim Walz fully mobilized the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a massive show of force to help quell unrest that has grown increasingly destructive .
On Saturday , after a tumultuous night , racially diverse crowds took to the streets again for peaceful protests in dozens of cities .
Friday ’ s protests , too , had started calmly — in cities from New York to Oakland , California , from Atlanta to Portland , Oregon — before many descended into violence .
At least two deaths were connected to the demonstrations ; hundreds of people were arrested and police used batons , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back crowds in some cities .
Many departments reported officers were injured , while social media was awash in images of police using forceful tactics , throwing protesters to the ground , using bicycles as shields , and trampling a protester while on horseback .
The unrest this week recalled the riots in Los Angeles nearly 30 years ago after the acquittal of the white police officers who beat Rodney King , a black motorist who had led them on a high-speed chase .
The protests of Floyd ’ s killing have gripped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Minneapolis have yet to approach the staggering totals in Los Angeles .
During the five days of rioting in 1992 , more than 60 died , 2,000-plus were injured and thousands arrested , with property damage topping $ 1 billion .
Many protesters spoke of frustration that Floyd ’ s death was one more in a litany .
It comes in the wake of the killing in Georgia of Ahmaud Arbery , who was shot after being pursued by two white men while running in their neighborhood , and in the middle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ millions out of work , killed more than 100,000 people in the U.S. and disproportionately affected black people .
On Friday , the officer who held his knee to Floyd ’ s neck was arrested and charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter — but that appeared to provide little balm .
Many protesters are demanding the arrests of the three other officers involved .
Comments from President Donald Trump stoked the anger , when he fired off a series of tweets criticizing Minnesota ’ s response , ridiculing people who protested outside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protesters breached the fence , “ they would ... have been greeted with the most vicious dogs , and most ominous weapons , I have ever seen.
” On Saturday , in Tulsa , Oklahoma ’ s Greenwood District , the site of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre that left as many as 300 dead and the city ’ s thriving black district in ruins , protesters blocked intersections and chanted the name of Terence Crutcher , a black man killed by a police officer in 2016 .
Other peaceful protests were being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , New Jersey and Pennsylvania .
Leaders in many affected cities have voiced outrage over Floyd ’ s killing and offered sympathy for those who were protesting — but as unrest intensified , many spoke of the desperate need to protect their cities and said they would call in reinforcements , despite concerns that could lead to more heavy handed tactics .
Minnesota has steadily increased the number of National Guardsmen it says it needs to contain the unrest , and has now called up 1,700 .
The governor is also considering a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Pentagon put on alert .
A person was killed in downtown Detroit just before midnight after someone in an SUV fired shots into a crowd of protesters near the Greektown entertainment district , police said .
And police in St. Louis were investigating the death of a protester who had climbed between two trailers of a Fed Ex truck and was killed when it drove away .
Atlanta saw some of the most extreme unrest .
While crews in that city worked to clean up glass and debris from rioting the night @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Saturday morning still carried the message , “ If you love Atlanta PLEASE GO HOME , ” echoing the mayor ’ s pleas .

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MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Protesters set police cars ablaze, smashed businesses’ windows and skirmished with baton-wielding officers in streets from Atlanta to Los Angeles, as anger over George Floyd’s death spread across the country. Authorities were bracing for more violence Saturday, with some calling in the National Guard to beef up overwhelmed forces.
In Minneapolis, the city where Floyd died Monday after a white police officer pressed a knee into his neck and kept it there for more than eight minutes, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz fully mobilized the state’s National Guard and promised a massive show of force to help quell unrest that has grown increasingly destructive.
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“The situation in Minneapolis is no longer in any way about the murder of George Floyd,” Walz said. “It is about attacking civil society, instilling fear and disrupting our great cities.”
On Saturday, after a tumultuous night, racially diverse crowds took to the streets again for peaceful protests in dozens of cities. Friday’s protests, too, had started calmly — in cities from New York to Oakland, California, from Atlanta to Portland, Oregon — before many descended into violence.
At least two deaths were connected to the demonstrations; hundreds of people were arrested and police used batons, rubber bullets and pepper spray to push back crowds in some cities. Many departments reported officers were injured, while social media was awash in images of police using forceful tactics, throwing protesters to the ground, using bicycles as shields, and trampling a protester while on horseback.
The unrest this week recalled the riots in Los Angeles nearly 30 years ago after the acquittal of the white police officers who beat Rodney King, a black motorist who had led them on a high-speed chase. The protests of Floyd’s killing have gripped many more cities, but the losses in Minneapolis have yet to approach the staggering totals in Los Angeles. During the five days of rioting in 1992, more than 60 died, 2,000-plus were injured and thousands arrested, with property damage topping $1 billion.
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Many protesters spoke of frustration that Floyd’s death was one more in a litany. It comes in the wake of the killing in Georgia of Ahmaud Arbery, who was shot after being pursued by two white men while running in their neighborhood, and in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic that has thrown millions out of work, killed more than 100,000 people in the U.S. and disproportionately affected black people.
On Friday, the officer who held his knee to Floyd’s neck was arrested and charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter — but that appeared to provide little balm. Many protesters are demanding the arrests of the three other officers involved.
Comments from President Donald Trump stoked the anger, when he fired off a series of tweets criticizing Minnesota’s response, ridiculing people who protested outside the White House and warning that if protesters breached the fence, “they would ... have been greeted with the most vicious dogs, and most ominous weapons, I have ever seen.”
On Saturday, in Tulsa, Oklahoma’s Greenwood District, the site of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre that left as many as 300 dead and the city’s thriving black district in ruins, protesters blocked intersections and chanted the name of Terence Crutcher, a black man killed by a police officer in 2016. Other peaceful protests were being held in Delaware, Florida, Massachusetts, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
In Atlanta, Georgia native Jaylen Brown of the Boston Celtics was planning to lead a march Saturday evening downtown from the CNN headquarters to the King Center.
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Leaders in many affected cities have voiced outrage over Floyd’s killing and offered sympathy for those who were protesting — but as unrest intensified, many spoke of the desperate need to protect their cities and said they would call in reinforcements, despite concerns that could lead to more heavy handed tactics.
The unrest prompted responses across the globe. A top Vatican cardinal, Peter Turkson who is from Ghana, urged pastors in the United States to plead for calm, while U.S. national soccer player Weston McKennie wore an armband referencing Floyd’s death while playing for Schalke in Germany’s Bundesliga.
Minnesota has steadily increased the number of National Guardsmen it says it needs to contain the unrest, and has now called up 1,700. The governor is also considering a potential offer of military police, which the Pentagon put on alert.
Governors in Georgia and Kentucky both activated the National Guard after protests there turned violent overnight, while nighttime curfews were put in place in Portland, Oregon, and Cincinnati.
A person was killed in downtown Detroit just before midnight after someone in an SUV fired shots into a crowd of protesters near the Greektown entertainment district, police said. And police in St. Louis were investigating the death of a protester who had climbed between two trailers of a Fed Ex truck and was killed when it drove away.
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Atlanta saw some of the most extreme unrest. While crews in that city worked to clean up glass and debris from rioting the night before, a large electronic billboard on Saturday morning still carried the message, “If you love Atlanta PLEASE GO HOME,” echoing the mayor’s pleas.
National Guard members blocked anyone from approaching heavily damaged buildings, including the College Football Hall of Fame and nearby restaurants.
“This is not in the spirit of Martin Luther King Jr.,” Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said. “You are disgracing the life of George Floyd and every other person who has been killed in this country.”
Video posted to social media showed New York City officers using batons and shoving protesters down as they took people into custody and cleared streets. One video showed on officer slam a woman to the ground as he walked past her in the street.
Underscoring that Floyd’s killing is part of a pattern, the names of black people killed by police, including Eric Garner, who died on Staten Island in 2014, were on signs and in chants.
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“Our country has a sickness. We have to be out here,” said Brianna Petrisko, among those at lower Manhattan’s Foley Square, where most were wearing masks amid the coronavirus pandemic. “This is the only way we’re going to be heard.”
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huffpost--2020-05-07--Nearly 3.2 Million More Americans Filed For Unemployment

