Graduation’s off, but football’s still on?

Students question college priorities. Plus new numbers on college enrollment. AJ Shorter/Benedict College Jayme Henderson says her college's decision to cancel fall graduation over coronavirus concerns felt like "a slap in the face." Henderson, a graduating senior at the University of Missouri in Columbia, remembers thinking about the campus activities that hadn't been cancelled: Football was still on, with fans still able to attend games in-person, and there were even some in-person classes. To make matters worse, the email cancelling fall commencement arrived the same day as another email detailing parking restrictions for big game day crowds. "I wouldn't be upset if it was all or nothing," Henderson says. "It seems like the university is picking and choosing what events are important to have, which doesn't really seem fair." As coronavirus case numbers continue to increase across the nation, [many colleges]( have [canceled]( [in-person]( [fall]( [graduation]( [ceremonies]( which are usually held in December. Official announcements often cite health concerns. But several students told NPR that these cancellations came while other in-person activities were allowed to take place, leading to confusion and frustration among graduating seniors. "I completely understand safety first," Henderson says, "but it just seems like it's possible." [Read More Here]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Newsletter continues after sponsor message --------------------------------------------------------------- On to the news… Fewer 2020 high school graduates went on to college this fall compared with last year. That’s according to new research from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. The report, released on Thursday, found the number of students who went to college immediately after high school fell by 21.7% this year. The pandemic’s influence on college-going was even more pronounced among students who attended underserved schools. High-poverty high schools saw a 32.6% decline in college enrollment — that’s compared to a 16.4% percent decline at low-poverty schools. [Read the study here.]( For the kids in our lives, the last nine months have been many things. Scary — because an invisible, unknown illness was suddenly spreading across the globe. Maybe even fun, when the possibility of school closing felt like a snow day. But for many, that novelty has given way to frustration and sadness — even depression and anxiety. It's a lot for kids and parents to handle. So we talked to the experts and came away with five tips for how you can help your kids through this. [Read more here.]( — [Cory Turner]( NPR Ed Correspondent & Senior Editor — [Anya Kamenetz]( NPR Ed Education Correspondent — [Meghan Keane]( Managing Producer, Life Kit The Virginia Military Institute removed a statue of Confederate Gen. Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson on Monday morning. A small group watched as the bronze figure was hoisted off its pedestal in front of the VMI barracks. The statue was sculpted by Moses Ezekiel, a member of the class of 1866, and donated to VMI in 1912. And after standing for more than a century, VMI's board voted in favor of its removal in October. [Read more here.]( — Dustin Jones, NPR News Desk intern Santiago Potes Santiago Potes is one of the hundreds of thousands of DACA-recipients currently living in the U.S. His parents fled Colombia when he was 4 years old, traveling with Potes to Miami. Now, Potes, 23, is a graduate of Columbia University and also the first Latino DACA recipient to be awarded a prestigious Rhodes Scholarship. "I just couldn't believe it," he tells NPR's Morning Edition. "I just thought that they were going to call me, and say 'Oh, we made a mistake. Sorry about that, we actually didn't choose you.' " [Read more here.]( See you next week. --------------------------------------------------------------- Stream your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to find your local station stream. --------------------------------------------------------------- What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: [npred@npr.org](mailto:npred@npr.org?subject=Newsletter%20Feedback) Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can [sign up here](. Looking for more great content? [Check out all of our newsletter offerings]( — including Music, Politics, Code Switch and more! [Facebook]( [Twitter]( You received this message because you're subscribed to Education emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 [Unsubscribe]( | [Privacy Policy]( [NPR logo]