“I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas,” written by John J. Rox (John Herring), recorded by 10-year-old Gayla Peevey of Ponca City, Oklahoma, 1953. This recording reached number 24 on Billboard.
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At least 19 children and 2 teachers were shot to death at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, on Tuesday. The victims were in a single 4th grade classroom. The teenaged perpetrator wore body armor but was shot dead by police. The shooter was legally able to buy his assault-style rifle this month, the day after his 18th birthday.
There have been 213 mass shootings in the United States so far this year, 27 school shootings. And it’s only May.
In other Texas news, the National Rifle Association will hold its annual meeting in Houston on Friday. Scheduled speakers include Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R), Texas Senator Ted Cruz (R), South Dakota Governor Kristi L. Noem (R), Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R, TX-2), and former president Donald J. Trump. At this time, no grieving parents from Uvalde are on the agenda.
More:
“21 killed at Uvalde elementary in Texas’ deadliest school shooting ever,” Sneha Dey, Texas Tribune
“Firearms are now the leading cause of death for U.S. children,” Peter Weber, The Week
“‘No Way To Prevent This,’ Says Only Nation Where This Regularly Happens,” The Onion
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How do we protect kids for the pitfalls of tech? A New York Times opinion essay.
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“I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas,” written by John J. Rox (John Herring), recorded by 10-year-old Gayla Peevey of Ponca City, Oklahoma, 1953. This recording reached number 24 on Billboard.
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The 780,000 COVID-19 deaths in the United States have left more than 140,000 children without primary caregivers. Over 5.2 million children worldwide have lost parents to the coronavirus. Maybe some of today’s demonstrators here in Washington professing their concern for children could adopt some of these kids.
More:
“COVID deaths leave thousands of U.S. kids grieving parents or primary caregivers,” Rhitu Chatterjee and Carmel Wroth, NPR News
“A crisis of childhood grief,” Anna North, Vox
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It’s Back-to-School time in America, but this year that doesn’t just mean pencil cases, it aslo means cases of Pediatric COVID-19, 250,000 in the last week. Kids in low-vaccination states are getting infected at greater rates. Emergency Room visits and hospital admissions in the states with the lowest vaccination coverage were 3.4 and 3.7 times higher than in states with the highest vaccination rates. Children’s hospitals are at or near capacity and asking for federal assistance. For the most recent reporting period, infections among children account for 22.4 percent of reported COVID-19 cases. That’s 204,000 infected kids in a week.
Even though most parents favor mask-wearing in schools, nine states prohibit school districts from setting mask requirements: Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Iowa, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Utah. Over 1,000 schools have closed due to COVID-19 outbreaks since late July.
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Seasame Street wants U to get back together, after U get vaccinated.
More:
“Sesame Workshop, the Ad Council, COVID Collaborative and CDC Launch New PSAs About COVID-19 Vaccines,” press release
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Optician Danielle Crull rescued her cat, Truffles, in 2016, and the feline now helps her show young kids that wearing glasses is cool.
More:
“After being rescued by an optician, this cat now helps kids get comfortable wearing glasses,” Jen Reeder, Today
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The Hasbro corporation inspired outrage in the right-wing Twittersphere last week by announcing a re-branding of a heritage toy, Mr. Potato Head, as “Potato Head.” Conservative Culture Warriors expressed shock and horror that the toy ‘taters had been “cancelled,” rendered gender-neutral. Neutering the plastic mock-tubers would be difficult, as they lack reproductive organs, but this didn’t stop MAGA Twitter.
The full Hasbro press release explained that, while the name of the brand on the box will change to “Potato Head,” those boxes would still contain “2 large potato bodies, 1 small potato body, and 42 accessories” so kids can make families with a mommy and daddy, or two daddies, or two mommies, so they’ll look like their own families at home.
More:
“Right Wing Laments Loss of Mr. Potato Head’s Imaginary Genitals as Hasbro Gives Toy Line Gender-Neutral Name,” Ben Mathis-Lilley, Slate
Mr. Potato Head’s Misterectomy Clarified.” Simon Dumenco, AdAge
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