Roughly 33.5 million people have now filed for jobless aid in the seven weeks since the coronavirus began forcing millions of companies to close their doors and slash their workforces .
That is the equivalent of one in five Americans who had been employed back in February , when the unemployment rate had reached a 50-year low of just 3.5 % .
On Friday , the government will issue the April jobs report , and it ’ s likely to be the worst since modern record-keeping began after World War II .
The unemployment rate is forecast to reach at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since the Great Depression , and economists estimate that 21 million jobs were lost last month .
If so , it would mean that nearly all the job growth in the 11 years since the Great Recession ended has vanished in a single month .
Even those stunning figures won ’ t fully capture the magnitude of the damage the coronavirus has inflicted on the job market .
Many people who are still employed have had their hours reduced .
Others have suffered pay cuts .
Some who lost jobs in April and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one in light of their bleak prospects won ’ t even be counted as unemployed .
A broader measure — the proportion of adults with jobs — could hit a record low .
The official figures for jobless claims may also be under-counting layoffs .
Surveys by academic economists and think tanks suggest that as many as 12 million workers who were laid off by mid-April did not file for unemployment benefits by then , either because they couldn ’ t navigate their state ’ s overwhelmed systems or they felt too discouraged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ further into what looks like a severe recession , economists are projecting that the gross domestic product — the broadest gauge of economic growth — is contracting in the current April-June quarter by a shocking 40 % annual rate .
As it does , more layoffs appear to be spreading beyond front-line industries like restaurants , hotels and retail stores .
GE Aviation , for example , has said it is cutting up to 13,000 jobs .
Uber will shed 3,700 positions .
MGM Resorts International has announced that the furloughs of more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But the job cuts have hammered workers at restaurants , hotels and retail firms particularly hard .
According to the payroll processor ADP , about half the total jobs in the hotel and restaurant industry — 8.6 million — disappeared in April , based on data from its corporate clients .
A category that includes retail and shipping shed 3.4 million workers .
As businesses across the country have shut down and laid off tens of millions , the economy has sunk into a near-paralysis .
Even as some businesses are beginning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , hotels , restaurants , resorts , sporting venues , movie theaters and many small businesses are still largely shuttered .
Home sales are falling .
Consumer confidence and spending are sinking .
The difference between the 30 million-plus unemployment claims that have been filed in the past several weeks and the expected April job loss of slightly more than 20 million reflects differences in how the figures are compiled .
The government calculates job losses by surveying businesses and households .
It ’ s a net figure that also counts the hiring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many grocery stores , have done .
By contrast , the total jobless claims are a cumulative figure ; they include applications for unemployment aid that began in mid-March .
In addition , the government conducts its surveys for the monthly jobs reports in the middle of each month .
So layoffs from the final two weeks of April won ’ t show up in Friday ’ s jobs report .
They will instead be included in the May jobs report to be released in early June .
After problems with state computer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ benefits for many laid-off workers , all 50 states are now paying the $ 600 extra weekly benefit that the federal government included in a relief package enacted in late March .
That represents a significant help to millions of laid-off workers , many of whom still remain anxious and uncertain .
Jamie Stewart is renting out a spare bedroom in her home to try to make ends meets after losing her job at a southwest Florida resort .
Having applied for unemployment benefits in late March , she finally received her first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Stewart , a 37-year-old resident of Bonita Springs , works as a concierge in the off-season and as a shift manager and bartender in the resort ’ s restaurants .
Florida began some limited reopening of its economy this week , including allowing restaurants to serve customers in outdoor seating .
But Stewart ’ s resort hasn ’ t set a date to reopen its restaurants , and future reservations haven ’ t picked up enough for them to call her back to work .

