News Update

Teacher shortage affects in-person classes

By Nico Francois

CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF & GRAPHICS EDITOR

Although schools in Washington state are back in-person after over a year of remote learning, countless districts surrounding the Seattle area are experiencing mass shortages in terms of full-time and substitute teachers and general staff members. As a result of the staffing shortages, public schools in the Seattle, Bellevue and Kent school districts closed for one day on Nov. 12 after over 600 staff members requested the Friday off. All districts impacted have already planned dates either later on in the semester or at the end of the year in order to make up the educational hours missed. The staff shortage could have harsher impacts in the long run, as a continued lack of staff could lead to multiple classes or schools having to either cancel more days to be made up later in the year, or worst case scenario, some schools may have to return to a remote learning model.

To compensate for the lack of substitute teachers available, some districts are assigning certified staff from multiple support programs to work in classrooms for the time being. In some cases, current teachers are having to rotate around the school to cover classes that they don’t teach, taking away planning time for the classes that they do normally teach.

In hopes of being able to hire new staff members in a timely manner, districts are now offering incentives to potential recruits. Districts are increasingly pushing for the hiring of new staff in order to avoid burnout of current teachers and staff members as a result of working during a pandemic with decreased staff and support. H

NICO FRANCOIS | HAWKEYE

Madagascar faces unique famineCOMPILED BY NICO FRANCOIS

Southern Madagascar is on the verge of experiencing a famine unlike any other. Unlike other countries, where famine is often induced by conflict, the famine in Madagascar is the first famine in recent history that is the result of climate change. A portion of the famine is due to the drought that Madagascar is experiencing, the worst in almost 50 years, leading to massive amounts of crop failure. Large sandstorms resulting from climate change have also played a part in the failure of crops, as land impacted by the storms has been left infertile, leaving no hope for further growth.

Over 1 million people in the country have been affected by the famine, with a majority of those being children. Roughly half a million kids under age 5 are experiencing the side effects of malnourishment, and many are expected to suffer irreversible changes as a result of the lack of nutrition.

In order to help aid the issue, the World Food Programme is teaming with the Malagasy government to provide food and resources to citizens. The World Food Programme is also helping to treat children who are currently malnourished, and are attempting to prevent further malnourishment in other children.

The government is attempting to rework the infrastructure of the country in order to make more regions resistant to future droughts so that crops may begin to thrive once again. H

NICO FRANCOIS | HAWKEYE

• the update •

A lot happens in a month. From fashion to finance, we are constantly bombarded by headlines from around the world. Here are the Hawkeye’s picks for what you need to know.

stories by nico francois graphics by nico francois

Another virus outbreak impacts India

International

Alongside the current COVID-19 pandemic that continues to spread across the globe, a Zika virus outbreak has also taken place in India. The outbreak began in the city of Kapur, with the first case discovered on Oct. 23. Since the detection of the initial case, over 90 people have tested positive for the mosquito-transmitted illness. Since the outbreak began, authorities have been doing vigorous contact tracing and taking cautious measures to destroy the areas in which the virus-spreading mosquitoes have congregated and begun to breed. H

Tragedy strikes Travis Scott’s “Astroworld”

National

Numerous deaths and injuries have occurred at “Astroworld,” an annual music festival hosted by rapper Travis Scott in Houston, Texas. As of Nov. 16, ten people who attended the event have been pronounced dead, with hundreds more injured after a large crowd of festival goers rushed forward to the stage where the rapper was performing. The rush toward the stage caused the people in the front to be trampled, which inevitably caused more of the crowd to panic, further worsening the situation. Numerous lawsuits have also been filed as a result of the casualties, and the rapper has released a public apology on Instagram. H

U.S. lifts international travel ban

National

After more than 18 months of closed borders and international travel bans as an effort to curb the COVID-19 pandemic raging across the globe, the White House has declared that the U.S. will be opening its borders to international travelers on Nov. 8. Although the borders have reopened, restrictions have still been put into place in order to contain any outbreaks of the virus. Any passengers entering the country must provide proof of vaccination, wether traveling on a plane or on a ferry, as well as test negative for COVID, but only if the passenger is boarding an aircraft. H

Residents file lawsuit against new care tax

A class-action lawsuit has been filed for the Western District of Washington against the mandatory payroll tax to fund a long-term care tax in the state. The lawsuit was filed for three businesses and six people within the state, none of whom acquired a long-term insurance care plan of their own before the exemption deadline of Nov. 1.

The lawsuit states that the care tax violates federal law, forbidding states from forcing employees to pay for plans providing medical benefits. The longterm care tax is meant to fund necessities for those who need assistance with multiple aspects of daily life, such as dressing, eating and bathing. H

The mayoral election has come to an end

After the third wave of voter ballots were counted on Nov. 4, former Seattle City Council President Bruce Harrell has beat his opponent, current City Council President, Lorena Gonzalez, in the Seattle mayoral election.

In the coming days, Harrell will replace former Mayor Jenny Durkan after she has completed her four year term in office.

During his term, Harrell has pledged to address current issues within the Seattle Police Department in hopes of reform, as well as the homelessness epidemic plaguing Seattle, hoping to get more citizens out of the streets and into transitional housing. H