back to school

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Tens of Thousands of Students Are in Quarantine
As School Gets Underway,
Sobering Numbers
THE RUNDOWN

As School Gets Underway, Sobering Numbers

Tens of thousands of students already quarantined across the US, including 20K in Mississippi

(Newser) - More than 20,000 students in Mississippi—about 4.5% of the state's public-school population—were quarantined over the last two weeks due to coronavirus exposures, per USA Today . Almost 6,000 students in the state have tested positive for COVID-19 in the past two weeks, and two have...

One Notebook Was Left on the Shelf. 2 Women Wanted It

Back-to-school tensions ran high at Michigan Walmart, gun was drawn: cops

(Newser) - No parent will deny that back-to-school shopping can be a tense, unpleasant experience, but it was especially so for customers at a Michigan Walmart this week. Per WJBK and WCRZ , Novi officers say that four shoppers at the retailer's Novi store—two women from Farmington Hills, ages 32 and...

Walmart Very Sorry About Back-to-School Gun Display

'Own school year like a hero' sign apparently wasn't supposed to be over a gun case

(Newser) - Retailers are currently in the middle of the back-to-school frenzy, but Walmart is taking heat after someone snapped a photo of a glass display case filled with guns underneath a sign that reads, "Own the school year like a hero." CNNMoney reports that picture has gone viral on...

Student Held in Murder of Principal

Boy, 17, on scene when Suzette York's body is found in Memphis school

(Newser) - A Tennessee student is in custody after his principal was found dead in a pool of blood in a classroom of their church school. The body of popular 49-year-old school head Suzette York was discovered by a teacher at the Seventh-Day Adventist Memphis Junior Academy. A 17-year-old student was still...

Obama Speech Didn't Turn My Kids Into Commies

School budget cuts more of a worry than socialist indoctrination

(Newser) - Despite the worst fears of some right-wingers, President Obama's back-to-school speech yesterday didn't turn Mary Elizabeth Williams' two daughters into "commie zombies," she writes in Salon. Her 5-year-old decided the speech was boring and left the room in a huff, while the 9-year-old decided to "work extra...

Obama to Students: 'You Make Your Own Future'

(Newser) - President Obama drew on his own childhood today to encourage students to stick with school to discover their passions and talents, a message nearly overshadowed in advance by criticism from conservatives who feared a socialist agenda. Some of the furor had died down before the noon address—the Florida GOP...

Obama Speech: Handwashing, Not Brainwashing

(Newser) - The eagerly anticipated speech President Obama will deliver to the nation's schoolchildren tomorrow contains none of the socialist indoctrination conservatives had apparently feared, Politico reports. Rather, an advance text indicates, he urges kids to work hard, not expect to get something for nothing, and "wash your hands a lot,...

Back-to-School Speech Anger Rooted in Race

Right-wingers show 'irrational,' gut antipathy to Obama

(Newser) - If there’s one thing we should all be cool with, it’s the leader of the free world inspiring kids about education. But somehow the idea of President Obama giving a back-to-school speech has spawned an “outbreak of right-wing crazy,” writes Joan Walsh for Salon—“and...

Your Lowly Penny Can Actually Buy Something

Retailers lure back to school shoppers with 1¢ gimmick

(Newser) - Retailers, scrambling to connect with the fragile consumer psyche, have turned to the lowly penny for a boost, offering everything from clothing to crayons for a single cent, the LA Times reports. Nearly taken out of circulation three years ago, the penny may be a lousy coin, but it’s...

Back to School Sales in Slump
 Back to School Sales in Slump 

Back to School Sales in Slump

(Newser) - Retailers are seeing the slowest back-to-school season in many years as consumers cling to their cash, the New York Times reports. Estimates on sales, an early indicator of how stores will fare in the holiday season, show declines of 3 to 8% from last year, which saw a 1% increase....

After Day of Rest, First Daughters Back to School

Exciting Inauguration Day ended with Jonas Brothers visit

(Newser) - Sasha and Malia Obama are back in school today, after taking yesterday off to recover from inauguration fever, the AP reports. The First Daughters spent Tuesday smiling and waving, and were up late with surprise visitors the Jonas Brothers while their parents were out at the balls. The girls are...

Back-to-School Lists Bust Budgets
Back-to-School Lists Bust Budgets

Back-to-School Lists Bust Budgets

Cash-strapped districts turn to parents for 'communal' supplies

(Newser) - Ever-expanding back-to-school lists are squeezing family budgets, the New York Times reports. The bill often tops three figures as school ask for pricey items like flash drives—often specifying the brand name. And many cash-strapped districts are turning to parents to provide supplies like paper towels, baby wipes and Band-Aids,...

Parents Call In Ultimate Authority to Wake Up Kids

Hannah Montana will give youngsters a ring

(Newser) - Wal-Mart has found the perfect trick for getting back-to-school kids out of bed: Wake-up phone calls from Hannah Montana. Head to www.hannahmontanacalls.com and you can program the Miley Cyrus character to goad your children to rise and shine, reports the Washington Post. She’s placed nearly 30,000...

Credit Crunch Doesn't Dampen Retail Numbers

Luxury, back-to-school shoppers drive August figures up

(Newser) - Better-than-expected retail sales figures for August, which built on healthy back-to-school and luxury shopping, raised hopes today that turbulent markets won't take too big of a bite out of holiday-season sales. Wal-Mart and Target made out well, as did luxury emporiums such as Saks. "It bodes well for Christmas,...

14 Stories