Behind the Headlines Podcast

On “Behind The Headlines,” SCS board chairwoman Miska Clay Bibbs also said she is hearing from a lot of parents who will opt to continue online classes for their children -- so many that she says it is possible some schools may have more teachers than students.

The difficult work of weighing the social, emotional and academic costs of virtual learning against the safety of students and staff.

Three education experts join Eric Barnes to discuss learning during a pandemic on this week's Behind the Headlines.

On “Behind The Headlines,” the Republican and Democratic legislators from the Shelby County delegation to Nashville also agreed on mandatory summer school or tutoring to help students who have slipped academically during the pandemic.

On “Behind The Headlines,” Doug McGowen, the city’s chief operating officer, and Dr. Jon McCullers of UTHSC said multiple plans to vaccinate more than 600,000 people in Shelby County are ready to be used and adjusted to roll with the circumstances. They await an ongoing supply of the two vaccines with more vaccines awaiting approval.

The two mayors, in an extended interview on “Behind The Headlines” say new vaccines that don’t require two doses or sub zero refrigeration could work better for meeting the need countywide. Harris and Strickland say for now distribution problems nationwide prevent the countywide efforts from going to those eligible for the vaccine instead of them coming to the vaccine.

One of the city’s leading experts on the COVID-19 virus says state and local officials need to figure out a vaccine pipeline that can keep the vaccine coming while not forgetting about the importance of testing. Dr. Stephen Threlkeld commented on the WKNO program “Behind The Headlines” on that and the pandemic’s volatile mix of science and politics.

The local face of a global pandemic, challenges to education and the local reaction to the death of George Floyd topped a “Behind The Headlines” review of the year 2020.

The National Civil Rights Museum’s annual Freedom Awards Friday, Dec. 11, will be basically a “greatest hits” online moment in this year of the pandemic.

Leaders of the Metropolitan Inter-Faith Association and Mid-South Food Bank talked on “Behind The Headlines” about the increased need produced by the pandemic, the prospect of a second surge and how the pandemic has changed their long-term logistics.