State Releases More Info on How Schools Will Reopen

Welcome to today’s edition of the Dogwood. We’ve got a roundup of today’s Virginia news coming up. 

But First…

The over 200 Confederate monuments in Virginia have started coming down, as cities and towns finally take steps to remove the racist statues that glorify the state’s bloody history. But once the statues are gone, what should take their place? We asked you what you’d like to see in place of the monuments once they’ve been removed. Read your suggestions here.

Five Things You Need to Know

1. Virginia Department of Education Explains How Schools Will Reopen in the Fall- The Virginia Department of Education has responded to Gov. Ralph Northam’s Tuesday announcement of public schools reopening in the fall. The VDOE answered questions from ABC 13, explaining details on Virginia school’s reopening process will look like. — ABC 13
   
   
2. Richmond Christopher Columbus Statue Taken Down by Protesters- The Christopher Columbus statue was taken down by protesters on Tuesday night. Around 9 p.m. in Byrd Park, demonstrators pulled down the statue following a protest in honor of indigenous people. After being torn down, the statue was spray painted, set on fire and then put in the lake.– Dogwood
   
   
3. Virginia’s Coronavirus Cases Reach Over 52,000- There are currently 52,177 reported cases of coronavirus in the state according to the Virginia Department of Health. The VDH also reports that there are 5,272 people who have been hospitalized and 1,514 people who have died due to the virus. So far, 395,972 people have been tested for COVID-19. — Dogwood
   
   
4. Virginia Students Are Allowed to take the SOLs Without a Waiver- The Virginia Department of Education announced that they expect school districts to give Standards of Learning tests in the spring 2020-21 school year without federal waivers. SOL tests were canceled this year due to the coronavirus pandemic. The U.S. Department of Education granted the state a waiver, relieving the need for certain testing requirements. — Richmond Times-Dispatch
   
   
5. Liberty University President Apologizes for Racist Tweet- Liberty University President Jerry Falwell Jr. apologized earlier this week for advertising face masks with a racist photo on Twitter. The tweet has since been deleted. We talked to Prof. Chris House about why he resigned immediately from the university after Falwell’s tweet. — Dogwood