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WASHINGTON (AP) — Nearly 3.2 million laid-off workers applied for unemployment benefits last week as the business shutdowns caused by the viral outbreak deepened the worst U.S. economic catastrophe in decades.
Roughly 33.5 million people have now filed for jobless aid in the seven weeks since the coronavirus began forcing millions of companies to close their doors and slash their workforces. That is the equivalent of one in five Americans who had been employed back in February, when the unemployment rate had reached a 50-year low of just 3.5%.
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On Friday, the government will issue the April jobs report, and it’s likely to be the worst since modern record-keeping began after World War II. The unemployment rate is forecast to reach at least 16%, the highest rate since the Great Depression, and economists estimate that 21 million jobs were lost last month. If so, it would mean that nearly all the job growth in the 11 years since the Great Recession ended has vanished in a single month.
Even those stunning figures won’t fully capture the magnitude of the damage the coronavirus has inflicted on the job market. Many people who are still employed have had their hours reduced. Others have suffered pay cuts. Some who lost jobs in April and didn’t look for a new one in light of their bleak prospects won’t even be counted as unemployed. A broader measure — the proportion of adults with jobs — could hit a record low.
The official figures for jobless claims may also be under-counting layoffs. Surveys by academic economists and think tanks suggest that as many as 12 million workers who were laid off by mid-April did not file for unemployment benefits by then, either because they couldn’t navigate their state’s overwhelmed systems or they felt too discouraged to try.
As the economy slides further into what looks like a severe recession, economists are projecting that the gross domestic product — the broadest gauge of economic growth — is contracting in the current April-June quarter by a shocking 40% annual rate. As it does, more layoffs appear to be spreading beyond front-line industries like restaurants, hotels and retail stores.
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GE Aviation, for example, has said it is cutting up to 13,000 jobs. Uber will shed 3,700 positions. MGM Resorts International has announced that the furloughs of more than 60,000 employees could turn into layoffs.
But the job cuts have hammered workers at restaurants, hotels and retail firms particularly hard. According to the payroll processor ADP, about half the total jobs in the hotel and restaurant industry — 8.6 million — disappeared in April, based on data from its corporate clients. A category that includes retail and shipping shed 3.4 million workers.
As businesses across the country have shut down and laid off tens of millions, the economy has sunk into a near-paralysis. Even as some businesses are beginning to reopen in certain states, factories, hotels, restaurants, resorts, sporting venues, movie theaters and many small businesses are still largely shuttered. Home sales are falling. Consumer confidence and spending are sinking.
The volume of layoffs exceeds anything Americans have ever suffered in such a brief period.
The difference between the 30 million-plus unemployment claims that have been filed in the past several weeks and the expected April job loss of slightly more than 20 million reflects differences in how the figures are compiled.
The government calculates job losses by surveying businesses and households. It’s a net figure that also counts the hiring that some companies, like Amazon and many grocery stores, have done. By contrast, the total jobless claims are a cumulative figure; they include applications for unemployment aid that began in mid-March.
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In addition, the government conducts its surveys for the monthly jobs reports in the middle of each month. So layoffs from the final two weeks of April won’t show up in Friday’s jobs report. They will instead be included in the May jobs report to be released in early June.
After problems with state computer systems had slowed the distribution of federal benefits for many laid-off workers, all 50 states are now paying the $600 extra weekly benefit that the federal government included in a relief package enacted in late March. That represents a significant help to millions of laid-off workers, many of whom still remain anxious and uncertain.
Jamie Stewart is renting out a spare bedroom in her home to try to make ends meets after losing her job at a southwest Florida resort. Having applied for unemployment benefits in late March, she finally received her first payment of $1,200 this week. Stewart, a 37-year-old resident of Bonita Springs, works as a concierge in the off-season and as a shift manager and bartender in the resort’s restaurants.
After her layoff, she deferred her car payment for two months and cancelled non-necessities like Zoom, Pandora and Netflix. She recently signed up for food stamps, which cover about half her monthly grocery bill.
Florida began some limited reopening of its economy this week, including allowing restaurants to serve customers in outdoor seating. But Stewart’s resort hasn’t set a date to reopen its restaurants, and future reservations haven’t picked up enough for them to call her back to work.
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“My mental health has deteriorated to a point that I don’t recognize myself anymore,” she said. “My eyes are swollen and bloodshot all the time now from regular moments of weakness that leave me completely inconsolable.
“It looks like I have aged 10 years since the lockdown started.”
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huffpost--2020-05-07--UN Increases Appeal To Fight Virus In Poor Countries To $6.7 Billion

UNITED NATIONS ( AP ) — The United Nations announced Thursday it is increasing its appeal to fight the coronavirus pandemic in fragile and vulnerable countries from $ 2 billion to $ 6.7 billion .
U.N. humanitarian chief Mark Lowcock reiterated that the peak of the pandemic is not expected to hit the world ’ s poorest countries for three to six months .
But he said there is already evidence of incomes plummeting and jobs disappearing , food supplies falling and prices soaring , and children missing vaccinations and meals .
Since the original appeal on March 25 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been raised to support efforts across 37 fragile countries to tackle COVID-19 .
Lowcock said “ in the poorest countries we can already see economies contracting as export earnings , remittances and tourism disappear.
” “ Unless we take action now , we should be prepared for a significant rise in conflict , hunger and poverty , ” he warned .
“ The specter of multiple famines looms.
” World Food Program Executive Director David Beasley said the U.N. food agency helps nearly 100 million people on any given day and “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going , the health pandemic will soon be followed by a hunger pandemic.
” Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus , director-general of the World Health Organization , said the caseload in most of the developing countries targeted for assistance in the U.N. appeal “ may seem small , but we know that the surveillance , laboratory testing and health systems ’ capacity in these countries are weak.
” “ It is therefore likely that there is undetected community transmission happening , ” he said .
U.N. refugee chief Filippo Grandi said the impact of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and persecution “ has been devastating.
” He said the needs of refugees , people displaced in their own countries , stateless people and their hosts “ are vast but not insurmountable.
” Lowcock , the humanitarian chief , said the COVID-19 pandemic “ is unlike anything we have dealt with in our lifetime.
” “ Extraordinary measures are needed , ” he said .
“ As we come together to combat this virus , I urge donors to act in both solidarity and in self-interest and make their response proportionate to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ”

