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Page 9 Saturday August 7, 2021 T: 582-7800 www.arubatoday.com facebook.com/arubatoday instagram.com/arubatoday Explore Aruba Aruba’s ONLY English newspaper Schools reopen with masks optional in many U.S. classrooms By JEFF AMY recommended." Associated Press Many parents Wednesday MCDONOUGH, Ga. (AP) in this suburb south of At- — As Tussahaw Elemen- lanta had mixed feelings tary opened this week for about the policy. Some CLASS a new school year, teary- kept their children home in eyed mothers led in kinder- disagreement with it. Oth- gartners dwarfed by back- ers sent their youngsters to packs and buses dropped class with face coverings. ACTION off fifth graders looking for- Shatavia Dorsey, the moth- ward to ruling their school. er of a kindergartner and The biggest clue to the lin- a fifth grader, said her chil- gering COVID-19 crisis was dren are going to wear the masks worn by students their masks at school re- and teachers — but not all gardless of the rules. of them. “They’re not vaccinat- Georgia, like most states, ed because they’re too is leaving it up to local young, and I don’t know schools to decide whether if someone else is carrying to require face coverings. it in,” said Dorsey, who is And 43,000-student Henry doubtful about the school County, like many districts system’s ability to maintain worn out by months of con- in-person instruction amid flict over masks, has decid- rising infections. Students walk down the hallway at Tussahaw Elementary school on Wednesday, Aug. 4, 2021, in ed not to insist on them. McDonough, Ga. Schools have begun reopening in the U.S. with most states leaving it up to local Instead, they are "highly Continued on next page schools to decide whether to require masks. Associated Press A2 SATURDAY 7 AUGUST 2021 UP FRONT At Tussahaw Elementary, more than 60% of students were wearing masks in four classrooms visited by a re- porter Wednesday, though some had pulled them down. In only one room, where the teacher was also unmasked, were a major- ity of students without face coverings. What parents at Tussahaw really wanted was some normalcy — an end to trying to help children at home learn virtually, or cy- cling between in-person school and quarantine. "We weathered the storm, but it's a lot better being back in the classroom," Bry- ant Thigpen said after drop- ping off his son for the first day of fifth grade. He said he thinks the school system should require masks — "at least until the cases go down." Daniel Denny sent both his children to Tussahaw with Henry County Board of Education Chair Holly Cobb, left, talks to students at Tussahaw Elementary school on Wednesday, Aug. 4, masks but said face cover- 2021, in McDonough, Ga. ings should be up to par- Associated Press ents. "To each his own," he Continued from Front ments in public schools. could lie ahead. And Re- though, school-age chil- said. "You take care of With the delta variant Republican Gov. Ron De- publican Gov. Asa Hutchin- dren have infection rates your household how you spreading rapidly, the Cen- Santis of Florida said Thurs- son expressed regret over higher than adults 50 and choose." ters for Disease Control and day the decision of wheth- signing the ban in the first older. Kimberly Vining, a parent Prevention and the Ameri- er to wear masks in school place and asked that it be Henry County recorded of two middle school stu- can Academy of Pediat- should be made by par- lifted. But the GOP-con- 111 cases of COVID-19 in dents, strongly approved rics have advised in recent ents, adding: "What are the trolled Legislature left it in children ages 5 to 17 in the of the policy, saying it will weeks that everyone in harmful effects of putting place Friday. two weeks ending July 28. make things much easier schools wear masks in com- a kindergartener in a mask Later in the day, an Arkan- Its per capita rate is one of for children with asthma munities with substantial or for seven hours? Have they sas judge blocked the state the highest in Georgia and or anxiety about wearing high transmission. talked about the emotion- from enforcing the ban un- higher than the nationwide masks. Educators have had to al, the academic, the phys- til further notice. figure. "I have faith in God and I'm contend with strong resis- iological? Why isn't CDC In yet another fight over Henry County Superinten- not going to live in fear for tance to masks from some studying that?" the issue Friday, the Florida dent Mary Elizabeth Davis a virus that has a 98% sur- parents and political lead- Outbreaks that have hit Board of Education applied said she believes schools vival rate," she said. ers. Some consider mask schools at