Education

In Schools, an Invisible Threat Becomes Clear

Published

9 months ago

September 7, 2023

In Schools, an Invisible Threat Becomes Clear

Since joining The New York Times as a global health and science reporter in May 2020, Apoorva Mandavilli has had one subject top of mind: the coronavirus pandemic.

Ms. Mandavilli’s reporting on Covid-19 reads like a pandemic timeline. She covered the development of the first coronavirus antibody test in the United States; news of the first known Covid variant, discovered in South Africa; and the decision in May by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to scale back case-tracking efforts as the public health emergency came to an end.

In the spring of 2022, Ms. Mandavilli said in a recent interview, “it seemed like everyone moved on and wanted to talk about vaccines and drugs.” But she had a nagging feeling that there was still a story to tell about poor air quality and virus transmission in schools, where students can be vulnerable to the spread of disease.

So she began contacting high schools across the country to learn about their efforts to improve ventilation and air quality. And last fall, she traveled to Colorado and Pennsylvania to witness some of those efforts. Her reporting formed the basis for an article that appeared in The Times last month.

Here, Ms. Mandavilli shares more about her experience visiting schools and how access to funding plays a role in their efforts to help prevent another pandemic. This interview has been edited.

How did you select the schools you visited?

I wanted to look more closely at schools in the middle of the country, rather than those in California and New York, which are written about a lot. What was interesting to me about Colorado, in particular, was the contrast between schools in Denver and Boulder. Denver is a very gritty city; there are schools in neighborhoods that struggle with air quality because of nearby highways and factories. Then you have Boulder High School, which has air purifiers and sensors in nearly every classroom. The differences between Denver and Boulder show what is possible when a school has money and resources.

Was it difficult getting permission to visit?

Definitely. There were schools I reached out to that did not want anything to do with me. I approached a school in Iowa after I came across some of its newsletters; during the pandemic, the school’s administrators were sending out news about school sports, academics and graduation, but they would not discuss Covid-19 or air quality. They were even talking about building new facilities, but it seemed to me that no money was being used to improve air quality. It was missing from the conversation.

I thought that experience was probably representative of a lot of schools in the middle of the country. But a school that isn’t doing something to improve air quality does not want attention. I got lucky with the Colorado schools, in part because I was working with Mark Hernandez, an air quality expert who had been working with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. He was able to get me into some schools.

One of the schools that stood out to me was East High in Denver. Can you share more about your time there?

I spent half a day at East High; it’s a gorgeous school, and the administrators are very proud of it. But the building has been there for quite a long time and some of the windows don’t open. The school also struggles with gun violence; in the spring, a student shot two school administrators. That happened just a few weeks after a student was shot outside the school; he later died. One of the administrators said that opening windows was a good, low-cost way to improve the school’s air quality, but from a safety perspective, they don’t want to do it.

I also talked to students there who had a really tough time during the pandemic because they felt socially disconnected from their peers. During my reporting, I spoke with two students while they were practicing violin in a music room. I asked them if they were worried about the air quality in the room — the fans were off and the windows were closed. But they were just happy to be there in person with their friends.

It was a really interesting contrast when compared with my interview with their music teacher, Keith Oxman. He is in his mid-60s and the oldest teacher on staff. I understood at that moment why this conversation about air quality is so complicated: you have people with different risks, risk tolerances and priorities who are trying to navigate the same set of problems. You’re not going to come to one simple solution that works for everybody.

One of your most surprising findings was that many schools don’t know that government funds are available to improve air quality. Why do you think that is?

It was really shocking. East High is not your average school in that it has a partnership with Dr. Hernandez. When I asked the principal about it, she made this very interesting point. She said there were scholarships for disadvantaged kids, but people didn’t know that money was available, either. It seemed clear to me that it’s not enough to have money. You need schools to know about funding and provide a very easy way for them to apply for it.

You covered the pandemic for three years. What is your day-to-day like now?

