The Brave News

by Ian Cook

After the LAUSD mandated COVID-19 vaccination for schoolchildren, Governor Gavin Newsom and the state of California have now become the first state to require the vaccination for all schoolchildren and staff. 

With California continuing to post low COVID-19 transmission numbers, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Department of Public Health approved the idea of a vaccine mandate for all schoolchildren and staff. This vaccine mandate includes schoolchildren from Kindergarten to 12th Grade in public, charter and private Institutions. 

California has already required vaccination from many viruses in order to attend school such as, Polio, Hepatitis B, Measles, Varicella and more. However, due to a significant decline in COVID-19 cases and an increase in vaccine distributions, California will mandate the vaccine in order to prevent further outbreaks in schools. 

This mandate affects millions of students across California and will place the state at the forefront of strict pandemic safety measures.

However, this mandate will not take effect for grades 7th-12th until the semester after the FDA gives full approval for children twelve and older to receive the vaccine. Students from kindergarten to 6th grade would then be required to become fully vaccinated against the virus once the FDA grants full approval for younger children to receive the vaccine. 

Although the vaccine will be mandated for all schoolchildren, Governor Newsome has given parents of schoolchildren the opportunity to cite personal beliefs that inhibit them from vaccinating their children against COVID-19. With these personal beliefs, children will still be able to attend school fully in-person without vaccination. With the vaccination requirements being processed through the legislature rather than a private business entity, the personal beliefs of parents and students must be honored to some extent. Nonetheless, state lawmakers also have the option to remove the personal belief exemption for the vaccine if they choose to do so, which may result in future legal battles. 

In spite of the exemption, unvaccinated students who do not have a medical or personal belief exemption will have the options of enrolling in fully online schooling programs or being homeschooled. 

With California being the only state to mandate the COVID-19 vaccine thus far, this puts pressure on many other states to either do the same or to speak out against it. 

A few school districts that have been in compliance with these mandates are the (LAUSD) and the San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD). These two large school districts already mandated the vaccine weeks before Governor Newsom signed the statewide bill.

Currently, California ranks number 7 in the United States in terms of vaccines being administered, with an estimate of 49,700,000 vaccines being administered and 67.4% of Californians having received at least one dose. 

With the recent news of the mandate, there is heavy speculation on whether or not there will be a decrease in the number of students attending in-person classes, or if there will be more compliance with the mandate, leading to an increase in vaccination rates.

by Andrew Fierro, Managing Editor

On September 9th, the Los Angles Unified School District (LAUSD) elected to mandate the COVID-19 vaccine, which has led to an outcry of both support and opposition.

The LAUSD is now the first major school system in the United States to mandate vaccination. This action has pushed the conversation forward and now puts pressure on other states and school districts to either do the same or come out against the decision.

The mandate gives students who are 12 and older, as well as enrolled in a school inside the district, up until January 10th to receive the vaccination fully. Though if the student wants to participate in extracurricular activities that are school-associated, the deadline for the mandate is October 31st.

The vaccination mandate has not only put pressure on the different school districts across the country, but also the education policymakers whose attention has just been grabbed. With this significant move, policymakers in support of the vaccine will look to further this decision and enforce it across the nation.

Many other school districts will most likely wait and watch carefully to understand the repercussions of such a mandate. However, the vaccination mandate has received support from major statewide teacher unions, as well as the entirety of school board members.

This was not the only Californian school district to enforce a vaccine mandate, as Culver City Unified, which is a small district adjacent to the LAUSD, already approved a mandate before the start of their school year.

Though there have been many supporters of the decision, there has also been opposition, as many families feel that they may leave the district over this mandate. Many families who were already hesitant about getting the vaccine are now feeling less confident and more defensive in the wake of this policy.

Despite vaccine hesitancy and backlash, vaccination rates are sure to rise in the Los Angeles area, though the policy may further alienate those in the state that are not so much vaccine hesitant as they are vaccine averse all together.

There are certain school districts inside California that do not agree with the vaccine mandate and will choose not to follow LAUSD lead. An example of this would be the Las Virgenes Unified School District (LVUSD). The LVUSD doesn’t believe that mandating the vaccination is in the best interest of everyone as of yet. Most of the opposing districts’ worries for the mandate stem from legal concerns.

The LAUSD is not as concerned with the legal issues that they may endure due to this vaccination mandate. However, how the legalities of this mandate are distinguished will be a popular discussion, as there have not been many cases similar to this.

Even with opposition, it seems that the LAUSD will not be the only school district in California that will continue down this path as several other districts have spoken out in support.

With the cases for COVID-19 continuing to linger, particularly cases found in unvaccinated 12 to 17-year-olds, this decision will prove to be significant in the discussion around keeping schools open for learning in the wake of the pandemic.

by Oscar Aranda

People may not be totally safe with the COVID-19 vaccine. Coming from Columbia, the “Mu” variant has been found in 31 countries and is now present inside the United States. 