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UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United Nations announced Thursday it is increasing its appeal to fight the coronavirus pandemic in fragile and vulnerable countries from $2 billion to $6.7 billion.
U.N. humanitarian chief Mark Lowcock reiterated that the peak of the pandemic is not expected to hit the world’s poorest countries for three to six months. But he said there is already evidence of incomes plummeting and jobs disappearing, food supplies falling and prices soaring, and children missing vaccinations and meals.
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Since the original appeal on March 25, the United Nations said $1 billion has been raised to support efforts across 37 fragile countries to tackle COVID-19.
The updated appeal launched Thursday includes nine additional vulnerable countries: Benin, Djibouti, Liberia, Mozambique, Pakistan, the Philippines, Sierra Leone, Togo and Zimbabwe.
Lowcock said “in the poorest countries we can already see economies contracting as export earnings, remittances and tourism disappear.”
“Unless we take action now, we should be prepared for a significant rise in conflict, hunger and poverty,” he warned. “The specter of multiple famines looms.”
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World Food Program Executive Director David Beasley said the U.N. food agency helps nearly 100 million people on any given day and “unless we can keep those essential operations going, the health pandemic will soon be followed by a hunger pandemic.”
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the World Health Organization, said the caseload in most of the developing countries targeted for assistance in the U.N. appeal “may seem small, but we know that the surveillance, laboratory testing and health systems’ capacity in these countries are weak.”
“It is therefore likely that there is undetected community transmission happening,” he said.
U.N. refugee chief Filippo Grandi said the impact of the pandemic on people who fled wars and persecution “has been devastating.”
He said the needs of refugees, people displaced in their own countries, stateless people and their hosts “are vast but not insurmountable.”
“Only collective action to curb the threat of the coronavirus can save lives,” Grandi said.
Lowcock, the humanitarian chief, said the COVID-19 pandemic “is unlike anything we have dealt with in our lifetime.”
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huffpost--2020-05-07--Betsy DeVos Makes Moves To Quietly Prop Up Private Schools

First , DeVos launched a $ 180 million competitive grant program that will give states access to money from the coronavirus stimulus bill ― known as the CARES Act ― if they apply with a plan to meet students ’ needs amid widespread school closures .
States can apply a plan in one of three categories , including one that would provide “ microgrants ” to families to pay for educational expenses , like tutoring and technology or , if they prefer , private school tuition .
Secondly , DeVos released guidance on how another stream of education funding , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should be doled out among schools .
While funding will be provided directly to public school districts mostly based on the proportion of poor students they serve , the guidance says that private schools ― even affluent ones with affluent students ― are also entitled to a slice of the pie .
Public school groups say this new guidance takes critical funds away from public schools at a time when they need it the most .
Her critics say that the two recent moves help prop up private schools at the expense of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ April represented the most “ successful ” one of DeVos ’ tenure when it comes to enacting her agenda , said Sasha Pudelski , advocacy director of the School Superintendents Association .
The microgrants program , according to Pudelski , is just another example of DeVos taking public dollars and trying to redirect it to families for potential use on private school tuition , bolstering such schools at the cost of public ones .
Indeed , a handful of states already have education savings accounts ( ESA ) programs , which provide families @ @ @ @ @ @ @ education expenses of their choice .
“ We should be thinking about what families need and meeting them where they are , ” said Robert Enlow , president and CEO of EdChoice , a nonprofit school choice research and advocacy group .
Instead of providing money directly to schools ― or “ buildings ” ― the microgrants will put the power in parents ’ hands , to make the choices they believe best serve them , he said .
HuffPost reached out to several states to ask about their plans to apply .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ plan to apply for a federal education grant , but did not yet know in which category ( the other two for K-12 grants involve statewide virtual learning programs and “ new , field-initiated models for providing remote education not yet imagined ” ) .
A Texas official said the state would apply for the virtual learning component of the grant .
But under DeVos ’ new guidance , private school programs are allowed to take CARES money based on how many students they serve ― not just how many of their students @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public districts that will be providing dollars for these private school services are still only allotted the federal funds based on their numbers of low-income kids .
Groups representing public schools say this violates the intent of the law and is inconsistent with precedent .
Indeed , the CARES Act says that services to students in private schools should be provided aid “ in the same manner ” as federal education law details .
The groups are calling on the guidance to be revised , anticipating public funds getting funneled into affluent buildings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Department of Education pushed back on this complaint , noting that “ Congress directed the department to make sure all students are able to be served through the CARES Act , ” according to spokesperson Angela Morabito .
Only providing money for low-income private school students , she said , would place private school teachers and students at an unfair disadvantage .
Myra McGovern , vice president of media for the National Association of Independent Schools , says few of the 1,600 schools her organization works with currently take advantage of Title I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infringe on their autonomy .
She ’ s unsure if this could change as the coronavirus crisis continues to worsen .

