Kqeds Forum

One of the most powerful voices in the debate over whether and when to reopen schools during the pandemic has been teachers unions. Unions have argued that school districts shouldn’t rush to reopen because they say it endangers the health and safety of teachers. But that stance has angered many parents and public officials as data mounts on the toll of remote learning on kids’ physical and mental health. We talk to E. Toby Boyd, president of the state's largest teachers union, the California Teachers Association, about what the recent surge in COVID-19 cases may mean for reopening Bay Area schools and about the frustration expressed by many over the power of teachers unions to keep classrooms shuttered.

What does it mean to be Black and alive right now? That’s the question co-editors Kimberly Drew and Jenna Wortham explore in their new book, “Black Futures,” a multimedia anthology which they call an “archive of collective memory and exuberant testimony.” The 500-plus-page, non-linear book consists of submissions from artists, essayists, activists and more, navigating a range of themes including justice, ownership, legacy and joy. Kimberly Drew, a writer and art curator, and New York Times Magazine staff writer Jenna Wortham join us to talk about their book and the beauty and power of Black culture.

On Thursday, Governor Gavin Newsom announced a regional stay-at-home order to curb rising Covid-19 infections. The order divides the state into five regions and will go into effect when ICU bed capacity in a region drops below 15%. While no region currently meets that threshold, experts predict that most of California will be impacted soon. Under the order, essential businesses and schools may remain open, but indoor dining at restaurants, bars, hair salons, among other businesses will be closed for at least three weeks. 

Federal student loan relief is set to expire at the end of the year, burdening many -- who are already struggling amid the pandemic -- with another monthly payment to consider. President-elect Biden has committed to cancelling $10,000 in student debt for all borrowers. Other Democratic leaders, such as Chuck Schumer and Elizabeth Warren, are calling for up to $50,000 in forgiveness. Critics say loan cancellation is regressive, since those with college degrees typically earn more, and that it doesn’t address the underlying issues with student debt. We’ll discuss what will happen if federal student loan relief expires, growing demands for student debt cancellation, and how student loans have burdened people of color particularly heavily.

As many as 22% of the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency personnel could be laid off over the next year as the transit agency faces a massive budget shortfall of $68 million this fiscal year and a projected $168 million deficit next year. The agency, which operates Muni and the city's taxis and street parking has been hard hit by sharp declines in fare revenue and parking fees. We'll hear about the massive budget crisis and what it may mean for the agency's essential workers.

San Francisco’s City Administrator took a leave of absence Wednesday after federal prosecutors charged her husband, former San Francisco Public Utilities Commission chief Harlan Kelley with accepting bribes earlier this week. Naomi Kelly is the fifth city department head to step down since federal authorities launched a wide ranging corruption investigation. We’ll discuss the scandal and the criticisms lobbed at mayor London Breed for attending a party at the French Laundry restaurant in Napa as COVID-19 cases surge.

As COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations surge across California and much of the nation, Gov. Gavin Newsom is considering a second stay-at-home order on top of the nightly curfew for nearly all of the state’s residents. If projections hold, the state’s intensive care units could be overloaded by mid-December and hospitals could be dangerously full by Christmas. The sobering projections come as the state is set to receive 327,000 doses of coronavirus vaccine this month, but questions remain about who gets the vaccine first, and when.

In his most recent book "The Splendid and the Vile," author Erik Larson portrays Winston Churchill — and the family members and advisors around him — during his first year as prime minister of the United Kingdom. Larson, a bestselling nonfiction writer and author of "Devil in the White City," joins us to talk about Churchill’s leadership, from his taking office on the day Germany invaded Holland and Belgium to the way he’s remembered today.

COVID-19 cases are rising again in California's state prisons with over 3,600 active cases reported as of Sunday. Early releases, done to ease crowding, have slowed and prisons remain overcrowded systemwide. Positive cases among prison staff are also of concern and some staff are failing to comply with personal protective equipment protocols. Meanwhile, county jails continue to struggle with a backlog of inmates awaiting transfers to state prisons. This latest surge prompted California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation officials to again stop transfers as of last Thursday. After coming under fire for the poor handling of previous outbreaks, critics now say CDCR has been too slow to learn from past mistakes. We'll discuss the latest news.

As pandemic-induced remote work frees up some employees to live anywhere they have Internet access, vacancy rates are rising in parts of California. That's putting some renters in the driver's seat in pricey coastal cities like San Francisco -- where rents have dropped nearly 22% since January -- and Los Angeles. But rents in traditionally more affordable inland and suburban areas are increasing, prompting concerns about gentrification and displacement, especially as so many Californians remain unemployed during the pandemic. We'll talk about the state of California's rental market.