Nearing almost 3,000 cases nationwide, the variant is raising concern for another possible widespread outbreak. So far the Mu variant is prevalent in South America and Europe, which is co-circulating with other COVID-19 variants such as the Delta variant.

The state that has the highest report of the Mu variant is California, with a reported 432 cases. Coming in second for Mu variant cases is Florida, which has reported 308 cases, and in third, New York with 209 cases. 

The Mu variant has been found to be resistant to COVID-19 antibodies as well as vaccines, which can lead to many complications if an outbreak occurs in the U.S. Though if another outbreak occurs not only will the people of America be affected, but the health workers will once again have to go through another wave of hospitalizations. 

This has led people to ask how the Mu variant arose and why it is so dangerous. The Mu variant contains many mutations that give the virus the ability to break through antibodies, though it is less likely to be transmitted compared to the “wild-type” COVID-19 or the Delta variant. In scientific terms, the Mu variant has eight mutations, but the ones that make it concerning are the mutations E484K and N501Y, which affect new mRNA vaccines. 

The Mu variant focuses on spike proteins that are present in the virus that allow for it to enter our cells. Although when vaccinated, we are exposed to spike proteins that will help us fight it off more efficiently.  This allows the Mu variant to have such a great effect on a vaccinated person and/or a person that currently has the COVID-19 antibodies. This makes the vaccine or antibodies 37% less effective when battling the Mu variant.

This leads to the question, what can someone do to protect themselves from getting the Mu variant or any COVID-19 variant for that matter? The most important thing someone can do is to wear a mask in order to reduce the risk of transmission. They should also practice washing their hands thoroughly whenever they have a chance. It is also important to note that though the vaccine may be compromised against this variant, someone is still at less of a risk of contracting the Mu variant if they are vaccinated compared to an individual who is not yet vaccinated. 

Another way of avoiding the Mu variant is to social distance accordingly whenever an individual is out in crowded areas. Lastly, everyone should make sure they are keeping up with their own personal health by taking their vitamins for their immune system, as it is the biggest soldier in fighting off any virus and keeping your immune health strong ahead of flu season.

by Eric Torres, Editor-in-Chief

As the world commemorates the 20th anniversary of the most horrific terrorist attack in U.S. history, we remember those who were lost on that tragic day and also thank those who ensure that it never happens again.

Twenty years ago, on September 11, 2001, planes hijacked by members of Al-Qaeda, an Islamic terrorist group, crashed into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., with a fourth plane that was suspected to have been heading to the White House, or the Capitol Building, crashing in rural Pennsylvania. 

Nearly three thousand people lost their lives that morning. This figure includes citizens of 77 different countries, countless American citizens and 441 heroic New York first responders. Even today, 9/11 remains a touchy subject for Americans, and combined with the strife in Afghanistan, many look back on these events with anger and political resentment. 

It is important, however, to look back at these horrific events, separated by 20 years, through a different lens, one of gratitude. 

The United States of America has not suffered another major terrorist attack of the same magnitude since that day. Although we are not completely free from the specter of terror, the brave, hard-working men and women in U.S. defense and intelligence have mitigated threats over the last two decades.

Furthermore, the American military, which has spent the last 20 years in the Middle East, has also worked extremely hard to combat terrorism in the region, which in turn has helped ensure safety and security in the United States. Thousands of American military lives and countless more civilian lives have been lost in the Iraq, Pakistan and Afghanistan in post-9/11 wars. Last week, 13 more brave servicemen and women lost their lives as the U.S. left Afghanistan.

Beyond that, it is important to remember that we, as Americans, live in a country where many people dedicate their lives to ensure our safety. This is something that many Americans unintentionally take for granted, due to the fact that there is not really a highly societal threat at present. The lack of awareness and gratitude toward U.S. military and intelligence apparatuses stems from the great job they do everyday.

Next time, when someone mentions 9/11, or the mess in the Middle East, instead of reacting in an analytical or political manner, react with gratitude for those who work to preserve the safety of this great nation.

by Andrew Fierro, Managing Editor

Hurricane Ida has proven to be one of the most dangerous storms in history, having drastic effects on many states on the east coast with approximately $50-60 billion in property damage and a death toll over 50.

Hurricane Ida first made landfall on the August 29th in Louisiana, marked as a category four storm with maximum sustained winds reaching up to 150 miles per hour. Since that day, Ida has been on a treacherous path of pain and destruction.

The lives lost has been mainly due to the flooding that has taken place and unfortunately is expected to continue to rise. The storm that started out in Louisiana has made its way through many states including New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, Connecticut and many more.