Secretary of Education Betsy Devos. JIM WATSON via Getty Images
During the last week of April, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos made two under-the-radar moves to help bolster private schools ― actions that some school choice proponents praise but that critics say come at the expense of public education.
First, DeVos launched a $180 million competitive grant program that will give states access to money from the coronavirus stimulus bill ― known as the CARES Act ― if they apply with a plan to meet students’ needs amid widespread school closures. States can apply a plan in one of three categories, including one that would provide “microgrants” to families to pay for educational expenses, like tutoring and technology or, if they prefer, private school tuition.
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Secondly, DeVos released guidance on how another stream of education funding, also created by the stimulus bill, should be doled out among schools. While funding will be provided directly to public school districts mostly based on the proportion of poor students they serve, the guidance says that private schools ― even affluent ones with affluent students ― are also entitled to a slice of the pie. Public school groups say this new guidance takes critical funds away from public schools at a time when they need it the most.
DeVos has staked her tenure on helping to expand choice programs that provide funding to families to help them pay for private schools. She has unsuccessfully pushed a federal choice program that would provide billions in tax credits to incentivize donations to private school scholarship programs.
Her critics say that the two recent moves help prop up private schools at the expense of public ones. The last week in April represented the most “successful” one of DeVos’ tenure when it comes to enacting her agenda, said Sasha Pudelski, advocacy director of the School Superintendents Association.
“I can’t think of another week where she’s had two major victories like this, in terms of redirecting federal resources to private schools,” Pudelski said.
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But private school and school choice boosters insist the moves should not be seen as political, depicting them as ways to help a flailing sector and struggling families amid an unprecedented crisis.
“Divisive, Ideologically Driven Policy Priorities”
The microgrants program, according to Pudelski, is just another example of DeVos taking public dollars and trying to redirect it to families for potential use on private school tuition, bolstering such schools at the cost of public ones. Indeed, a handful of states already have education savings accounts (ESA) programs, which provide families with public dollars to spend on the education expenses of their choice.
Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) has described the microgrants as “vouchers” by another name. Voucher programs take public funds and funnel them to scholarships for private schools. She said the grant program, meant to provide necessary relief as schools transition to distance learning, promotes “divisive, ideologically driven policy priorities.”
In other words, DeVos is using the response to the coronavirus pandemic to push a notoriously polarizing concept, one that mostly serves to lift up religious schools ― as they’re the typical beneficiary of voucher funds, per a previous HuffPost investigation.
“At best, the secretary is exploiting emergency relief legislation to insert secretarial priorities not outlined in this section of the CARES Act,” DeLauro said in a statement. “At worst, the secretary is deliberately misreading the law to conjure up purposes for these resources that were not provided.”
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School choice advocates have lauded the microgrants program as family-centered in a time of crisis.
“We should be thinking about what families need and meeting them where they are,” said Robert Enlow, president and CEO of EdChoice, a nonprofit school choice research and advocacy group. Instead of providing money directly to schools ― or “buildings” ― the microgrants will put the power in parents’ hands, to make the choices they believe best serve them, he said.
HuffPost reached out to several states to ask about their plans to apply. New York and Arizona officials said they plan to apply for a federal education grant, but did not yet know in which category (the other two for K-12 grants involve statewide virtual learning programs and “new, field-initiated models for providing remote education not yet imagined”). A Texas official said the state would apply for the virtual learning component of the grant.
A spokesperson for the Indiana Department of Education ― a state that already has an expansive private school choice system ― said it would apply for a microgrant.
Public Schools On The Brink
DeVos’ second move has the potential to devastate public school finances at a time when the systems are already anticipating draconian cuts, according to public school groups. One group representing big-city districts has estimated layoffs of up to 275,000 teachers without more relief.
Private schools, on the other hand, which only educate about 10% of the nation’s kids, say the funding provides a lifeline at a time when their finances are flailing, as well.
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Last Friday, DeVos released guidance regarding the distribution of $13.5 billion in CARES Act education relief. The amount of money school districts receive from this pot is mostly determined through an established Title I formula, which under the nation’s education law gives more federal money to areas serving high proportions of low-income students.
Typically, in a provision of the law called “equitable services,” private school programs are also entitled to a portion of Title I funds provided to their local public school districts, based on the number of poor students the private institutions serve.
But under DeVos’ new guidance, private school programs are allowed to take CARES money based on how many students they serve ― not just how many of their students are in poverty. Meanwhile, the public districts that will be providing dollars for these private school services are still only allotted the federal funds based on their numbers of low-income kids.
Groups representing public schools say this violates the intent of the law and is inconsistent with precedent. Indeed, the CARES Act says that services to students in private schools should be provided aid “in the same manner” as federal education law details. The groups are calling on the guidance to be revised, anticipating public funds getting funneled into affluent buildings serving groups of privileged students.
“Absent these edits, the CARES Act equitable services guidance is inequitable and creates an environment where wealthy children in private schools are counted … at the direct expense of low-income children remaining in public schools,” said a letter sent to DeVos on Tuesday from the School Superintendents Association and the two national teacher unions.
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Another letter from the Council of Chief State School Officers to DeVos noted that in one Louisiana parish, “at least 77% of its CARES formula allocation would be directed to non-public schools in the area.”
The Department of Education pushed back on this complaint, noting that “Congress directed the department to make sure all students are able to be served through the CARES Act,” according to spokesperson Angela Morabito. Only providing money for low-income private school students, she said, would place private school teachers and students at an unfair disadvantage.
Private Schools Need A Bailout, Too
At least one group representing private schools said it doesn’t foresee them taking advantage of the new access to funds.
Myra McGovern, vice president of media for the National Association of Independent Schools, says few of the 1,600 schools her organization works with currently take advantage of Title I money, for fear doing so could infringe on their autonomy. She’s unsure if this could change as the coronavirus crisis continues to worsen.
But some private school groups say that they’re also anticipating devastating losses, that the CARES Act is not a Title I program and necessitates a different distribution of funds, and that they, too, need all the help they can get.
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“Every kid in public school and private schools is affected [by this crisis], it’s not dependent upon whether they are poor,” said Sister Dale McDonald, director of public policy for the National Catholic Education Association. “Everybody is at risk during this time frame, trying to learn under really trying circumstances.”
McDonald said Catholic schools are hemorrhaging money ― that families are no longer able to pay tuition, that churches haven’t been able to take up collections to help support the schools, that institutions have had to cancel their springtime fundraisers.
She’s already heard from 100 schools that do not believe they’re going to be able to reopen.
“Every school deserves better,” she said.
A HuffPost Guide To Coronavirus


huffpost--2020-05-07--Trump Administration Shelves CDC Guide To Reopening Country During Pandemic

It was supposed to be published last Friday , but agency scientists were told the guidance “ would never see the light of day , ” according to a CDC official .
The official was not authorized to talk to reporters and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity .
The Trump administration has been closely controlling the release of guidance and information during the pandemic spurred by a new coronavirus that scientists are still trying to understand , with the president himself leading freewheeling daily briefings until last week .
Traditionally , it ’ s been the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public and local officials guidance and science-based information during public health crises .
During this one , however , the CDC has not had a regular , pandemic-related news briefing in nearly two months .
CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield has been a member of the White House coronavirus task force , but largely absent from public appearances .
“ CDC has always been the public health agency Americans turn to in a time of crisis , ” said Dr. Howard Koh , a Harvard professor and former health official in the Obama @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” pandemic in 2009 .
“ The standard in a crisis is to turn to them for the latest data and latest guidance and the latest press briefing .
That has not occurred , and everyone sees that.
” The Trump administration has instead sought to put the onus on states to handle COVID-19 response .
This approach to managing the pandemic has been reflected in President Donald Trump ’ s public statements , from the assertion that he isn ’ t responsible for the country ’ s lackluster early testing efforts , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ federal government ’ s role as a “ supplier of last resort ” for states in need of testing aid .
The rejected reopening guidance was described by one of the federal officials as a touchstone document that was to be used as a blueprint for other groups inside the CDC who are creating the same type of instructional materials for other facilities .
The guidance contained detailed advice for making site-specific decisions related to reopening schools , restaurants , summer camps , churches , day care centers and other institutions .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and included detailed “ decision trees , ” flow charts to be used by local officials to think through different scenarios .
One page of the document can be found on the CDC website via search engines , but it did not appear to be linked to any other CDC pages .
But the shelved report also said that as restaurants start seating diners again , they should space tables at least 6 feet apart and try to use phone app technology to alert a patron when their table is ready to avoid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That ’ s not on the CDC ’ s site now .
“ You can say that restaurants can open and you need to follow social distancing guidelines .
But restaurants want to know , ‘ What does that look like ?
’ States would like more guidance , ” said Dr. Marcus Plescia , chief medical officer of the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials .
The White House ’ s own “ Opening Up America Again ” guidelines released last month were more vague than the CDC ’ s unpublished @ @ @ @ @ @ @ governments to reopen in accordance with federal and local “ regulations and guidance , ” and to monitor employees for symptoms of COVID-19 .
The White House guidance also included advice developed earlier in the pandemic that remains important like social distancing and encouraging working from home .
A person close to the White House ’ s coronavirus task force said the CDC documents were never cleared by CDC leadership for public release .
The person said that White House officials don ’ t want to offer detailed guidance for how specific sectors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ slippery slope ” because the virus is affecting various parts of the country differently .
Still , behind the scenes , CDC scientists like those who produced the guidance for “ Opening Up America Again″ are working to get information to local governments .
The agency still employs hundreds of the world ’ s most respected epidemiologists and doctors , who in times of crisis are looked to for their expertise , said former CDC director Tom Frieden .
People have clicked on the CDC ’ s coronavirus website more than 1.2 billion @ @

