By: Athena Dawson

The Hempstead school district has taken measures to maintain COVID-19 safety guidelines  and provide resources to students during the COVID-19 pandemic. As of 2019, 19.3% of residents live in poverty, causing outside challenges for some students continuing their education online. 

As the district was provided with reopening guidelines in the middle of March, the Board of Education (BOE) hosted virtual Zoom meetings to begin the process of creating a reopening plan for the school district. Hempstead schools are following a hybrid schedule allowing students to come into school certain days while maintaining social distancing. There is the option for students to stay fully remote. All students and teachers are required to wear a mask inside of the building unless they have a medical condition, and if that is the case, they are given a face shield.

 Hempstead’s union President, Nicole Brown, spoke on her experience as a member of the planning committee for reopening schools. Before the beginning of the school year, Ms. Brown and other union members, along with school administrators did a walk through of schools to check windows and other areas of schools for cleanliness. Brown also teaches at Jackson Annex school and described herself “first and foremost an educator.” She expressed concerns for students and teachers who are going to school in person.

“I am worried about their well being and their health because there are so many unknowns about the virus. So I am concerned about what could happen, as we see what happened in other school districts around the country. When schools reopen they have to suddenly close down because of an outbreak of coronavirus so I am praying that it does not happen in Hempstead, but it is a concern that all of us have,” she said.

Ms. Brown also voiced concerns about the cleanliness of Jackson Annex. She brought up the building has many portable classrooms with vents that had not been cleaned in years. She was assured that the cleanliness issue would be addressed. During a Sept. 10 BOE meeting, administrators brought up concerns about ventilation  and air ducts in Alverta B. Gray Schultz (ABGS) middle school. In November the principal of ABGS, Carey Gray, confirmed that the vents and ducts have been cleaned by an outside cleaning company.

Issuing Devices 

An issue that arose during the school year was access to laptops and learning devices for students in the school district that were transitioning to online learning.  Some teachers were concerned that students still do not have access to devices as the semester progresses. Devices have been distributed since April however, many students did not receive devices at the beginning of the school year.  According to the BOE, younger students (Prek- 2nd grade) are to be issued ipads, and third grade students and up are given laptops.  On Sept. 10 during a virtual  BOE meeting, Assistant Superintendent of Technology, Dr. Ahunna Akoma stated that between April and June 1,291 devices had been distributed, and 2,270 students actually needed devices. There were  devices that had not been picked up by students who requested them. There were enough Ipads for all students in Pre-k-2nd grade and distribution days were set to give them out . The 979 devices leftover were scheduled to be given to students grade 3-12 and there was a backorder of 3,000 devices that were to be delivered in September.

 In addition, families that have problems with devices could fill out a form to get help from a technology help desk.

Principal Gray has praised interim Superintendent Regina Armstrong for “leading the management of that and and really kind of advocating and lobbying for our district with the seat and the New York City Education Department for support.”

 On Oct. 27, the Public Relations representative for the school district, Nicole Epstein, stated “To date, the district had received all of its learning devices and would be distributed starting the end of that week.”  

               

  The outside of Hempstead Highschool. Photo credit, Athena Dawson

Since then, some students still did not receive devices. Principal Gray explained in a Nov. 12 interview that ABGS had distributed almost 500 devices to students and were planning on distributing a few hundred more in the coming weeks  Many students are tech savvy and have been connecting to class on their phones and even their gaming consoles to complete their work. For students that do not have access to WiFi the district is working on a plan to get internet access to them.

Access to Free Lunch

Many students in the school district rely on the free lunch program.  During the beginning of the pandemic, ABGS had partnered with Island Harvest food pantry to drop pallets off to the school and surrounding areas in the neighborhood every Friday to give to families in need. Community members were able to go to ABGS and pick up food for themselves and their families. Although that program with the food bank has ended, students, whether hybrid, in person, or fully remote, can come during breakfast and lunch hours to get food for the day. As Gray puts it, “You can’t learn if you’re not eating. The district has ensured that we have opportunities daily for students to get food if they need food.” 

  Gray expressed that, despite the obstacles students may face, they are still coming to school and teachers are continuing to teach despite concerns about COVID-19.  