The storm, which was initially predicted to cause an estimated $15 billion in property damage, has likely caused somewhere between $50-60 billion in damage. In a country where the economy is still recovering and in many ways still being impacted by COVID-19, the intense damage caused by the hurricane could not have come at a worse time.

In Louisiana alone, millions of people were without power as the hurricane, along with the trees it knocked over, destroyed power lines cutting off electricity from the people in the homes and businesses. Some of these outages included the entire city of New Orleans, which had a negative effect on the search and rescue efforts that were already underway. In some areas of Louisiana, it is possible that it may take up to a month before the power is restored.

As mentioned, with sustained winds of 150 mph, Ida has now tied the Last Island Hurricane in 1856 and Hurricane Laura in 2020 as the strongest hurricane in history to strike Louisiana. On top of that, it is also tied as the fifth strongest hurricane to have made landfall in any location inside the United States, even peaking at a wind speed of 172 miles per hour.

New Orleans, as well as the rest of Louisiana, was not the only place affected by the storm, as many other states dealt with disastrous impacts as well. People of other areas around the Gulf of Mexico suffered majorly, with residents fleeing and seeking safety and shelter. The hurricane passed toward the northeastern United States, through states such as Mississippi, Tennessee, Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey and New York.

Not only did the hurricane itself cause extremely bad conditions for the people of these states, but the remnants of this hurricane proved disastrous as well. On September 1st, storm remnants caused a regional tornado outbreak in the northern mid-Atlantic area. These tornados proved to be extremely dangerous and stronger than the average remnant that is common from a tropical storm.

One of the major reasons that Ida was able to cause so much damage was its resilience to land. Most hurricanes weaken substantially after impact with land, but this was not the case with Ida. What started out as a category four hurricane retained this status for five hours after connecting with land, sustaining winds over 130 mph. It did not drop below major hurricane levels until nine hours from the original landfall.

As the U.S. deals with one problem after another, the country has shown incredible resilience to battle through many adversities. President Joe Biden gave remarks to the country and, most importantly, the people struggling, in order to tell them to keep safe and that nothing is beyond this country’s capacity when the people work together.

by Dominic Ramirez

As schools of all levels return to campus, COVID-19 remains a looming threat to the reopening effort across the country.

After a year and a half of online learning, schools are finally starting to reopen, but in doing so, they are putting kids at risk, especially those who are too young to be vaccinated. Various spikes in COVID-19 cases around the country have posed challenges to school leaders.

American children everywhere seem to be affected by the recent increase in COVID-19 cases among children. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics’ website, since the beginning of the pandemic, there have been a grand total of 4.8 million coronavirus cases among children in the United States, with somewhere around 204,000 cases being added since the last week of August. As a result, many schools across America are now considering going back to online learning.

Even as the schools in California are following the guidelines provided by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), COVID-19 cases are up. Since August 25, 2021 there have been 467,048 cases in children from age five to 17, an 11.2% increase from the previous couple weeks, according to the CDPH.

Outside of California, school communities and districts are being hit just as hard, if not harder. A school district in Waco, Texas has already had to shut down due to the death of two of their teachers. The two teachers, Natalia Chansler and David McCormick, both taught sixth grade social studies.

Meanwhile, in the state of Florida, there have been no less than 580,000 positive COVID-19 cases since the start of August, according to the Florida Department of Health. However, despite this, the Governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis, is launching an effort to ban schools from forcing kids to wear masks. The Florida Department of Education even took away funding from two schools because they made wearing a mask mandatory on school grounds, a school policy change obviously connected to rising COVID-19 cases among children.

Citizens can help slow the spread of COVID-19 in their areas by wearing a mask, practicing social distancing, thoroughly washing one’s hands and staying home if you feel sick.

by Nicholas Neoman

In the wake of American military withdrawal from Afghanistan and just hours after the American evacuation of Kabul, the Taliban, an Islamic extremist military organization, completely overtook the capital city and any fragment of democracy left in Afghanistan.

After 20 years of fighting, four presidential administrations and over $2.26 trillion spent, Kabul has been restored back to being a terrorist stronghold. This crisis started with President Joe Biden ordering removal of American forces on July 8, 2021 as an extension of the Trump Administration’s plan for leaving Afghanistan. On Sunday, August 15, 2021, the Taliban officially took over Kabul, less than 24 hours after the United States troops officially left the city. The aftermath from these events have caused mass chaos and panic in both Afghanistan and the United States.

As the United States pulled out of Afghanistan, Afghans are attempting to flee the country by any and all means. The Hamid Karzai International Airport airport in Kabul has been the scene of mass chaos for the past week as citizens attempt to crowd onto leaving planes.  According to one report, over 600 civilians squeezed into a United States Air Force plane, while many others jumped on the outside of the vehicle trying to escape. Every citizen is desperate as they fear for their lives and freedom.

