Canaries in the Coal Mine

Posted on by Thor

With schools open, children have become the canaries in the coal mine. Pediatric hospitalizations are surging due to COVID-19, pushing hospitals and health care workers to the limits. In Florida, there are more people dying of COVID-19 than ever before. There are also more children being infected than ever before.

Florida is averaging 250 COVID-19 deaths a day. 14 refrigerated mobile morgues have been moved to central Florida hospitals to handle the overflow of bodies. August deaths match the peak fatalities from the last wave of infections in January 2021.

Florida added 151,749 coronavirus cases. Nearly one out of every three infections was suffered by those age 19 and under.

More and more, COVID-19 is afflicting the state’s youngest residents. Ages 19 and under account for 32 percent of infections, or 48,215 cases. More than 9,000 Florida children test positive for coronavirus in two weeks since schools reopened.

Young Floridians also continue to lead all age groups in positivity rates: Ages 12-19 have a 23 percent positivity rate, the highest in the state. Children ages 12 and under have the second highest rate at 19 percent — and those 11 and under cannot be vaccinated.

Florida hospitals had 215 pediatric cases with confirmed COVID-19 as of Friday, the highest number of child hospitalizations since the start of the pandemic.

Five children under 16 have died from COVID-19 in Florida in the past four weeks.

Despite all this, Florida Governor Ron DeathSantis is still trying to keep local school boards from issuing mask mandates. A judge ruled August 20, 2021 that Florida school districts may impose mask mandates. Leon County Circuit Judge John C. Cooper agreed with a group of parents who claimed in a lawsuit that DeathSantis’ order is unconstitutional and cannot be enforced. Despite his court loss, the governor has begun withholding the salaries of school district administrators who have refused to comply with his unconstitutional executive order prohibiting them from enforcing mask mandates in schools.

Hillsborough County Public Schools (HCPS), a district in Tampa, Florida, reopened to students for its first day of classes on August 10, 2021. The district had about 208,500 enrolled students as of the third day back at school.

The Orange County, Florida school district mandated masks after 400 COVID cases were reported in one day. The 60-day mask mandate requiring face coverings was institutes as the very contagious Delta variant ravages the state. The Orange County school board approved the mandate at its August 31, 2021 meeting, one day after the district confirmed more than 400 new cases of COVID-19 contracted by students and employees. The mandate goes into effect at the start of next week for all schools from pre-K through 12th grade. 382 students and 37 employees tested positive on August 30, 2021 . On August 31, 2021, the number of those quarantined was updated to 557. Orange County is the ninth Florida county to institute a mask mandate, going against the wishes of Republican Gov. Ron DeathSantis.

The legal battle over school re-openings, which have continued into this week, landed in court August 30, 2021 when Leon County Circuit Judge Charles Dodson sided with the Florida Education Association and granted a temporary injunction against the state’s order that required brick-and-mortar schools to reopen. The mandate, Dodson wrote in his ruling, “arbitrarily disregards safety.” Since Aug. 9, 2021 another child has also died, bringing the total to eight. How many canaries must die in the Governor’s political power play to send kids back to school without CDC advised safety precautions?

God’s Got You Covered

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Schools are opening despite a steep rise in COVID-19 cases and deaths. In the coming weeks 51 million students will return to school and have to balance learning with health concerns. Schools don’t have the budgets to truly create safe learning environments. Some teachers are given a single bottle of sanitizer and told they must supply any other needs themselves.

In Dallas Georgia, Hannah Watters, a North Paulding High School student, took a photo of a crowded hallway as students waited to get to class. Few students had masks on, and there was no social distancing. The student who took that photo was suspended. After the photo went viral, the principle revered his decision.This student however is getting threats online from fellow students. One student pointed out in an online  group that he knows where she lives. Another said she will have a rough day come Monday. Three days after the photo was taken, 9 students tested positive for COVID-19. The school is having to shut down to disinfect.

In another viral photo, a young girl was surrounded by her smiling parents and she held up a sign that said, “Take your mask off, God’s got you covered.” That judgemental sign must have been dictated by her parents. Anti Maskers are emboldened by our sad excuse of presidential leadership in Trump. Anti maskers claim the crisis is overblown, the death rate is minuscule and only affects the weak, and it’s time to stop living in fear. They are tired of social isolation and want everything to magically return to normal. They believe the COVID-19 scare is a hoax designed to destroy America and that masks are for wimps. They say open the bars, open the malls. Time to party! God’s got y’all covered! So many of my Florida neighbors share these selfish sentiments. I avoid them like the plague.

