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The ARC Central Harlem Senior Center recently held a grand reopening celebration and cookout at 120 West 140th Street. Electeds who came to wish them well included State Senator Cordell Cleare, the Hon. Al Taylor, and Congressmember Adriano Espaillat, among others.

(Bill Moore photos)

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“Black Vote, Black Power,” a collaboration between Keith Boykin and Word In Black, 
examines the issues, the candidates, and what’s at stake for Black America in the 2024 presidential election.

CHICAGO — A few weeks ago, Democrats were a divided party headed toward a potentially explosive convention in Chicago. Today, those fears are gone, as Kamala Harris has united the party and concluded one of the most successful conventions in American political history.

Democrats came into Chicago haunted by three ghosts: 1968, 2000, and 2016, and Kamala Harris banished all of them.

The ghost of 1968 was the haunting reminder of Chicago, where antiwar demonstrators took over the streets to protest the war in Vietnam.

The ghost of 2000 was when the last incumbent Democratic vice president, Al Gore, tried and failed to follow a president into the White House.

And the ghost of 2016 was when the last woman, Hillary Clinton, tried to break the glass ceiling to the presidency.

Kamala Harris looked all three of those ghosts in the face and busted them. 

This was not 1968. Harris addressed the war in Gaza head on in her convention speech, refusing to run away from the most divisive internal issue in the party today.

This was not 2000. Harris acknowledged and thanked President Biden but laid out her own hopeful, optimistic vision for America based on freedom.

And this was not 2016. Harris did not dwell on her history-making campaign as a woman. She introduced herself to America in a relatable convention speech, but then told the country how she plans to focus on us and not on her.

It was not only a contrast to the self-centered Trump campaign but a refreshing reminder that Democrats can win if they stay on offense instead of defense. Harris refused to be defensive on Gaza or the border, as she laid out a strong vision of American power as a force for good in the world that can positively reflect our values.

RELATED: 10 Big Lies Trump and the Republicans Tell About Kamala Harris

The former district attorney prosecuted the case against convicted felon Donald Trump and forced Americans to use their common sense. As she shared the story of how she had to introduce herself in the courtroom, “Kamala Harris, for the people,” she told America that she had spent her career with only one client: the people. While Trump, on the other hand, had spent his life focused only on himself.

In a night that also featured the Exonerated Central Park Five, no serious African American could watch Harris compared to Trump’s long-winded, rambling Milwaukee speech and conclude that he was the better candidate.

She even brought out her adorable grand nieces to teach Americans how to say her name. Comma – LA.

By nominating Kamala Harris, Democrats have busted the ghosts of the past and embraced a new future that recognizes their strength. 

Nothing is more powerful than an idea whose time has come, and this week Kamala Harris proved that her time had come. As she always says, when we fight, we win.

Keith Boykin is a New York Times–bestselling author, TV and film producer, and former CNN political commentator. A graduate of Dartmouth College and Harvard Law School, Keith served in the White House, cofounded the National Black Justice Coalition, cohosted the BET talk show My Two Cents, and taught at the Institute for Research in African-American Studies at Columbia University in New York. He’s a Lambda Literary Award-winning author and editor of seven books. He lives in Los Angeles.

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PHOENIX—As schools reopen for another year, they are focused on improving student attendance. But back-to-school is hitting just as COVID-19 cases are increasing, raising the question: When is a child too sick for school?

School absences surged during the pandemic and have yet to recover. Nearly 1 in 4 students remains chronically absent, defined as missing 10% or more of the academic year, according to the latest data analyzed by The Associated Press.

One reason for continued high absences: After years of COVID-19 quarantines, parents are more cautious about sending children to school when they might be contagious with an illness.

When a child misses school, even for an excused absence like a sick day, it’s harder for them to stay on track academically. So schools and health experts are trying to change the culture around sick days.

Here’s what they want parents to know.

COVID guidelines have changed

During the pandemic, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention urged people who tested positive for COVID-19 to isolate at home for a set number of days and to quarantine after exposure to the coronavirus. In some settings, people with any mild illness were urged to remain home until symptoms were clear.

Those standards, and the caution behind them, remained for years after schools reopened to in-person instruction. That meant children often missed large portions of school after contracting or being exposed to COVID-19 or other illnesses.

This spring, COVID-19 guidance officially changed. Now, the CDC suggests people treat COVID-19 like other respiratory illnesses, such as the flu and RSV.

Fever-free for 24 hours

If a child has a fever, they should stay home, no matter the illness.

A child can return to school when their fever has been gone for 24 hours without fever-reducing medication. Other symptoms should be improving.

What about other symptoms?

If a child doesn’t have a fever, it’s OK to send them to class with some signs of illness, including a runny nose, headache or cough, according to schools and the American Academy of Pediatrics. If those symptoms aren’t improving or are severe, such as a hacking cough, call your child’s doctor.

The guidance around vomiting and diarrhea varies across school districts. Generally, students should remain home until symptoms stop, according to American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines. Older children may be able to manage mild diarrhea at school.

“Unless your student has a fever or threw up in the last 24 hours, you are coming to school. That’s what we want,” said Abigail Arii, director of student support services in Oakland, California.

Guidance from the Los Angeles Unified School District says students can attend school with mild symptoms such as a runny nose or cold, but should stay home if they have vomiting, diarrhea, severe pain or a fever of 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37 degrees Celsius) or higher.
School districts across the U.S. have similar guidance, including in Texas, Illinois and New York.

When to wear a mask

The CDC says people should take additional precautions for five days after returning to school or other normal activities.

Masks and social distancing are no longer mandated but are encouraged to prevent disease spread. Experts also recommend plenty of handwashing and taking steps for cleaner air, such as opening a window or running an air purifier.

School districts say parents should keep up-to-date on all health examinations and immunizations for students so they don’t miss additional days of school.

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AP Education Writer Jocelyn Gecker in San Francisco contributed.

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The Associated Press’ education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

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