Women especially are suppressed under the new Taliban regime. Previously, women were making long overdue strides toward equality, and life for women was substantially freer under the previous rule. However, the Taliban has strictly enforced Islamic Sharia law, forcing women to wear a hijab and a burqa outside, as well as taking away many other rights.

The Taliban reports that girls are allowed to go to school and women can teach as they used to, but in reality a more sinister picture is being painted. Rather, in the past week, girls have been physically blocked from entering schools along with female teachers, forcing them to retreat back to domestic life. This is a severe reduction in rights, and American citizens of all political shades can agree that women had many more rights under American-led rule compared to the Taliban.

As for men, a different suppression has been enforced. Any adult man who speaks out against their new terrorist leaders will be shot and killed. Unlike the United States, there is no freedom of speech, no right to Habeas Corpus and no right to a trial by their peers. Instead, anyone who disagrees is murdered.

Because it is very difficult for women to leave their house, men have been forced into a role of being the absolute leader of their household. They must do nearly everything for their home because they can go out, which means more time subjected to the new government. Because they spend more time out working for the family, it is incredibly difficult for men not to rise up and speak out against the government. All in all, life for Afghans is extremely harsh as women have very little rights and men are subjected to death.

At home, a different kind of madness is ensuing. Now, political parties are arguing over where to pin the blame. Many Democrats today believe that the United States never should have been in Afghanistan and that the blame should lie at the feet of former Republican President Donald Trump, who initiated the pullout effort.

However, the Republicans have a completely different perspective on this issue. The current president is Joe Biden, and it was under his leadership that Afghanistan crumbled. Even though Donald Trump started this process, Republicans believe President Biden’s orders of immediate removal and the mismanagement of that removal led to the Taliban takeover.

As for the issue of starting the war nearly 20 years ago, both Republicans and Democrats agreed on fighting in Afghanistan at the time, so both parties are in theory to blame for these issues abroad.

Regardless, Afghanistan seems to be in a similar, if not worse, state as it was when American military occupation began. When President George W. Bush started the war in Afghanistan, it seemed to be the correct approach. However, in hindsight, many citizens wonder if those trillions of dollars could’ve been spent more wisely.

That money could have gone to benefit both political parties, instead of fighting a war. Homelessness, opioids and even more recently pandemic relief could have been viable alternatives for this money. Instead, Afghanistan remains as it originally was, a developing nation where rights are suppressed and terrorism reigns.

by Andrew Fierro

As the peak of California wildfire season approaches, more and more fires are appearing across the state, deeming the use of red flag warnings in what appears to be an even worse fire season than 2020. 

After an intense wildfire season in 2020, the state was hoping for a better year in terms of land burned, though sadly since the beginning of the year, the state has been off to a fiery start. Since January first there has been more than 20 square miles of land burned in over 1,950 fires. In 2020 there was only 3 square miles of burning during the same time frame.

Though during 2020, which was the largest wildfire season in state history, there were over 6,390 square miles burnt with over 10,431 wildfires. This season was detrimental not only to the environment that the state lives in but also to the people in it. There was loss of houses, jobs, and even family members. 2020 was the year that recorded five of the state’s largest wildfires.

With all of the harsh conditions that the wildfire season of 2020 caused, people are fearful of what will happen in 2021 with the fire season already off to a hot start. Especially with the state in a drought and a two year long rain deficit, this fire season has all of the right ingredients to flare up.

Due to this drought that has been going on for sometime in California, places that usually aren’t as vulnerable to catching fire are now at risk of flames. Though it is not a coincidence that the fire season is getting worse year after year with studies from the University of California, Irvine proclaimed that the fire season was continuously becoming worse due to climate change and an increased risk in human-caused fires. 

It has also been reported that the wildfire season has lengthened over the years with the peak having shifted from once in the month of August to the month of July. This means that there is less preparation time for the state along with more time that the state has to deal with the fires. 

With the 2021 wildfire approaching and fires already burning across the state, the state has started its preparations in fighting these fires to do their best to contain better than they have in the past.

Last year in 2020, the state saw a normal amount of precipitation, though that was met with hard hitting heat waves that resulted in the worst fire season in state history. For 2021, there was a dry April and a very disappointing rain season as a whole which is contributing to the early start in highly dangerous wildfires. 

Due to less rain, there are more dead plants that act as the fuel for the fires which will only become faster to start and longer lasting than any year previous. This is also seen in the Sierra Mountains with snowfall at 50 percent less than normal and is already off to an early melting period which will result in an area that is more prone to burn while leaving a significantly heavier impact on the climate around the area.

Though this seems like a horrible year for California’s weather, without change, this may be California’s new normal as the state see’s worse and worse rain seasons each year which are continuously met with harsh heat waves which are the base of the wildfires that cause such travesty.