It’s a lot more pleasant. I have more time to analyze data and put the things that I read and learn into context. Also, I’ve been writing more about other infectious diseases, like H.I.V. and sexually transmitted infections. Those are not new problems, but during the pandemic I just didn’t have any time to think or write about them.

Education

Video: Clashes Break Out at U.C.L.A.

Published

6 days ago

June 11, 2024

Press Room

new video loaded: Clashes Break Out at U.C.L.A.

transcript

Clashes Break Out at U.C.L.A.

Police arrested more than 20 pro-Palestinian demonstrators on U.C.L.A.’s campus after several physical confrontations with security guards.

: “Are you OK, are you OK?” “Don’t hit him. Don’t hit.” “Wrong person, wrong person, wrong person.” “I was just holding you.”
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Education

Read a Judge’s Letter of Recommendation for Elias Irizarry

Published

6 days ago

June 10, 2024

Press Room

Read a Judge’s Letter of Recommendation for Elias Irizarry

Tanya S. Chutkan
Judge
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
June 1, 2023
E. BARRETT PRETTYMAN COURTHOUSE
WASHINGTON, DC 20001
202-354-3390
The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina
Admissions Office
171 Moultrie Street
Charleston, South Carolina 29409
Re:
Letter of Recommendation for Elias Irizarry for Readmission to The Citadel
Dear Admissions Office,
I am writing to recommend Elias Irizarry for readmission to The Citadel. I first encountered Mr.
Irizarry in 2021, when he appeared as a defendant in one of my cases, and I have had the opportunity to
learn more about him during the plea hearing, status conferences, and sentencing hearing. It is rare for
me to write a letter on behalf of a defendant, and this is the first time I have done so to recommend a
defendant for college admission. But Mr. Irizarry impressed me and has demonstrated that he is an
individual worthy of a second chance.
In considering Mr. Irizarry’s particular circumstances, I am reminded of the words of human
rights lawyer Bryan Stevenson: “Each of us is more than the worst thing we’ve ever done.” These
words acknowledge the potential for growth and transformation within us all, especially for someone as
young as Mr. Irizarry, who was only 19 years old when he committed the offense for which I sentenced
him. I ask that you look beyond Mr. Irizarry’s past mistakes, for which he has demonstrated genuine
remorse, defer to his exceptionally positive history, and allow him the opportunity to prove that the sum
of his character extends beyond a singular flawed decision.
Mr. Irizarry is a bright young man who wishes to serve his community and his country. He has
been a diligent and committed student and community member and received outstanding grades and
numerous accolades from esteemed institutions like The Citadel, the United States Marine Corps, Model
UN, and JROTC. Over the past five years, he has dedicated nearly 600 hours to community service,
assisting at hurricane sites and a Veterans Hospital. He has further demonstrated his commitment for
civil service by completing training to become a FEMA volunteer firefighter.
Although Mr. Irizarry’s actions were serious and were dealt with as such, it is important to weigh
his youth and susceptibility to influence. As a judge and the mother of two sons in their twenties, I
know that Mr. Irizarry is at a crucial inflection point for young adults. The educational system, like the
criminal justice system, can serve as a catalyst for positive transformation, enabling youth to learn from
their mistakes.
Accordingly, I write this letter because Mr. Irizarry has displayed impressive sincerity, remorse,
and a determination to make amends. I believe that if he is given the opportunity to re-enroll at The
Citadel, he will continue to thrive academically and personally, as well as encourage others to overcome
obstacles and pursue public service.
Should you require any further information or assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
Tanya S. Chutkan
Tanya S. Chutkan

Education

Video: ‘It Didn’t Have to Happen This Way:’ U.Va. Faculty Call for Review of Police Response to Protests

Published

3 weeks ago

May 25, 2024

Press Room

Video: ‘It Didn’t Have to Happen This Way:’ U.Va. Faculty Call for Review of Police Response to Protests