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GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — A set of detailed documents created by the nation’s top disease investigators meant to give step-by-step advice to local leaders deciding when and how to reopen public places such as mass transit, day care centers and restaurants during the still-raging pandemic has been shelved by the Trump administration.
The 17-page report by a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention team, titled “Guidance for Implementing the Opening Up America Again Framework,” was researched and written to help faith leaders, business owners, educators and state and local officials as they begin to reopen.
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It was supposed to be published last Friday, but agency scientists were told the guidance “would never see the light of day,” according to a CDC official. The official was not authorized to talk to reporters and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.
The AP obtained a copy from a second federal official who was not authorized to release it. The guidance was described in AP stories last week, prior to the White House decision to shelve it.
The Trump administration has been closely controlling the release of guidance and information during the pandemic spurred by a new coronavirus that scientists are still trying to understand, with the president himself leading freewheeling daily briefings until last week.
Traditionally, it’s been the CDC’s role to give the public and local officials guidance and science-based information during public health crises. During this one, however, the CDC has not had a regular, pandemic-related news briefing in nearly two months. CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield has been a member of the White House coronavirus task force, but largely absent from public appearances.
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The dearth of real-time, public information from the nation’s experts has struck many current and former government health officials as dangerous.
“CDC has always been the public health agency Americans turn to in a time of crisis,” said Dr. Howard Koh, a Harvard professor and former health official in the Obama administration during the H1N1 “swine flu” pandemic in 2009. “The standard in a crisis is to turn to them for the latest data and latest guidance and the latest press briefing. That has not occurred, and everyone sees that.”
The Trump administration has instead sought to put the onus on states to handle COVID-19 response. This approach to managing the pandemic has been reflected in President Donald Trump’s public statements, from the assertion that he isn’t responsible for the country’s lackluster early testing efforts, to his description last week of the federal government’s role as a “supplier of last resort” for states in need of testing aid.
White House spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany echoed that at a briefing Wednesday. “We’ve consulted individually with states, but as I said, it’s (a) governor-led effort. It’s a state-led effort on ... which the federal government will consult. And we do so each and every day.”
The rejected reopening guidance was described by one of the federal officials as a touchstone document that was to be used as a blueprint for other groups inside the CDC who are creating the same type of instructional materials for other facilities.
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The guidance contained detailed advice for making site-specific decisions related to reopening schools, restaurants, summer camps, churches, day care centers and other institutions. It had been widely shared within CDC, and included detailed “decision trees,” flow charts to be used by local officials to think through different scenarios. One page of the document can be found on the CDC website via search engines, but it did not appear to be linked to any other CDC pages.
Some of the report’s suggestions already appear on federal websites. But the guidance offered specific, tailored recommendations for reopening in one place.
For example, the report suggested restaurants and bars should install sneeze guards at cash registers and avoid having buffets, salad bars and drink stations. Similar tips appear on the CDC’s site and a Food and Drug Administration page.
But the shelved report also said that as restaurants start seating diners again, they should space tables at least 6 feet apart and try to use phone app technology to alert a patron when their table is ready to avoid touching and use of “buzzers.” That’s not on the CDC’s site now.
“You can say that restaurants can open and you need to follow social distancing guidelines. But restaurants want to know, ‘What does that look like?’ States would like more guidance,” said Dr. Marcus Plescia, chief medical officer of the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials.
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The White House’s own “Opening Up America Again” guidelines released last month were more vague than the CDC’s unpublished report. They instructed state and local governments to reopen in accordance with federal and local “regulations and guidance,” and to monitor employees for symptoms of COVID-19. The White House guidance also included advice developed earlier in the pandemic that remains important like social distancing and encouraging working from home.
A person close to the White House’s coronavirus task force said the CDC documents were never cleared by CDC leadership for public release. The person said that White House officials don’t want to offer detailed guidance for how specific sectors can reopen, calling it a “slippery slope” because the virus is affecting various parts of the country differently.
CDC is hearing daily from state and county health departments looking for scientifically valid information with which to make informed decisions.
Still, behind the scenes, CDC scientists like those who produced the guidance for “Opening Up America Again″ are working to get information to local governments. The agency still employs hundreds of the world’s most respected epidemiologists and doctors, who in times of crisis are looked to for their expertise, said former CDC director Tom Frieden. People have clicked on the CDC’s coronavirus website more than 1.2 billion times.
States that directly reach out to the CDC can tap guidance that’s been prepared, but that the White House has not released yet.
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“I don’t think that any state feels that the CDC is deficient. It’s just the process of getting stuff out,” Plescia said.
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Stobbe reported from New York. Associated Press writers Darlene Superville and Zeke Miller in Washington contributed to this report.
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The Associated Press receives support for health and science coverage from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.


huffpost--2020-05-07--Liberal Groups Urge Fed To Block Mergers Under Coronavirus Bailout

