Teaching from tents, Philly educators push back | Morning Newsletter
And, a tale of two different impeachment trial figures from Montco.
The Morning Newsletter
Start your day with the Philly news you need and the stories you want all in one easy-to-read newsletter
First: Hundreds of teachers rallied — and actually worked — outside of school buildings, demanding a safety evaluation. Here’s what it was like outside schools all over the city yesterday.
And: The impeachment trial starts today. Get to know the two key players from Montco bringing very different approaches to the table.
Then: This is how people honored the legendary John Chaney at his funeral yesterday.
Expect a dash of snow today and possibly “plowable snow” tomorrow night in the Philly region.
— Ashley Hoffman (@_ashleyhoffman, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
For the most dedicated teachers, there’s work and there’s life. And that was on full display yesterday throughout the city.
Hundreds of teachers and education workers stood in freezing weather in the middle of the pandemic to protest returning to school buildings for in-person instruction right now. “We want to work. But we want to come back safe. That’s all we’re asking,” a 34-year veteran told us.
A sign sampling: “Not a fan of the plan,” “Every school should be a safe school,” and “Masks are disposable but educators are not!” Some teachers even instructed students in their cars or tents on laptops. Supporters brought treats.
Late Sunday night, the city reversed the superintendent’s move to threaten discipline for anyone who didn’t report to the buildings yesterday. Lawmakers support the teachers’ demand for a safety evaluation while some City Council members want the teachers back as soon as possible. Now it all could hang on one ruling from a doctor and public health expert.
Go in-depth with reporters on the scene outside schools throughout the city.
Same county. Diverging paths.
Two Montgomery County players are facing off on opposite sides of Donald Trump’s impeachment trial starting today and playing out this week.
And where else would they be from? After all, Trump put Pennsylvania on the front lines of his baseless election fraud battle. Not only are the two Montco natives on different political pages, the stylistic clash should make for an interesting trial.
Friends of Democratic Rep. Madeline Dean, one of nine House impeachment managers who will prosecute the case against Trump, describe her as “composed, studious, and careful.” And not 10 days ago, Trump tapped lawyer Bruce Castor, whose associates describe him as having “an ego the size of the Titanic.” The swaggery headline magnet was such a frequent guest on Philly’s three major TV networks (channels 3, 6, and 10,) that he earned the nickname “19.”
Here’s what to expect they’ll each bring to this historic trial from people who know them.
Where can you get a vaccine in the Philly area if you’re eligible? Use our lookup tool and find out.
Here are the updated coronavirus case numbers as COVID-19 continues to spread across the region.
Philly will open six mass COVID-19 vaccination clinics and doses are also coming to city pharmacies.
We may have answered your coronavirus question already in our FAQ.
What you need to know today
This is how family and friends paid tribute to Temple’s legendary coach John Chaney at his funeral yesterday.
Pa. counties are blaming the “cumbersome” software the state spent thousands on for vaccine registration problems such as overbooking. Now they’re deciding whether to use the software in the mass vaccination clinics coming soon.
Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. John Fetterman announced his U.S. Senate campaign, becoming the first officially declared major candidate in a tight race.
The Philly officer who drove into a house left a woman with both legs broken, her husband less severely injured, and one of their dogs dead.
Inmates at a South Jersey jail are suing county officials over the jail’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic.
More than 50 Philly-area artists are rallying virtually today to get more city funding and livestreaming it all.
Through your eyes | #OurPhilly
What a view. Thanks for sharing, @bgrophoto.
Tag your Instagram posts or tweets with #OurPhilly and we’ll pick our favorite each day to feature in this newsletter and give you a shout-out!
That’s interesting
🏢 Do tenants need to tell their landlords that they’re using legal medical marijuana? Here’s a guide to how medical marijuana affects tenant rights in Pennsylvania.
💼 People are still gathering at new virtual coworking spaces, but they’re nothing like the real thing.
🎼 Empathy in 2021 just got a new soundtrack from 1960.
🎉 Celebrate Black History month with powerful events, many that you can access from home.
Opinions
“You build trust by dealing honestly with Black people. You also build trust by tackling systemic racism, which is at the root of why Black people are disproportionately impacted by COVID-19,” — educator Rann Miller writes that COVID-19 continues to exist as long as racism continues to exist.
Does the new phenomenon of small investors banding together against Wall Street pros on social media really make the so-called little guys more powerful? Joseph N. DiStefano says no in his column about what the SEC should really focus on.
Pro/Con time. Should Washington, D.C., be the 51st state? That’s what we’re debating.
We’re offering anyone who couldn’t have that in-person goodbye to someone lost to this pandemic a chance to share what they would have said if they’d been able to be by their side. If you’ve lost someone to COVID-19 and want to express your goodbye, here’s how to participate.
What we’re reading
The Ringer goes deep on the Super Bowl halftime performance carried by one man.
Your Daily Dose of | Opportunity
Baker Industries is quite intentional about hiring people who are traditionally overlooked by other companies. “You don’t feel judged,” one North Philly resident who came to Baker from a halfway house said. And they’re looking to hire more.