the very start of pressure to discourage have learned how to pre- Overall, 90% of Henry Coun- rules an intrusion on par- the year have added to schools from making masks vent transmission, citing ty students are back in per- ents' authority to make calls for more mask require- mandatory. The board said intensified cleaning, air fil- son, while 10% are opting decisions about their chil- ments. it will issue tuition vouchers tration and use of hand for all-virtual instruction or a dren's health. In Marion, Arkansas, over so that parents who ob- sanitizer. The district is also combination of both. California, Louisiana, New 800 students and staff ject to mask requirements offering its 6,000 employees Holley Freeman's 8-year- Jersey, Oregon and Wash- members have been quar- can send their children to $1,000 bonuses to get vac- old daughter, Kalani, is one ington state intend to re- antined because of expo- private school. The money cinated. student who will be staying quire masks for all students sure since classes began would be taken out of pub- "We are highly recom- home and learning virtual- and teachers regardless of last week in the 4,000-stu- lic schools' funding. mending that individuals ly. Freeman said that mem- vaccination status. At the dent district. From the beginning of the opt for a mask as an added bers of her household have other end of the spectrum, Marion Superintendent pandemic to the peak of layer of prevention, but we health problems and that Arkansas, Arizona, Florida, Glen Fenter urged lawmak- infections in January, CDC also know so much more with no mask mandate, it Iowa, Oklahoma, South ers to overturn the state data showed children 15 today than we did a year would be unsafe for her Carolina, Texas and Utah law banning masks, warn- and under had the low- ago," Davis said, wearing daughter to go to school. have banned mask require- ing that a "full-blown crisis" est infection rates. Now, an "I got vaccinated" stick- "I feel really upset that we er. "And what we know to- didn't have a safe choice," day is that schools are not Freeman said. "I feel really LIKE US ON catalysts for community upset that our community spread." betrayed us." At least 28 of Georgia's She said her daughter took more than 180 school dis- the news hard: "She cried tricts are requiring masks, all the way home and encompassing more than cried all night and cried this 38% of the state's public morning, knowing she had Facebook.com/arubatoday/ school students. to go online again."q A3 U.S. NEWS SATURDAY 7 AUGUST 2021 Pause on student loan payments extended through January By COLLIN BINKLEY er hundreds of dollars per The Biden administration month, allowing them to in- on Friday announced that vest in their futures and sup- federal student loan pay- port their families' needs," ments will remain suspend- the Democrats said. ed through January 2022, The Education Department extending a pause that itself has raised concerns began at the start of the about the administrative pandemic and was sched- hurdles around suddenly uled to expire next month. restarting loan payments. The Education Department In a November 2020 re- said this will be the final ex- port, the department said it tension. would be a "heavy burden" Borrowers will not have to for the government and make payments on fed- loan servicers. eral student loans during In its Friday announcement, the moratorium, interest the Education Department rates will be set at 0% and said the final extension pro- debt collection efforts will vides enough time to re- remain on pause. The sus- start payments smoothly. pension will expire on Jan. The extension drew criti- 31, 2022. cism from conservatives in- Education Secretary Miguel Education Secretary Miguel Cardona speaks during the daily briefing at the White House in Wash- cluding Rep. Virginia Foxx, Cardona said it's meant ington, Thursday, Aug. 5, 2021. the top Republican on the to give borrowers enough Associated Press House Education and La- time to prepare for their bor Committee. payments to resume. The Trump administration have been concerns that least March 2022. "I regret that Secretary Car- "As our nation's economy suspended federal student borrowers would not be Schumer, Warren and Rep. dona did not show real continues to recover from a loan payments in March ready to continue pay- Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., leadership by working with deep hole, this final exten- 2020 and later extended ments so soon. Democrats, applauded the extension Congress to transition re- sion will give students and them through January including Senate Major- in a joint statement Friday, sponsibly the portfolio back borrowers the time they 2021.