“One thing that I want people to know, if it’s a misconception at all, is that we have, resilient, committed, and dedicated staff and students and families who kind of banded together, working together, especially now, to ensure that students have a quality, educational experience this year,” he said.

Mental Health Assistance

Mental health services for students is also an issue during the pandemic. Ms. Epstein wote in a statement that the district’s teen center has psychologists and social workers and interns to support students who are going through a crisis. The middle school and highschool have their own teen center that works with families, and to deal with the pandemic, the district brought Healthfirst to provide social emotional learning (S.E.L.) to high school students that need support.

On November 20th, the  superintendent  posted a letter stating the Hempstead school district stopped in person classes out of caution as the pandemic resurges. The district website has directions on the next steps for a remote schedule. 

by: Athena Dawson

This graph details the top neighborhood in each borough that has the highest COVID 19 positivity rate as of November 2020. In order from left to right the Boroughs are Queens, Bronx, Brooklyn, Staten Island and Manhattan.

Informative video about how black women are an integral part of the Democratic Party, and how important their vote is.

As Governor Cuomo has begun issuing random sampling for Covid 19 antibody testing, I  interviewed residents from Rochdale Village, Queens,  while we waited hours in line for antibody testing. I asked them about what they have experienced during this crisis.  Listen to the interview here :

 

             Residents social distance as the line already reaches the parking lot at 10 a.m.  4/25/2020  Photo by: Athena Dawson

 

             Rochdale Village residents wait on line for Covid-19 Antibody Testing 4/25/20 Photo By: Athena Dawson

Ricardo Dawson waits patiently for his turn. 4/25/20  Photo by: Athena Dawson

 

For my Podcast Assignment I interviewed professor Alan J. Singer. Professor Singer is a Social Studies and Education professor at Hofstra University. Additionally, he is a published historian. He’s dedicated a lot of his life’s work to education, activism and social justice. I chose to interview Professor Singer because he is currently in the process of writing a new book. Additionally, I enjoy hearing his political commentary and his knowledge about African American history as well as his knowledge on activism.

Alan J Singer Final Production

By: Leah Chiappino

Hofstra administrators were called to task at a recent town hall over what some say is an inadequate African Studies program.A petition was started by Dr. Jonation Lightfoot, a professor of teaching, learning and technology and Director of the Campus Center for Race Culture and Social Justice to revive the African Studies program by 2021 in mid-October on change.org. Since then, it has gotten 330 signatures. The petition demands the university commits to a “plan to revive” the African Studies program, hires designated faculty, and explore the possibility of offering five-year masters programs in coordination with the law, medical and business school, along with other graduate programs.

“We’re trying to revive the program for a 21st century model,” Lightfoot said. “The university and the world were a lot different in 1971 than they are now.”

 Originally started in 1972 after demands were placed on universities to offer Black Studies in the wake of the Civil Rights Movement, the program now lacks office space, an annual budget, a program director, a department chair, academic advisors, and dedicated faculty. It once offered study abroad opportunities to Africa and an international exchange program for African students and sponsored speakers. Both of these programs have been discontinued. The number of courses in African Studies is limited compared the studies of geographic regions. Out of the Cross-Cultural distribution classes offered, 1.4 percent focus on African studies,  while 20.7 focus on Latin America and the Caribbean,10.7 percent focus on Asia, 20.7% focus on the Middle East, 10.3 percent focus on Europe and 34.5% focus on Western cultures.

 According to Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Herman  Berliner, the Hofstra College of Liberal Arts and Sciences has put together a task-force to look into revitalization of the program  “We are looking at what we can do to strengthen the program, strengthen the offerings, and make what we are offering better known to all of our students,” he said when the question was posed at the annual town hall Dec. 4th. He added that it is difficult for the university to hire new faculty due to low turnover, but university makes an effort whenever possible to hire a diverse staff and advertises positions widely.

While Berliner referred status of the program as “not defunct,”  and the university lists 30 African Studies courses on its bulletin, they only offer one African Studies Course per semester.

