Page 2 - aruba-today-20201208

A2 UP FRONT
Tuesday 8 december 2020

Continued from Front "This is a good day for New
The virus is blamed for more York City, even against a
than 280,000 deaths and tough backdrop," de Blasio
over 14.8 million confirmed said Monday.
infections in the U.S, with Miriam Petrovitch was
the crisis widely expected among staffers welcom-
to worsen in the coming ing children back at an el-
weeks because of Ameri- ementary school on Man-
cans' disregard of warnings hattan's Lower East Side.
to stay home and avoid "We miss them dearly,"
others over Thanksgiving. Petrovitch, who works as a
Health officials say the vi- parent coordinator, said at
rus does not appear to be a union news conference.
spreading rapidly in class- "There's no school without
rooms themselves, perhaps children."
because children may After closing schools in
be less likely to spread or March, New York became
contract the virus. Instead, one of the first large U.S. cit-
many cases among young- ies to reopen classrooms in
sters and educators have September, but the major-
been traced to activities ity of parents chose online-
outside school. only learning for their chil-
Still, the infections have dren. Other parents chose
alarmed parents and edu- a hybrid in which students
cators, and the illnesses were in their classrooms
and quarantines among A parent, center, completes a form granting permission for random COVID-19 testing for students only a few days a week.
teachers and other em- as he arrives with his daughter, left, at P.S. 134 Henrietta Szold Elementary School, Monday, Dec. Since the beginning of the
ployees have left some 7, 2020, in New York. New York City school year,
schools short of adult super- Associated Press more than 1,740 students
vision. and 2,240 staff in the pub-
At the same time, parents ering cutting back on how 50-year-old Staci Blakely, a ings would close after the lic system have gotten the
and others have com- much time students spend third grade teacher in Lex- city crossed a threshold of virus, according to city sta-
plained that children are in the classroom. More ington. 3% in the share of coronavi- tistics.
not getting a good educa- than 2,450 new COVID-19 At least four school districts rus tests coming back posi- It's been a struggle for
tion at home in front of a cases have been reported in South Carolina have re- tive for the virus. The rate is American schoolchildren
computer. And the switch in South Carolina in each of turned to all-virtual learn- now 5%, according to the for the entire year — aca-
to remote learning has the past three days. ing. The largest so far, Or- city, but de Blasio said new demically, psychologically
caused hardship for many A teacher group there is angeburg County, sent its testing protocols made it and physically.
families by forcing parents asking districts to go back 12,000 students home to safe to reopen classrooms, School districts across the
to watch over their children to all-virtual teaching un- learn, starting Monday, un- in part because few infec- country, both big and small,
instead of going to work. til the spike can be flat- til at least the end of Christ- tions have been linked to have reported an increase
In South Carolina, where tened, citing not just health mas break. Nearly a quar- transmission inside schools. in the number of students
COVID-19 cases have concerns but a shortage ter of the state's districts are About 190,000 students are failing classes. Students for
spiked to levels higher than of adults to keep students teaching in person every eligible to return. Middle whom English is not their
those seen when the state safe. day. schools and high schools native language, students
was one of the nation's The plea was given more In New York, Mayor Bill de will remain all-remote at with disabilities and poor
hot spots over the summer, emotional weight after Blasio announced just last least until after the holiday children are suffering the
school districts are consid- the death on Nov. 11 of month that school build- break. most.q

Pearl Harbor dead remembered in ceremony shrunk by pandemic

vors stayed home to pay "I think what we see today 50-caliber gun returning
their respects from afar to here is the resolve, despite fire until he ran out of am-
avoid health risks from the a pandemic, for us to be munition.
coronavirus pandemic. able to pay our respects, He continued to pull
The USS Arizona battleship to thank the greatest gen- wounded sailors to safety
bell rang at 7:55 a.m., the eration," said Adm. John even after an order to
minute the attack began Aquilino, the commander abandon ship. The Navy
79 years ago, to start a of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, awarded Miller the Navy
moment of silence. F-22 said in his keynote address. Cross for his heroism in
jets then flew overhead in "It also is a reminder to all 1942. Earlier this year, the
missing man formation. that nothing will stop us." Navy named its newest air-
The Arizona today lies at Marines performing a rifle craft carrier after him.
the bottom of the harbor, salute wore black masks "Today, a grateful nation
where it sank shortly be- during the ceremony, reflects upon those who
ing hit by two bombs. The which featured a small- went above and beyond.
A U.S. Navy sailor plays taps in front of the USS Missouri during
a ceremony to mark the anniversary of the attack on Pearl battleship lost 1,177 sailors er crowd than in typical We honor their service. We
Harbor, Monday, Dec. 7, 2020, in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. and Marines, including years. remember their sacrifice,
Associated Press more than 900 who remain Aquilino highlighted the and we pledge to contin-
entombed on board. story of Doris Miller, a mess ue striving for a better and
By AUDREY McAVOY officials gathered at Pearl The U.S. military streamed attendant on board the safer world," Aquilino said.
HONOLULU (AP) — U.S. Harbor on Monday to re- the ceremony live online USS West Virginia, who car- Altogether more than
servicemen and women member those killed in the for survivors and others un- ried wounded shipmates 2,300 U.S. troops died in
and National Park Service attack — but elderly survi- able to attend in person. to safety and manned a the attack. q