All Sides with Amy Juravich

The high cost of higher education coupled with changes brought on by the pandemic has altered the trajectory for many would-be college students. Public two-year colleges were hit especially hard in 2020. Such schools, which enroll more lower-income students and students of color, saw enrollment drop about 10% from the previous fall.

Key demographic research released ahead of the 2020 U.S. Census shows unprecedented population stagnation. Demographers say the final Census count could well show the smallest decade-long growth rate in American history.

Abraham Lincoln occupies a unique place of reverence in American politics, exalted and claimed by Republicans and Democrats alike. Lincoln is quoted, and misquoted, perhaps more than any other historical figure when American politicians want to get their point across.

The final chapter of the Trump presidency ended with his acquittal in his second impeachment trial. Now the starkly divided Republican Party has to look to the future and to building a winning coalition.

States are beginning to ease coronavirus restrictions on restaurants and mask wearing as COVID-19 cases and hospitalization rates continue to fall nationwide. At the same time, seven variants of the virus carrying the same mutation have popped up across the U.S. It’s not yet clear if the mutation makes the variants more contagious.

A significant contingent of the rioters who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6 included people with a military background, from active duty personnel to veterans. Defense secretary Lloyd Austin has called for a military-wide stand down to address extremism within the ranks.

A new national survey shows homework remains a major stressor for students, and that, on average, assigned work has increased during the pandemic, not decreased. The Columbus Metropolitan Library offers a virtual solution to daily homework hassles. It provides a free service available to K-12 students in 10 central Ohio school districts, including Columbus City Schools, the state’s largest.

Ohio Gov. DeWine last week threatened to cut off COVID-19 vaccines to teachers and staff if schools renege on a pledge to return to in-person learning by March 1. Teachers and staff across the state were able to jump ahead of others in the vaccination line in order to meet the governor's deadline.

This episode originally aired on Dec. 29, 2020. For generations, social workers have railed against societal injustices while caring for the neediest and most vulnerable in society. The pandemic has created more demand than ever, and social workers are answering the call – in hospitals and nursing homes, on the streets helping the homeless, and, increasingly, partnering with law enforcement.

This episode originally aired on Feb. 3, 2021. President Biden signed an executive order last week to halt the use of private prisons at the federal level. This reverses a Trump administration policy and aligns with the policy Obama put in place late in his administration. Opponents of privatization hailed it as an important symbolic gesture and an important first step. Proponents of private prisons say the move undercuts a system that is cost-effective.