Sources:

Jonathan.Lightfoot@hofstra.edu

Herman.A.Berliner@hofstra.edu

Cornell Craig- through Collin Sullivan 

Colin.P.Sullivan@hofstra.edu

 

By: Athena Dawson

As journalists, we are a main source of reliability and integrity for the public eye. It is important that we uphold certain standards of practice, from gathering Intel ethically to reporting on stories that affect the underrepresented.  The press is described as the 4^th estate, and the “watchdogs of society” to highlight the important role that journalists play in the release and consumption of news in society.  Without the practice of journalism, society would be wracked with even more corruption, and citizens, would never know what goes on right in front of them. This already happens in countries that limit the rights of reporters with physical and symbolic silencing.  American news media is under constant attack by the Trump Administration, which has  dangerously overused the term ” fake news”.  As the people of the press, we have chosen to be responsible for spreading valuable and enriching information, and to expose the truth, even if it means making powerful enemies in the process. Journalists are the truth-seekers and whistle blowers in an often-corrupt society. Although it may seem that society has rejected journalism, the practice will always be important.

Throughout recent years,  Jamaica, Queens, specifically Sutphin Boulevard has transformed into an area used as a  major transportation hub, and a desirable place to erect hotels, apartments and  new businesses. However, what will that mean for its current residents?

 

11/25/18- Jamaica, Queens

A new hotel  built next to a delicatessen is not an uncommon feature on Sutphin Boulevard. 

by:Athena Dawson

11/25/18  Jamaica, Queens

As the sun sets, people buzz by food and clothing shops on Sutphin Boulevard.

by : Athena Dawson

 

11/25/18- Jamaica, Queens

New Luxury Apartments are being erected in unused plots.

by: Athena Dawson

11/25/18 Jamaica, Queens.

The  Jamaica Long Island Railroad hub overlooks the entrance to Sutphin Boulevard.

by: Athena Dawson

 

11/25/18- Baisley Blvd, Queens

Entrance to the Baisley Park housing Projects.

by : Athena Dawson

 

by: Athena Dawson

POOL NEW / REUTERS

     Over the past weekend, Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh went under fire for allegations of sexually assaulting women he encountered in his young adulthood.  In July of 2018, Professor Christine Basely Ford came forward with a statement alleging Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her at a party when she was fifteen. Currently, Ford along with 2 other women have accused Kavanaugh of sexual assault.   Kavanaugh’s confirmation has since been halted due to a highly demanded FBI investigation.  With much difficulty, Democratic Senators, as well as a few Republican senators, protested the floor vote for a fair investigation into the potential appointee for a lifetime in the highest court of law.

     Throughout the hearing, Kavanaugh was scrutinized for his partisan speech as Supreme Court Justice members are encouraged to be as neutral as possible. Kavanaugh claimed that the hearing was a “smear campaign” ran by the Democrats to potentially take him out of the running. As reported by CNBC, Republican Senator Jeff Flake stated:  “I think that we ought to do what we can to make sure that we do all due diligence with a nomination this important,”.  Many believe Flake’s decision to halt the confirmation came after he was approached by two tearful women in the Senate elevator. The women reasoned with him that by voting to advance Kavanaugh he would potentially sending a message that “assault doesn’t matter”. 

      As the proceeding came to a close the Republican and Democratic  Senators became more divided.  In many instances,  Republican Senator Lindsay Gram attempted to come to Kavanaugh’s defense, and  Republicans soon attempted to fast -track voting. According to the  NPR Analysis Republicans Push Kavanaugh Nomination Forward, But At What Cost?  ” Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, began the vote on Kavanaugh’s nomination. Quickly, Kavanaugh was approved 11-10, along party lines, and moved along to the full Senate, even as Democrats on the committee were asking what exactly they were even voting on.” 

    On Wednesday, September 26th, Democratic Senators on the Senate Judiciary Committee urged the president to pull the appeals judge’s nomination or “direct the FBI to re-open its background investigation” to examine accusations of sexual misconduct. The members of the panel, which oversees judicial nominations, argued that the claims against Kavanaugh are more than enough “to trigger a meaningful nonpartisan investigation.”So  far, whatever the outcome of the investigation,  it is presumed that  one of the parties will not come out unscathed as the investigation proceeds. 

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