May 21, 2021: Republicans Ban History Education; FEMA Workers Are Exhausted; Gaza Ceasefire Takes Effect

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TODAY'S HEADLINES:


Republican state legislators across the country are passing laws
to micromanage the history that gets taught in schools and make
it seem like racism doesn’t exist. For some reason the party of
bigoted white men is touchy about this particular subject.


Meanwhile, forecasters are predicting another
year of intense storms and wildfires. So it’s rather concerning
that FEMA’s workforce is reportedly stretched to the breaking
point.


And lastly, after eleven days of fighting,
Israel has agreed to a ceasefire in Gaza. The work of rebuilding
is urgent, as Palestinian medical facilities are overwhelmed.


THESE ARE THE STORIES YOU NEED TO KNOW:


The curriculum wars continue. CBS News reports that this month,
Idaho Governor Brad Little became the first Republican governor
to sign into law a bill that restricts educators from teaching a
concept called critical race theory. And more could follow:
Nearly a dozen states have introduced similar Republican-backed
bills that would direct what students can and cannot be taught
about slavery in American history and the ongoing effects of
racism. But critics say the legislation isn’t aimed at what
children are learning in the classroom. Idaho’s law prohibits
teaching that individuals are responsible for actions committed
in the past by other members of the same sex, race, religion, et
cetera. A proposal in Rhode Island would prevent teaching that
the United States is fundamentally racist or sexist. However,
proponents of critical race theory say it does not teach that any
race is inherently racist, but how race is ingrained in our
history.


Jazmyne Owens, of the think tank New America, told CBS that the
wave of legislation is; "aimed at erasing and whitewashing
American history." For example, Owens pointed to a Texas bill
that just passed in the state's House that bans discussion of
privilege and white supremacy. The state bills have similar goals
as two executive orders Donald Trump introduced, one that called
for patriotic education and a one that sought to ban diversity
training for federal workers. President Joe Biden has revoked
both. But at this rate, Republicans will soon be pushing to ban
schools entirely.


FEMA Workers Are Exhausted


This report on essential worker burnout comes from the New York
Times. Workers from the Federal Emergency Management Agency have
been scouting shelters for migrant children. They’ve been running
coronavirus vaccination sites in Colorado, Massachusetts and
Washington. And they are still managing the recovery from a
string of record disasters starting with Hurricane Harvey in
2017. On the cusp of a destructive season of hurricanes and
wildfires, just thirty eight hundred of the agency’s nearly
fourteen thousand emergency workers are available now to respond
to a new disaster. That’s twenty nine percent fewer than were
ready to deploy at the start of last year’s hurricane period.
FEMA has seldom been in greater demand – becoming a kind of 911
hotline for some of President Biden’s most pressing challenges.
And the men and women who have become the nation’s first
responders are tired. Deanne Criswell, Biden’s pick to run the
agency, identified employee burnout as a major issue during her
first all-hands FEMA meeting, according to Steve Reaves,
president of the union local that represents employees.


According to the Times, the shortage is severe for some
categories of workers. Among the agency’s senior leadership, just
three out of fifty three are currently available to deploy. Other
specialized personnel have less than fifteen percent of their
workers available. In interviews, current and former FEMA
employees described twelve-hour days, canceled vacations, and not
enough time to recover between assignments. Sounds like they
should hire and train more staff and create some good-paying
government jobs.


Gaza Ceasefire Takes Effect


At last, a breather. Al-Jazeera reports that Israel and Hamas
agreed to a ceasefire yesterday to halt eleven days of fighting
in the Gaza Strip. A statement from Israeli Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said the security cabinet had
unanimously accepted an Egyptian initiative for an unconditional
ceasefire. Palestinian groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad then
confirmed the ceasefire in a statement. At least two hundred and
thirty two Palestinians, including sixty five children, have been
killed. On the Israeli side, twelve people, including two
children, have been killed. Following the announcement of a
ceasefire, Egypt’s representative at the United Nations announced
to member states that it will fund efforts to rebuild Gaza.


And there is much rebuilding to be done. According to the
Associated Press, the Gaza Strip’s already feeble health system
has been brought to its knees. Hospitals have been overwhelmed
with waves of dead and wounded from Israel’s bombardment. Many
vital medicines are rapidly running out in the tiny, blockaded
coastal territory, as is fuel to keep electricity going. Two of
Gaza’s most prominent doctors, including the Number Two in Gaza’s
coronavirus task force, were killed when their homes were
destroyed during barrages. Just as Gaza was climbing out of a
second wave of coronavirus infections, its only virus testing lab
was damaged by an airstrike and has been shut. Health officials
fear further outbreaks among tens of thousands of displaced
residents crowded into makeshift shelters after fleeing massive
barrages. And absolutely none of this needed to happen.


AND NOW FOR SOME QUICKER QUICKIES:


The Wall Street Journal reports that prosecutors in the case of
three former Minneapolis police officers charged with abetting
Derek Chauvin in the murder of George Floyd told an appellate
court yesterday they are considering adding a third-degree murder
charge against the three men. Tou Thao, J. Alexander Kueng and
Thomas Lane are expected to stand trial next March. They could
have stopped Chauvin, but didn’t.


According to the Houston Chronicle, Texas Governor Greg Abbott on
Wednesday signed legislation that bans abortion as early as six
weeks into pregnancy and, in a first, would give nearly any Texan
the ability to sue providers who they believe have broken the
law. It is one of the most restrictive abortion bans in the
nation and is certain to face legal challenges. Strike it down on
the double!


The Intercept reports that the Department of Homeland Security
will be shutting down the controversial immigration prison in
Georgia where dozens of women were subjected to nonconsensual
gynecological procedures, including hysterectomies. The Irwin
County Detention Center in Ocilla, Georgia, run by LaSalle
Corrections, was the focus of criticism last fall when a nurse
alleged pervasive medical misconduct. Good riddance.


The Guardian reports that relations between the US and Russia
have taken a tentative step forward after the Kremlin welcomed a
decision by the Biden administration not to impose sanctions on a
Russian pipeline delivering gas to Germany. Germany’s chancellor,
Angela Merkel, also reacted positively. Let’s everybody just hug
it out, okay?


AM QUICKIE - MAY 21, 2021


HOSTS - Sam Seder & Lucie Steiner


WRITER - Corey Pein


PRODUCER - Dorsey Shaw


EXECUTIVE PRODUCER - Brendan Finn