Win McNamee via Getty Images Nine progressive organizations sent a letter to Fed Chairman Jerome Powell urging him to block any company that receives rescue funding from engaging in merger activity .
When the Senate unanimously passed the coronavirus rescue package in March , it opted against putting substantive restrictions on how companies use the emergency funding .
The bailouts have very few strings attached , allowing large corporations to buy back stock , pay out dividends to shareholders , funnel millions of dollars directly to executives and go on merger binges to buy up smaller , weaker competitors .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ overseeing up to $ 4 trillion in funding under the rescue plan , still commands significant influence over how companies use this money .
So this week , nine progressive organizations , led by the American Economic Liberties Project , sent a letter to Fed Chairman Jerome Powell urging him to block any company that receives rescue funding from engaging in merger activity .
By snapping up their rivals , big firms can eliminate sources of competition on worker pay and consumer price .
Economists believe that one reason wage growth was so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the 2008 financial crisis was that firms engaged in a historic merger binge in the aftermath of the crash .
Some of those blockbuster deals resulted in immediate , massive layoffs .
When Pfizer acquired Wyeth Pharmaceuticals , they eliminated 19,500 jobs ( even as Wyeth executives received a cool $ 75 million ) .
But layoffs ― which we ’ re already seeing in jaw-dropping numbers due to the pandemic itself ― are only part of the damage that mergers do to working people .
With fewer companies competing for pharmaceutical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ industry as a whole enjoyed a decline in pressure to pay better salaries or offer better benefits in order to keep employees from jumping ship .
“ Unless the Federal Reserve bans the use of [ bailout ] funding for mergers and acquisitions , this could result in a major restructuring of American businesses that increases the power of large corporations , ” said Marcus Stanley , policy director at Americans for Financial Reform , a Wall Street watchdog organization that also signed Thursday ’ s letter .
Due to the weak oversight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ essentially reduced to begging Fed Chairman Powell to do the right thing .
But Powell has responded to previous appeals for accountability .
When Bharat Rhamamurti , a Democratic member of the official oversight panel for the coronavirus bailout , asked the Fed to publicly disclose every rescue transaction it makes under the program , Powell assented .
That commitment to transparency is sharply different from the Fed ’ s approach during the last financial crisis , when the central bank refused to disclose detailed information about its emergency operations until courts ruled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ passed legislation requiring an audit .
“ The Federal Reserve must make sure corporations do not use public money to consolidate markets and create new monopolies , ” Matthew Stoller , research director for the American Economic Liberties Project , said in a written statement .
Antitrust policy has become a flashpoint on both the left and right over the past few years , with think tanks , including the Open Markets Institute , seeking to persuade legislators that excessive corporate concentration is undermining workers ’ power and business performance .
But whatever @ @ @ @ @ @ @ economic downturns tend to exacerbate corporate concentration .
As small companies fail , large firms with access to cash swoop in to grab their market share .
With the Fed providing trillions of dollars in liquidity to large firms in the current crisis , the potential for a wave of hyper-consolidation is acute .
In their letter on Thursday , liberal groups emphasized , in particular , the danger of large private equity firms using that funding to take over productive businesses and reduce payrolls .
The other groups involved in the letter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Economy , Demand Progress , the Institute for Local Self Reliance , Main Street Alliance , Public Citizen and the Public Equity Stakeholder Project .

Nine progressive organizations sent a letter to Fed Chairman Jerome Powell urging him to block any company that receives rescue funding from engaging in merger activity. Win McNamee via Getty Images
When the Senate unanimously passed the coronavirus rescue package in March, it opted against putting substantive restrictions on how companies use the emergency funding. The bailouts have very few strings attached, allowing large corporations to buy back stock, pay out dividends to shareholders, funnel millions of dollars directly to executives and go on merger binges to buy up smaller, weaker competitors.
But the Federal Reserve, which is overseeing up to $4 trillion in funding under the rescue plan, still commands significant influence over how companies use this money. So this week, nine progressive organizations, led by the American Economic Liberties Project, sent a letter to Fed Chairman Jerome Powell urging him to block any company that receives rescue funding from engaging in merger activity.
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“The Fed must aggressively attempt to retain institutional credibility as a neutral actor in our economic order,” the groups wrote. “It should not help finance a merger wave that leads to large-scale consolidation.”
By snapping up their rivals, big firms can eliminate sources of competition on worker pay and consumer price. Economists believe that one reason wage growth was so slow over the course of the recovery from the 2008 financial crisis was that firms engaged in a historic merger binge in the aftermath of the crash. Some of those blockbuster deals resulted in immediate, massive layoffs. When Pfizer acquired Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, they eliminated 19,500 jobs (even as Wyeth executives received a cool $75 million).
But layoffs ― which we’re already seeing in jaw-dropping numbers due to the pandemic itself ― are only part of the damage that mergers do to working people. With fewer companies competing for pharmaceutical workers after the Pfizer-Wyeth merger, the industry as a whole enjoyed a decline in pressure to pay better salaries or offer better benefits in order to keep employees from jumping ship.
“Unless the Federal Reserve bans the use of [bailout] funding for mergers and acquisitions, this could result in a major restructuring of American businesses that increases the power of large corporations,” said Marcus Stanley, policy director at Americans for Financial Reform, a Wall Street watchdog organization that also signed Thursday’s letter.
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Due to the weak oversight provided by Congress, liberal groups are essentially reduced to begging Fed Chairman Powell to do the right thing. But Powell has responded to previous appeals for accountability. When Bharat Rhamamurti, a Democratic member of the official oversight panel for the coronavirus bailout, asked the Fed to publicly disclose every rescue transaction it makes under the program, Powell assented. That commitment to transparency is sharply different from the Fed’s approach during the last financial crisis, when the central bank refused to disclose detailed information about its emergency operations until courts ruled against it in a lawsuit and Congress passed legislation requiring an audit.
The groups involved in Thursday’s letter are hoping for a similar result on merger restrictions.
“The Federal Reserve must make sure corporations do not use public money to consolidate markets and create new monopolies,” Matthew Stoller, research director for the American Economic Liberties Project, said in a written statement.
Antitrust policy has become a flashpoint on both the left and right over the past few years, with think tanks, including the Open Markets Institute, seeking to persuade legislators that excessive corporate concentration is undermining workers’ power and business performance. But whatever the intellectual climate on Capitol Hill, economic downturns tend to exacerbate corporate concentration. As small companies fail, large firms with access to cash swoop in to grab their market share. With the Fed providing trillions of dollars in liquidity to large firms in the current crisis, the potential for a wave of hyper-consolidation is acute. In their letter on Thursday, liberal groups emphasized, in particular, the danger of large private equity firms using that funding to take over productive businesses and reduce payrolls.
“It’s critical to ensure that the Federal Reserve doesn’t accidentally finance a wave of unnecessary private equity buy-outs,” said Eileen Appelbaum, co-director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research, which joined the letter.
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The other groups involved in the letter were the Action Center for Race and the Economy, Demand Progress, the Institute for Local Self Reliance, Main Street Alliance, Public Citizen and the Public Equity Stakeholder Project.
Zach Carter is the author of “The Price of Peace: Money, Democracy, and the Life of John Maynard Keynes,” available for pre-order from Random House.


