Three things for August 31
1. The last US troops leave Afghanistan
On Monday, Aug. 30, Major General Chris Donahue, the Commander of the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, was the last U.S. serviceman to leave Afghanistan, effectively ending the 20-year mission.
The United States occupied Afghanistan for 20 years, during which Al Qaeda was driven out and Bin Laden executed.
Over 775,000 U.S. troops served in Afghanistan over the past two decades. 2,400 of which were killed in action and 320 wounded. Nearly 50,000 Afghan civilians died in the 20-year mission, in addition to tens of thousands of casualties among U.S. contractors, Afghan military and national police, insurgents and others, according to the New York Times.
2. Tennessee Department of Education to allow temporary remote learning
This week, Penny Schwinn, the commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Education, authorized schools to apply for a waiver to temporarily return to remote learning as needed.
“I firmly believe in-person instruction is the best for kids, and there are proven strategies to mitigate the spread of COVID-19,” said Schwinn. “While I want to provide common sense flexibilities to administrators who are making every possible effort to ensure the continuation of in-person academic instruction, my expectation is that waivers will be narrowly applied to preserve in-person learning wherever practicable.”
Schools must demonstrate a measurable need for remote learning to be granted permission to temporarily shift to remote learning. Districts must show the spread of COVID-19 in their respective communities while proving the district has made a reasonable effort to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and preserve in-person learning.
3. Ed Asner dead at 91
Emmy-winning actor and former president of the Screen Actors Guild, Ed Asner, died at the age of 91 on Sunday, Aug. 29.
Asner is known for voicing the beloved character Carl in the Walt Disney Pictures movie, Up.
During his career, he won seven Emmy Awards, five of which were for his role as Lou Grant in the “Mary Tyler Moore Show” and later in “Lou Grant.”
No cause of death was given for the actor.