The last few weeks have brought welcome news of promising vaccines, and at least a faint light at the end of the pandemic tunnel. But for many of the Bay Area’s struggling music venues, the end of restrictions might not come soon enough. Those clubs and theaters say they desperately need government help -- or will go out of business permanently. We’ll check in on the local music scene and find out about efforts to help venues and artists.

Nearly 20 years ago George Gascón was the assistant chief of the Los Angeles Police Department. This month he was elected as the city’s new district attorney overcoming fierce opposition from law enforcement groups. Gascón, the former district attorney and police chief of San Francisco, campaigned on a platform of criminal justice reform, including a promise to stop prosecuting children as adults, not seeking the death penalty and possibly reopening investigations into fatal shootings by police officers. We’ll talk to Gascón about his ideas for reform and his close election, defeating LA’s first Black district attorney partly by galvanizing the support of Black Lives Matter activists.

In a recent tweet, Dr. Bob Wachter, chair of the Department of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, wrote that in “about 3 weeks we’re going to have real vaccine doses and real people who want their shots.” Officials will have to make difficult decisions and provide clear guidance on who should be the first to receive a coronavirus vaccine. “Folks need to be able to trust the process,” Wachter tweeted. We’ll be covering vaccine distribution in detail in the coming days and weeks. But right now, we have a few minutes with Bob Wachter to give us a preview of how UCSF -- and the Bay Area -- could handle early shipments of a vaccine.

Before the election, Silicon Valley congressman Ro Khanna criticized House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for refusing to take up President Trump’s $1.8 trillion coronavirus relief deal. He’s a firm believer in universal sick leave and guaranteed safety protections now more than ever. He joins us to talk about what Congress should do immediately to provide pandemic relief. And, we’ll hear his take on president-elect Joe Biden’s political appointments.

Many of us take money for granted as a certainty, but what exactly is money? Jacob Goldstein, co-host of NPR’s Planet Money podcast, explores that question in his book, “Money: The True Story of a Made-Up Thing.” Goldstein argues that monetary systems depend on a collective belief that an object, such as a piece of metal or paper, is worth a given amount. The history of money stretches back centuries and continues to evolve in surprising ways. We’ll talk with Goldstein about the origin of money as a fictional concept that nonetheless shapes our lives.

K-12 education has gone online, prompting no shortage of complaints from parents and kids alike. But as teachers get better at engaging students with screens, some educators and technologists see an opportunity to customize instruction and let kids work at their own pace. We'll hear from one of online learning’s early innovators: Sal Khan, founder of Khan Academy. The non-profit site became a key resource for teachers during the pandemic shutdown. What advice does he have for distance learning, part two?

In this hour, we’re going to focus on elementary age children and organized outdoor play during the pandemic. California’s stay at home order and pandemic guidance saw schools close and effectively suspended youth sports back in March. In late July, state health officials began allowing training, conditioning and physical education under specific circumstances. More recently, some schools have returned to in-person learning, complete with PE and recess. What are we learning about how to do outdoor organized play safely, and how can we apply it to activities at home to keep kids healthy? We’ll hear from experts who have some ideas and answers for us.

The new Netflix series “The Queen’s Gambit” follows a chess prodigy named Beth who takes on the male-dominated world of chess in the 1960s. We’ll hear how the series is sparking renewed interest in the game to the point of making chess sets a best-selling holiday gift this year. Chess, a type of board game that evolved centuries ago and has been played in its current form since the 1500s, is known for requiring intellectual skill and maneuvering. We’ll discuss efforts to make professional chess, which has historically excluded women and people of color, more inclusive.

General Services Administration chief Emily Murphy informed President-elect Joe Biden Monday that she would release the post-election funds and resources necessary for his transition to the presidency. The news came just after Michigan certified its election results, allocating its 16 electoral votes to Biden and ending Trump's multi-pronged campaign to overturn the results based on false claims of voter fraud.  Despite those developments, Trump has still refused to concede, tweeting Monday that he'd "keep up the good fight." We'll talk about the effect these last few weeks of political uncertainty have had on the nation and its institutions.

Four years ago, Lisa Lucas became the first African American to lead the National Book Foundation, the organization that runs the National Book Awards and promotes reading and writing. Lucas will move into a new job in January as senior vice president at Penguin Random House. As she wraps up her current role, she has called on the book industry to take more risks, publish and advocate for more writers of color, and in general, “do better.” She joined the foundation after serving as publisher of arts magazine Guernica and director of education at the Tribeca Film Institute. We’ll talk with her about her career, diversity in the publishing industry and her holiday book picks.