Protesters: “Disclose! Divest!” In student-led protests around the country, university faculty have stood in support of demonstrators, risking arrest. “He is a professor. He is a professor.” At the University of Virginia, The Times got an inside look at faculty’s role. “I can take you through the blow by blow of the day if you want.” And how their negotiations with police broke down at a crucial moment. “Why is he —” “Back up.” “In a wanton fashion, they allowed the Virginia State Police to come here fully armed, rifles, mace. One of my colleagues was standing right there trying to talk to the Virginia State Police. He got arrested. The other one standing next to him got pushed back behind the line, and he got partially maced. It didn’t have to happen this way.” The night before police raided a pro-Palestinian encampment, a few University of Virginia professors tried to deescalate the standoff and recorded their conversation with the university police chief, Tim Longo. The Times agreed to blur the faces of faculty who had concerns about their job security. Protesters had refused to engage with the university. So a handful of professors stepped in to be intermediaries. This, at times, frustrated administrators who told The Times the process required a leap of faith. “We basically took shifts, two-hour shifts being here. We had these yellow armbands that we wore to distinguish that we were faculty liaison. And our job really was just to communicate between the administration, the police and the students.” Hours later, Professors Walter Heinecke and Mark Sicoli, who documented the incident on his phone, approached the police chief again, stating confusion about what the campus policy actually states for use of smaller recreational tents. Within half an hour, before professors and police could come to an agreement about the tent policy, Chief Longo called the Virginia State Police. Troopers soon arrived with pepper spray and M4 assault rifles to help dismantle the encampment. In all, a few dozen protesters in about 20 tents. “Shame on you. Shame on you.” University officials say they warned protesters for days that they were in violation of school policy. Twenty-seven people were arrested, including at least one professor, who declined to speak with us for this story. “He is a professor. This is a professor.” “We were in front of the camp students. And then in front of us were faculty. And then the Virginia State Police were here and moved in. I was hit with a riot shield, which is when I got this bruise. They pepper-sprayed me. I was detained for about 10 minutes, if I had to guess. And then eventually, they just, like, cut off my zip ties.” The heavy police response raised alarm across campus. And now, several faculty members, including Heinecke, want to hold the university accountable for what they say was a violent clampdown on free speech, protesting Israel’s war in Gaza. “I’ve just got to show you one thing where they get around on —” “If they would have just said, you know, let’s negotiate, let’s leave the tents up for a couple more days and we’ll negotiate this out. It’s not like you’re robbing a bank or anything. You put a couple of tents on. Why couldn’t we have just done this a different way because the stakes were so low?” The university president and campus police chief did not respond to requests for comment. “And then I’ll turn to Chief Longo.” But in a virtual town hall on May 7, university police and administration defended their actions, citing unidentified outside agitators as a primary concern. “The police were met with physical confrontation and attempted assault, and didn’t feel equipped to engage given the situation. That’s when the decision was made to call on the state police.” “We have a duty to fight for Palestine.” “We have a —” “I was afraid that myself and the assistant chief would be surrounded, and that we would be put in a position to have to defend ourselves. It was clear to me by word and action, this was escalating.” “Free, free Palestine.” “In front of the historic rotunda.” In response, Heinecke and several other faculty members held their own town hall to try to show that the police action was unwarranted. Then on May 10, the U.V.A. faculty senate held a hearing with President Ryan to discuss the university response to protests. “I, for one, am thankful for him that he prevented us to get into a situation, which would be similar to a Columbia.” While there was support, most of the speakers were critical. “My heart broke because of what took place.” “To the condemnable call of the Virginia State Police in full gear, and the use of excessive force to terrorize our students in their own backyard.” “If all of you decide I’m not the right leader, that’s your choice.” In a vote, faculty called for an independent review of his and Chief Longo’s decisions on May 4, but stopped short of condemning the police action outright. “All right. Once again, I need people who are just here for court.” On the same day across town, supporters of protesters facing trespassing charges gathered in solidarity at the courthouse. “It’s first hearing for everybody who was charged with trespass, which includes our two students.” On May 15, many of those arrested at the protest encampment had their charges dismissed by the public prosecutor. A U.V.A. spokesman told The Times that the university has not yet agreed to an independent review of its decision to call in state police.