Rather than love, this un-Christian message conveys self-righteous. It made me wonder how Jesus might have my back. Would he protect me from the unseen virus with his hands? Then I thought, well, his hands wouldn’t make the best mask since the hole from the nail that punctured his palms would let in plenty of virus.

Anti-maskers are rebelling against even the simplest guidelines, while teachers and other staffers say they won’t go to work if schools aren’t safe. About 28% of public school teachers are over age 50, making them especially vulnerable to the virus. Many would rather retire that risk their health. Teachers want  widespread testing of students, staff and visitors for the virus. In Orange County Florida, all 212,000 students learning online for first 9 days of the school year.

U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams addressed those who don’t want to wear a mask: “taking these public health measures will help you be able to do more of the things that you enjoy, worship, school, restaurants.”

Fundraiser for Nap Ford Held at SAK Comedy Lab

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The Nap Ford Community School Believes that all students can learn and be successful members of society, the School provides educational programs and services, which foster academic success, health and wellness. Dr. Jennifer Porter Smith the school’s Executive Director was at the fundraiser to give insights to the school’s mission. Artwork by students of the school was on display to be auctioned off and everyone who attended got a small piece of original artwork inside the program. There were also the usual auction items like Orlando Magic jersey’s signed and framed to be tucked away in some man-cave.

The free public charter school consists of a dedicated and highly qualified group of individuals operating
collectively to ensure that they provide the best education possible to
each child that enters into their school community. As a health and wellness
charter school we educate the whole child-mind, body and spirit. They work each and every day to uphold our common belief that every child
is valuable and deserves to be well prepared for the opportunities that
this world holds for them.

Their goal is to:

Expand the student’s understanding about the world they live in and
opportunities they have for learning. Expand the student’s understanding of their rich cultural history
on a personal and global level.

The Orlando School of Cultural Dance

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The Orlando School of Cultural Dance (OSCD)
(412 N Pine Hills Rd Orlando, FL) was established in 1989. The philosophy of OSCD is that a positive
self-image is essential for the total development of our children, the
leaders of tomorrow.  Since their inception, OSCD has
been teaching African dance to students ages three to adults. Since then, they have added other disciplines, such as ballet, tap, modern, music
theory, percussion (variety), fitness and “Rites of Passage”. They believe
that the arts provides a channel through which our students can grow by
learning about their cultural heritage. Dance in particular, frees the
spirit and brings joy to oneself as well as others. 

The school has accomplished many positive
programs through their collaborative partnership efforts with other
organizations. These partnerships include: Cultural Arts Research
Ensemble, The City of Orlando, Orlando Fights Back, Center for Drug-Free
Living, Metropolitan Orlando Urban League, Orange County Public
Schools, Ivey Lane Caring and Nurturing Center, Ivey Lane/Royal Gardens
Neighborhood Association and Parramore Village Neighborhood Association,
just to name a few. Through our partnerships and collaborations, they
have been able to touch hundreds of lives in our community, both young
and old, in a positive way.

This dance recital was high energy and impressive kids from 10 years old and older danced with abandon.  The colorful costumes added color and authentic energy to the performance.

Gratefully Dead Again

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I got a tip from Mark Johnson via Facebook that Further was going to have a concert at the UCF Arena. This band has many of the former Grateful Dead band members. He suggested I get to the Arena early to sketch as the bad ass aging Dead Heads gathered. Walking through the UCF campus I began to see pockets of brightly colored hippies. I walked all the way around the Arena looking for just the right cluster of individuals to sketch. A parking garage right behind the Arena had Grateful Dead music coming from an upper floor. I saw an open SUV tailgate and two grey bearded men in tie dye. I was tempted to go up but there was little light in the garage. I had to look further.

