Why This Mass. District Is Considering Taking Police Out Of Schools

Also: Breaking down Baker's 12 reforms after scathing Soldiers' Home report; U.S. what to know about casinos reopening in Mass. ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  [Donate [WBUR]]( [View in Browser](  [WBUR]( June 26, 2020 Good Morning Boston, ⛅ Clouds and sun. Pop up [shower](. Highs near 85. When it comes to reopening, it's all about walking that fine line between safety and realistic requirements. In Massachusetts, we're still very much navigating this, and yesterday we got a lot more information about what K-12 schools could look like this fall. Here's what you should know: - The state [released a set of guidelines]( yesterday to act as a starting point for districts as they come up with their own plans for three different reopening scenarios: returning to 100% in-person instruction, a hybrid model that includes some remote instruction, and 100% remote instruction. - The state's guidance includes keeping desks at least three feet apart, keeping groups of students together (including for lunch) and BYOM —bring your own mask — for kids. Noticeably missing from the baseline rules? Temperature checks, classroom limits and reopening dates. - The state's contact tracing program is scaling back staff as fewer coronavirus cases are reported here. The administration says it will scale up again if cases increase. The goal is still to contact everyone who tests positive and all of their recent, close contacts. - Living through a pandemic is difficult and as cases continue to drop in Massachusetts, it's easy to think we're on the other side. But we're still very much in the thick of it as a country. With numbers spiking across southern states, the U.S. set a [daily record]( for new COVID-19 cases Thursday, in a return to figures not seen since late April. - Because of this, it's important to remain vigilant with distancing and safety precautions until we have a treatment or vaccine. There is a little bit of good news on that front, though. Scientists are monitoring the virus that causes COVID-19 for genetic changes that could make a vaccine ineffective. So far, [they're not seeing any.]( - Amid the pandemic, here's what is playing out in D.C. The Trump administration [filed a lawsuit with the Supreme Court]( reaffirming its position that the Affordable Care Act (aka Obamacare) in its entirety is illegal because Congress eliminated the individual tax penalty for failing to purchase medical insurance. Speaker Nancy Pelosi called the move "an act of unfathomable cruelty," as eliminating the ACA would end medical insurance for more than 20 million Americans in the middle of a health crisis. P.S.– I'm in grad school part-time so this weekend I'll be cramming for my stat final. It's about as fun as it sounds. So here's what I need you to do for me: Take a moment to rest, recharge and do something that brings you joy – and then tell me about it! Whether it's attending a [virtual event]( going on a hike, reading a [new book]( listening to a [podcast]( you've been wanting to try or [firing up the grill]( I'll be living vicariously through all of you and bookmarking your ideas for when I'm free from the cruel grasp of math. — Meagan McGinnes [@meaganmcginnes]( newsletters@wbur.org The Rundown [1.](url)[Framingham Considers Request To Eliminate School Police Officers]( Opponents say school police officers criminalize students and turn school discipline over to police. Supporters say the officers help keep students safe and defuse situations before they become criminal matters. [Read more.](   #%23%23[Twitter](  #%23%23[Facebook](    2. [Baker Announces 12 Reforms After Scathing Report On Holyoke Soldiers' Home]( Reforms include changes to board of trustees and staffing, as well as new capital and infrastructure improvements. [Read more.]( 3. [Mass. Education Leaders Release Roadmap For Reopening Schools]( Teachers and students as young as second grade will be required to wear a face mask. And desks must be spaced at least three feet apart. [Read more.]( 4. [Mayor Walsh Announces Initiatives To Combat Racial Inequity In Boston]( One of those initiatives is the creation of an equity and inclusion Cabinet charged with helping the city fight racial injustice. [Read more.]( 5. [Colorado Gov. Appoints Special Prosecutor To Reopen Probe Of Elijah McClain Death]( On Thursday, nearly a year after the death of Elijah McClain who died in police custody, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis appointed a special prosecutor to "determine whether the facts justify criminal charges against members of law enforcement" involved in the arrest. [Read more.]( Support the news Anything Else? - Don't test your luck; here's [what you need to know about casinos reopening]( you're looking to gamble. - WBUR asked local environmental thinkers how they’d use pandemic funding to address the next global crisis on the horizon: climate change. [Here are some of their responses.]( - I have some bad news: Despite its successful crowdfunding campaign, [Great Scott will not reopen]( after all. - After 9/11, policing underwent a radical change, writes former Marine Jake Auchincloss [in this commentary](. Now it's time to course correct, and to do this, we must shift the paradigm of public safety, at home and abroad. [WBUR] Your Daily Must Listen [Alzheimer's Researchers Go Back To Basics To Find The Best Way Forward]( [Listen]( CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES [Your Guide To Navigating Coronavirus]( [Listen]( Make "Coronavirus, Briefly" Your Daily Audio Update [Map & Case Count:]( Breaking Down Coronavirus Here In Charts [Town By Town:]( See Your Community's Reported Coronavirus Cases Stay Informed: Get coronavirus email updates and alerts in your inbox. [Sign up for our coronavirus newsletter.]( What We're Reading - In Choosing The Wrong Photo, NPR Editors Paved The Way For Partisan Attack ([NPR]( - How The Virus Won ([The New York Times]( - It’s Time To Change The Way The Media Reports On Protests. 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