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A4 U.S. NEWS
Friday 19 January 2024

Ann Arbor Public Schools approves Mideast cease-fire resolution

that had stoked controversy

By JOEY CAPPELLETTI “What they’re thinking
Associated Press about doing would be pret-
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) ty rare, if not the first time.
— A public school district Particularly as it’s related to
in Michigan approved a a more international situa-
resolution calling for a bi- tion,” Wotruba said.
lateral cease-fire in the The district “expresses sup-
Israel-Hamas war while port for a bilateral cease-
also encouraging its teach- fire in Gaza and Israel,” ac-
ers to discuss the conflict cording to the resolution,
in its classrooms following and “encourages educa-
an emotionally charged tors within the Ann Arbor
meeting Wednesday. School District to facilitate
The resolution approved informed and respectful di-
by the Ann Arbor Public alogue about the conflict.”
Schools board appears to Four of the seven board
be among the first times members voted in favor
that a public school system of the resolution, with two
in the United States has abstaining from the vote.
made such a statement on Rima Mohammad, who
the international conflict. is Palestinian, had been
It followed an over five-hour one of the most outspoken
meeting that stretched into The Ann Arbor Public Schools board discusses a resolution calling for a ceasefire in the Israel- members in support of it.
the early hours of Thurs- Hamas war at Pioneer High School, Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2024, in Ann Arbor, Mich. “This resolution says that
day after 120 people gave Associated Press kids who have names like
public comments in both mine are seen, heard and
support and opposition of nation in response to the ing the sense of safety that The resolution passed in valued,” Mohammad said
the resolution. war in Gaza, which is now makes colleges hubs of free Ann Arbor was one of the just prior to the vote.
Tensions remained high entering its fourth month discourse. Dozens of U.S. first times that a public Some parents in the district,
throughout the meeting in following a deadly Oct. 7 cities, including Ann Arbor, school system in Michigan which holds nearly 17,000
Ann Arbor, a community attack by Hamas militants. have approved cease-fire had considered such a students, had expressed
close to 40 miles (64 kilo- The conflict has divided resolutions that have no le- statement, said Don Wotru- outrage about the resolu-
meters) west of Detroit and college campuses, where gal authority but reflect the ba, executive director at tion, and a petition oppos-
home to the University of long-simmering tensions pressure on local govern- Michigan Association of ing it collected nearly 2,000
Michigan. Similar tensions are occasionally erupting ments to speak up on the School Boards, prior to the signatures. q
have been seen across the in violence and shatter- Israel-Hamas war, scheduled vote.

Mississippi has the highest rate of preventable deaths in the US,

health official says

By MICHAEL GOLDBERG of preventable death,” Ed- worst for infant mortality, according to a report un- bate has stalled because
Associated Press/Report for ney said at a news confer- with Black infants nearly veiled Thursday by the of opposition from Repub-
America ence inside the Mississippi twice as likely as whites to Mississippi State Medical lican leaders, including
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Mis- Capitol. Mississippi ranks die over the last decade, Association. While Missis- Gov. Tate Reeves, who
sissippi has improved some sippi managed to lower its refers to Medicaid as “wel-
of its poor health outcomes, opioid death rate by 10% in fare,” but new Republican
but its people are more 2022, it still leads the nation House Speaker Jason White
likely to die unnecessarily in firearm deaths. And while says he wants legislators to
than residents of any other the state’s obesity and dia- consider Medicaid expan-
state, the state’s top health betes rates have declined sion as a way to bring up to
official said Thursday. recently, they remain $1 billion of federal money
State Health Officer Dr. among the nation’s high- each year to the state,
Daniel Edney urged legis- est, with heart disease still where some hospitals are
lators who just began this the state’s leading cause struggling to remain open.
year’s session to work with of death, the report says. White has not come out in
health officials to improve Increasing access to health full support of expansion.
Mississippi’s status as the care coverage for working- As the new chairwoman of
nation’s unhealthiest state, class Mississippians is key to the House Medicaid Com-
ranking at the bottom of improving outcomes, Ed- mittee, Republican Rep.
virtually every health care ney said. Mississippi is one Missy McGee would play a
indicator and at the top of At a news conference inside the Mississippi Capitol, Dr. John of 10 states that has not big role in any push for ex-
every health disparity. Mitchell, center, president of the Mississippi State Medical expanded Medicaid cov- pansion. She helped lead a
“If we choose the right poli- Association, and flanked by area physicians, called for state erage to people working successful effort last year to
cies for our people, we will leaders to work with health officials to improve Mississippi’s in jobs that provide mod- extend postpartum Med-
see us move off the radar status as the nation’s unhealthiest state across several metrics, est wages but no private icaid coverage from two
of having the highest rate Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024, in Jackson, Miss. health insurance. The de- months to a full year.q
Associated Press