I finally decided to sit outside Tail Gaters Smokehouse. A fellow with a grey beard looked like he had just arrived on his Harley Davidson. He chewed on a tooth pic and sipped his beer. A couple exited the bar. He wore a hat with flames dancing around the rim and an amazing technicolor coat with a rainbow of dancing skeletons. She wore a vibrant rainbow colored dress and a wreath of flowers on her head. I tried to fit her in the sketch twice but she was constantly on the move posing for photos. One fellow with a Grateful Dead messenger bag kept his hand raised with one finger extended. He was probably looking to buy or sell one ticket. Tickets went for $65 to over $100. I wasn’t tempted to buy. Two college girls who looked like flower children danced to the music flowing from the bar. The lyrics caught my attention, “Every picture tells a story don’t it!” A backpacker wandered into the bar looking like he had just hitchhiked to the concert.

I actually went to a Grateful Dead concert when I was in high school. I didn’t have a drivers license yet so I got a ride from a co-worker named George from Zip-Mailing. I was earning money at this part time job to go to college. George had worked there for years. There were some strange scents at the concert, and I remember an amazing never ending drum solo that had everyone dancing in the aisles. I remember dancing with my eyes closed just letting the tribal beat move me. George got wasted, drinking far too many beers. The drive home was terrifying. He stopped once to puke out his driver’s side door. He wouldn’t give up the wheel saying he was fine. I eventually did get home, grateful to be alive.

Spring into Dance

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I returned to Seminole State College to see “Spring into Dance” presented by Yow Dance. I requested a seat in a back row with no one near by. I didn’t want the glow from my tablet to disturb any audience members. The Artistic Director, Eric Yow was seared a few rows in front of me. The performance was a collaboration between Eric’s dance company and some very enthusiastic College students who were studying modern dance under Eric’s supervision. There were a total of eight dance pieces. Some were so high energy, like Word Up, that I was amazed by the stamina of the dancers. The dancers wore blood splattered wedding dresses and moved with zombie like loose muscled fluidity. The stage lighting gave the dresses an eerie iridescence. This was the world premiere of this piece and the audience loved it.

In one piece the dancers interacted with a lone spotlight. They would dance close to the mysterious light with tentative trepidation. By the end of the dance they formed a human pyramid allowing one lone dancer the chance to reach up to the illuminated heights. The last piece was called Blackberry Winter. It was an inspired incessant driving piece that kept a face pace throughout. Groups moved together in unity and just as an action felt complete another group would spiral into action.

Yow Dance Tech Rehearsal

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I went to a Yow Dance Tech Rehearsal at Seminole State College. When I arrived scaffolding was in place on stage and the stage lights were being aimed and adjusted. The dancers had not yet arrived. The scaffold had to be moved each time a new light had to be adjusted. The process became a learning experience for the college age stage hands who took their directions from Ellen Bone, the seasoned lighting designer. She took the time to explain why certain adjustments were made and she even walked a student around to give pointers.

When the dancers arrived, the house wend dark and the only thing I could see was the glow of Ellen’s laptop. I switched to drawing on my digital tablet. Apparently the headphones she was wearing didn’t work since she had to shout out her sound cues to the lighting booth at the back of the theater. The dancers performed and lighting adjustments were made on the fly. Sometime the dancers had to stop and wait while the right lighting combination was found.

One of the dance numbers called “Little Boxes” made a strong statement about how children are taught to behave and conform to societies expectations. The dancers shuffled in a chain gang style line. The dance offered a great social commentary about how our suburban society expects us all to be the same. A life of ticky tacky conformity as we move from one box to the next.

International Cultural Drum Exchange

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I woke up at 6am in order to get down to the UCF Center for Emerging Media (500 West Livingston Street Orlando). I had been given a tip by Dana Mott that a group of Nap Ford students were going to have a live video conference with a drummer from South Africa. As I drove east towards downtown, the sun rose above the horizon and expanded into a deep orange fireball. I don’t get up this early very often so I was delighted, my eyes squinted and misted up to the spectacle.

It was a freezing cold morning. Alright, I didn’t see any ice, but for my thin blood it was cold. The front door at the UCF Center was locked so I fired off several frantic calls on my cell. During the second call, a guard appeared and buzzed me in. I shook off the cold and made my way to the Bridge, a small auditorium on the first floor. The Nap Ford students were already seated in a semi circle around their drums. A piece of audio equipment had been Federal Expressed to South Africa the day before. On that distant continent they were reading manuals and struggling to plug everything in. Since there was no live feed, the Nap Ford students had some time to rehearse. The drums resounded jolting me awake. The room warmed and glowed to the rhythm and young voices.