huffpost--2020-04-29--Jada Pinkett Smith Says She Had Huge Revelation About Her Marriage During Lockdown

Couples cooped up together during the coronavirus pandemic are learning new things about each other .
But for Jada Pinkett Smith , self-isolating with Will Smith made her realize that she doesn ’ t know her husband “ at all ” after 23 years of marriage .
The “ Girls Trip ” star got candid about how the current global health crisis is putting a strain on her relationship during the most recent episode of her Facebook Watch show , “ Red Table Talk , ” alongside daughter Willow Smith and mother Adrienne Banfield Norris .
“ One of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t know Will at all , ” Pinkett Smith said in a clip from this week ’ s episode , calling the current moment very “ challenging.
” The actress added that when the two encounter a bump in the road , her instinct goes “ straight to fight , ” which doesn ’ t exactly breed intimacy .
But instead of letting a disconnect divide them , the two are getting back to basics .
“ The thing that Will and I are learning to do is be friends , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into all these ideas of what intimate relationships are supposed to look like , what marriages are supposed to be.
” “ Will and I are in the process of him taking the time to learn to love himself , me taking the time to learn to love myself and us building a friendship along the way , ” she continued .
Holding a mirror up to their relationship also allowed Pinkett Smith to reexamine some long-held misconceptions about how the two see each other .
“ Let me tell you , that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to somebody 20-some-odd years and realize I don ’ t know you and you don ’ t know me and also realizing there ’ s an aspect of yourself you don ’ t know either , ” she said .
The couple have been one of the most forthcoming in Hollywood about their marital issues , diving into everything from jealousy over past relationships , differing parenting philosophies and “ betrayals of the heart ” on the popular talk show .
While the “ Bad Boys ” star wasn ’ t present to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did pop up on last month ’ s coronavirus-themed episode , where he cleared up some misconceptions about the respiratory disease .
“ I wanted to do this because in 2008 I made ‘ I Am Legend , ’ so I feel responsible for a lot of the misinformation , ” he said , encouraging people not to dismiss advice from the medical community and practice social distancing .
“ My character was a virologist , so I had an opportunity in my preparation for the role to go to the CDC , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a basic foundational comprehension of viruses and viral pathogens that I developed and it really changed my life and how I looked at the world .
There ’ s basic concepts that people do not understand .
”

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Couples cooped up together during the coronavirus pandemic are learning new things about each other.
But for Jada Pinkett Smith, self-isolating with Will Smith made her realize that she doesn’t know her husband “at all” after 23 years of marriage.
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The “Girls Trip” star got candid about how the current global health crisis is putting a strain on her relationship during the most recent episode of her Facebook Watch show, “Red Table Talk,” alongside daughter Willow Smith and mother Adrienne Banfield Norris.
“One of the things I realize is that I don’t know Will at all,” Pinkett Smith said in a clip from this week’s episode, calling the current moment very “challenging.”
“You’re forced to look at things differently,” she continued.
The actress added that when the two encounter a bump in the road, her instinct goes “straight to fight,” which doesn’t exactly breed intimacy.
Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith attend premiere of "Gemini Man" in October 2019. Axelle/Bauer-Griffin via Getty Images
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But instead of letting a disconnect divide them, the two are getting back to basics.
“The thing that Will and I are learning to do is be friends,” Pinkett Smith said. “You get into all these ideas of what intimate relationships are supposed to look like, what marriages are supposed to be.”
“Will and I are in the process of him taking the time to learn to love himself, me taking the time to learn to love myself and us building a friendship along the way,” she continued.
Holding a mirror up to their relationship also allowed Pinkett Smith to reexamine some long-held misconceptions about how the two see each other.
“Let me tell you, that’s been something to be married to somebody 20-some-odd years and realize I don’t know you and you don’t know me and also realizing there’s an aspect of yourself you don’t know either,” she said.
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The couple have been one of the most forthcoming in Hollywood about their marital issues, diving into everything from jealousy over past relationships, differing parenting philosophies and “betrayals of the heart” on the popular talk show.
While the “Bad Boys” star wasn’t present to weigh in on this discussion, he did pop up on last month’s coronavirus-themed episode, where he cleared up some misconceptions about the respiratory disease.
“I wanted to do this because in 2008 I made ‘I Am Legend,’ so I feel responsible for a lot of the misinformation,” he said, encouraging people not to dismiss advice from the medical community and practice social distancing.
“My character was a virologist, so I had an opportunity in my preparation for the role to go to the CDC,” he explained. “There was a basic foundational comprehension of viruses and viral pathogens that I developed and it really changed my life and how I looked at the world. There’s basic concepts that people do not understand.”


huffpost--2020-03-27--800,000 Physicians Tell Trump Social Distancing Must Continue

“ Easter ’ s a very special day for me , ” Trump told Fox News on Tuesday .
“ @ @ @ @ @ great to have all of the churches full ?
You ’ ll have packed churches @ @ @ @ @ I think it would be a beautiful time.
” “ Federal , state , and @ @ @ @ @ a date for lifting nationwide social distancing restrictions consistent with assessments by public health and @ @ @ @ @ letter from CMSS said .
“ Lifting restrictions sooner will gravely jeopardize the health of @ @ @ @ @ devastation of the COVID-19 pandemic.
” Read the full letter from the Council of Medical @ @ @ @

“Easter’s a very special day for me,” Trump told Fox News on Tuesday. “Wouldn’t it be great to have all of the churches full? You’ll have packed churches all over our country. I think it would be a beautiful time.”
Medical professionals disagree.
“Federal, state, and local governments should only set a date for lifting nationwide social distancing restrictions consistent with assessments by public health and medical experts,” the letter from CMSS said. “Lifting restrictions sooner will gravely jeopardize the health of all Americans and extend the devastation of the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Read the full letter from the Council of Medical Specialty Societies here.