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sports Diahuebs 29 OctOber 2020

Fans' return to Bundesliga cut short as virus numbers rise

(AP) — The Bundesliga emergency," Merkel said pions League match against overall death toll to 10,098. to stabilize the rate of new in-
will have to play without as she outlined the reasons Zenit St. Petersburg on fections so we can get them
fans again after the tenta- behind closing restaurants, Wednesday would also take "We have to flatten the curve, down again." Merkel said.
tive return of spectators bars, clubs, cinemas, theaters place in an empty stadium.
was cut short due to rising and other leisure facilities for
coronavirus infections in four weeks. "Fans and clubs have imple-
Germany. mented hygiene and distance
The Bundesliga has been rules almost without excep-
Chancellor Angela Merkel playing with limited or no tion in a disciplined manner
and governors of the coun- fans present this season any- wherever possible and have
try's 16 states passed new way, with teams following thus lived up to their respon-
restrictions on Wednesday local restrictions based on sibility," the German soccer
in a bid to contain the virus, infection rates. But Wednes- league said in a statement.
meaning professional soc- day's new measures are the "It's therefore unfortunate if
cer matches will have to be first nationwide clampdown this is no longer possible. We
played without spectators since the Bundesliga's two- hope that the adopted mea-
starting Monday and for the month suspension when the sures will have a quick and
rest of November. Amateur pandemic began in March. lasting effect."
sports and leisure activities
were suspended, with the Borussia Mönchengladbach Germany's disease control
exception of individual exer- and Schalke had already an- agency earlier reported a re-
cises. nounced that their Bundes- cord 14,964 new infections
liga games this weekend will over the previous 24 hours,
"We must act, and now, to played without fans, while and another 27 COVID
avoid an acute national health Borussia Dortmund's Cham- 19-related deaths, taking the

Russell Wilson, Ciara fund charter school in Seattle area

(AP) — Football star Rus- emy is expected to open in Washington was among the become immensely polariz-
sell Wilson and his wife Ci- In need of cash, they reached fall 2021, just as the dead- last U.S. states to adopt a ing politically.
ara, the Grammy-winning out to Wilson's foundation line to authorize new charter charter school law allowing
performer, are the latest recently and landed the part- schools is set to expire in the privately run schools to oper- Democrats are now largely
wealthy philanthropists to nership. Canfield said the state. ate on contracts, or charters, unified against President
back a charter school — superstar couple's generos- and receive taxpayer money. Donald Trump's administra-
though the celebrity cou- ity will be honored with the Washington currently has 12 tion and Secretary of Edu-
ple say they're not focused school's name change to Why charter schools open with The state's hard-fought and cation Betsy DeVos' priori-
on the politically charged Not You Academy but that 3,639 students, according to long-troubled path here to ties on charters and private
school choice issue and Wilson and Ciara won't be records from the state educa- permitting charter schools school vouchers.
undeterred by challenges involved in the school's day- tion department. included three failed ballot
that have plagued Wash- to-day operations. measures before a fourth try DeVos has been villainized as
ington state's charter sec- Four others are authorized was narrowly approved in a crusader bent on privatiz-
tor. In an interview with The As- but not operating — either 2012. Then there were two ing the U.S. education sys-
sociated Press, Wilson and shut down because of CO- major lawsuits challenging tem. The wealthy Republi-
Through their Why Not You Ciara said they jumped at the VID or are still building their the law before the Supreme can heiress has long slammed
Foundation, Wilson and Ci- opportunity to help launch programs for future enroll- Court ruled in support of the public school status quo
ara are contributing about the school. It focuses on aca- ment. Washington's charter charter schools, settling the as the ultimate roadblock to
$1.75 million to rebrand an demics, personalized student law allows for up to 40 pub- matter in 2018. equity for the nation's most
existing charter program plans and internships and licly funded, privately run vulnerable students.
known as Cascade Midway mentorships for underserved charter schools to set up by Charter schools are not sub-
Academy, just south of Se- Black and brown students. 2021. ject to the same rules or stan- Wilson, joining a long line of
attle. It's where the couple The couple said they hope dards governing traditional celebrities that have launched
have their home base because this will be the first of many Besides the difficulties the public schools, so those who schools, said the couple's
Wilson plays quarterback for Why Not You Academy sites pandemic created for schools, embrace them promote them charter school financing is
the Seattle Seahawks football across the country. the charter school environ- as hubs of innovation and al- not a political statement.
team. ment in Washington state has ternatives for students strug-
"I'm really confident...about been destabilized for years by gling in typical school sys- He instead pointed to their
The Cascade high school the team that we have here a barrage of legal, financial tems, particularly children in foundation's education phi-
program was set to debut and how we're building and enrollment uncertain- poor, urban areas. Studies on lanthropy work that spans the
this year before the pan- things out," Ciara said. "We're ties. the schools' academic success globe.
demic forced founders Garth passionate about everything. are mixed.
Reeves and Scott Canfield to We're all in on this." While the total number of Among the youth-focused
delay opening. The Why Not You Acad- schools and students have Critics, particularly teacher programs Wilson and Ci-
steadily increased each year, unions, say charter schools ara have supported are the
nearly a third of charter pro- lack accountability and trans- Seattle-based Rainier Schol-
grams with students have parency expected of public ars program that helps low-
shut down since the state's institutions and drain much- income students of color
first charter school opened in need taxpayer money away prepare for college and the
2014. from the neighborhood pub- Rwanda Girls Initiative,
lic schools that educate the which runs a science and
"We can't speak for other vast majority of all U.S. stu- technology-focused boarding
schools but great progress dents. school for girls in Africa.
does come with setbacks," "We've been so commit-
Canfield said. "Our focus is While Democrats and Re- ted over the past four years
on what we can do and what publicans have supported to education," Wilson said.
we can control." charter schools in the past, "This isn't anything political
the issue of school choice has for us."