The image from South Africa flickered live onto the big screen. Introductions were made and the students, most of them around ten years old, performed for the South African drummer named Lucky Paliso. As they found a resounding rhythm and sang, Lucky smiled broadly. There was magic in the moment. This was a cross cultural exchange that needed no words or translation. When they finished, everyone on the big screen clapped after a ten second lapse. Lucky pointed out that drumming is probably the worlds oldest form of communication and it is universal across all cultures. He told everyone how much he enjoyed the performance then he offered advice on interlacing rhythms within a beat. To drive his point home he taught the children a beat which they repeated. Then, as they continued to play, he performed an intricate rhythm that wove in and around their beat. It was playful, spirited, uplifting and inspired.

Jennifer Porter-Smith, the Nap Ford principle, thanked everyone who helped create an experience the students would certainly remember their entire lives. Lucky told the children that they were fortunate to be part of an ancient cultural tradition. In Senegal not anyone can play drums, they must be born a drummer. He said, “You can take an African out of the bush but you can not take the bush out of the African.” The students flipped through my sketchbook hungrily after the event was over. I got one of the best compliments I have had in a long time when a ten year old gave me a high five.

Such multi-cultural exchanges feel like a jolt of collective good will, a promise of fulfilled potential. There should be less reason for misunderstandings or conflict in a world filled with music. On the drive to my next sketch location, I felt happy and oddly at peace. What a great way to start the day!

Crealde – Saturday Figure Drawing

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Every Sunday there is a figure drawing class at Crealde from 10:30am to 12:30pm. I usually have other events on my plate but this Sunday I decided to get back to figure drawing. It is so nice to have a model stand still for five minutes or longer. Amber is a young petite model who had a steely focus when posing. She would stare at a spot right above everyone’s head and remain totally still. She didn’t take the most dynamic poses but I was overjoyed to be able to relax and take my time with my drawings. I filled 2 spreads in my sketch book with tiny studies before I decided to expand my view to incorporate all the artists. There were some female artists as well, they just happened to be on the opposite side of the room. Paul McNear runs the class starting with 2 minute poses then 5 minues then finishing up with 20 minute poses. Paul is the artist with the checkered shirt, I love drawing his expressive face.
Once I started this sketch I didn’t take any breaks, while others chatted away, I was adding washes and adding background details. The devil is always in the details. I loved that there was a poster on the wall that said simply, “Hope.” Every drawing begins with a bit of hope and faith. With this sketch I didn’t do any preliminary pencil work. I attacked the drawing by going straight to ink and I feel the result is bolder with more chances being taken. If I do this more often I should be able to finish my sketches on location much faster.

From the Heart

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Terry told me about this free fundraising concert to help raise funds to help fight cancer. The concert took place at Trinity Prep Academy (5700 Trinity Prep Lane, Winter Park). We walked in without any high expectations. I picked out a front row seat with a clear view of the piano. As we sat and waited, I penciled in the details of the stage. I figured when the performers arrived I would ink them in. Norah Jones was singing soulfully over the speakers to the audience as they arrived. We had just seen her in concert the previous night and I was smitten. She is following me and haunting my thoughts.
Nassi Brandes sat at the piano and opened the event with a quick piece. Then a series of speakers explained the importance of the evening to the audience. 14 Arab and 14 Jewish children with life threatening cancer had traveled to Orlando from their everyday lives isolated in hospital beds and treatment rooms to get a chance to just be kids and play in the Orlando theme parks. Politics of a war-torn Middle East mean little to these children. I glanced over and saw for the first time that an entire section of the audience was filled with children wearing white shirts. One girl had a gauze eye patch on and and I suddenly realized these were the children. Their travel had been organized by Travel Holdings. Give Kids The World organized a morning at their World Village and the children would also gain access to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios and all of the Disney theme parks.
The concert was fabulous. As Aviva Avidan sang an Israeli song some of the children started to dance. I noticed Terry looking over and when she turned to me there were tears in her eyes, which she quickly wiped away. The final act was a folk-pop-rock band called “The Wellspring.” One of their songs called “Put up a Fight” reminded me that Terry and I need to continue to fight to regain common ground from which we can once again grow together. We haven’t yet lost the war. Their final song had a beat that you simply have to dance to. Suddenly all the children got up on stage and started to dance. They all moved with pure joy and abandon. Celebrate life! Live, Laugh, Love, Sing! Life is too short, so make this and every moment count!