Eastfield Et Cetera June 12, 2020

Etera

Eastfield College

Nation in Turmoil Protests against police brutality erupt across the country after the killing of George Floyd See page 8 ➤

View our timeline of sweeping changes brought by COVID-19 See pages 10 & 11 ➤ Friday, June 12, 2020

Volume 51, Issue 11

2

NEWS

Friday, June 12, 2020

@TheEtCetera

The Et Cetera

Coronavirus affects mental health of students

By JORDAN LACKEY Staff Writer @JordanEtc

Jody Davis came a long way to get where he is. The social work major suffered a brain injury in 2016 that affected his short-term memory. He fought alcohol addiction and has been sober for over two years. He got into a sober living home over a year ago and is enrolled in classes.

Just as his world was starting to open up again, COVID-19 shut it back down.

“I just wanted to lick a door handle,” Davis said. “Get COVID and end it.”

He said he saw this coming much sooner than a lot of people around him. He watches the news religiously.

The constant coverage kept Davis informed, but it also made him paranoid. As his thoughts spiraled out of control, isolation crept in and his depression grew worse.

“We’re definitely social beings,” he said. “We’re not necessarily capable of handling all this on our own.”

The pandemic sent Davis down a dangerous path. He was having serious thoughts of purposefully contracting the virus: suicide by COVID-19.

Luckily, Davis became aware of the problem and was able to find help with a psychologist before his mental state got any further out of control.

His mental health is currently being managed and he’s doing much better.

“I can’t guarantee this evening will be good, or tomorrow,” he said. “But today is a good day.”

Two forms of sickness are on the rise. First, the obvious pandemic.

Second, a steady rise in anxiety, depression, substance abuse and suicide due to isolation in the wake of the virus.

Four in 10 adults are reporting that increased worry and stress due to the coronavirus has negatively impacted their mental health, and 1 in 5 say it has had a “major impact,” according to a poll from the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation.

A report from the Texas nonprofit organization, Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute, shows a direct correlation between the pandemic and an increase in substance abuse and suicide.

According to their national projections, every 5 percent increase in the unemployment rate over the course of a year could mean 4,000 more suicides, 4,800 more deaths due

BAYLIE TUCKER/THE ET CETERA

Substance abuse major Jody Davis has been dealing with depression since the pandemic began.

to overdose and 600,000 more people who could be affected by addiction in general.

As of May 22, the Texas Workforce Commission reported the state unemployment rate is the highest it’s ever been, at nearly 13 percent.

Multiple reports have stated a rise in domestic violence in Dallas and throughout the country. Whereas there was an initial rise in phone calls to domestic violence service providers like SafeHaven, now there is a steady decline, leading some to speculate that victims may be trapped at home with their abusers.

Daniel Ramirez, social work and substance abuse professor, is the owner of Real Solutions Counseling. He’s frustrated by the political divide in the United States. He said that right now the country doesn’t seem very “united,” and he thinks the political duality could be negatively affecting his clients.

When the shelter-in-place order was issued on March 23, Ramirez

started operating his business through a virtual platform like many others in his profession. He’s noticed a shift in his clients since the change went into effect.

“They tend to get too relaxed,” he said. “It’s a totally different personality than what [they’re] presenting in the office.”

As a counselor, he’s concerned for multiple reasons. During his sessions, he has no way to know if anyone else is in the room or what they might be doing off-camera. On one hand, his clients are in the comfort of their own homes, allowing them to open up more easily and to show new behaviors. On the other hand, Ramirez is afraid that some clients are getting a little too comfortable.

He’s even had to end sessions early because clients were smoking marijuana or drinking during their virtual time together.

“That wouldn’t happen in my office,” he said. “That’s why we typically don’t do therapy in people’s homes.”

Ramirez, who also offers couples counseling, has seen some relationships deteriorate due to isolation.

Without the simple comfort of going to a bar or restaurant, some couples have turned to lashing out at each other instead.

He said this behavior is most likely a reflection of unresolved problems that existed before COVID-19 came into the picture. The virus is simply acting as a catalyst to bring those problems to the foreground.

“When we experience the feeling of a lack of control, it then manifests in increased anxiety, maybe feelings of panic [or] feeling hopeless,” Eastfield mental health counselor Jaime Torres said.

Torres said many people feel as if their lives are “spinning out of control.” Feelings of helplessness have the potential to affect other parts of an individual’s life and can manifest in peoples’ relationships, school or work.

Torres said that a lot of people are only focusing on the impact on those who have lost their jobs. However, he feels like the stress of those working from home and trying to manage their families is being underappreciated.

The problem, said social work major Mike Lara, is that isolation brings our unresolved issues to the surface.

Without the distraction of a normal routine in our daily lives, people are having to adjust in a whole new way.

“A lot of people don’t have coping skills right now,” he said. “And they’re stuck at home trying to figure out what the hell to do.”

Lara, his son and daughter, his husband of 6 years, Marty Watts, two grandchildren and a grandfather have all been living under the same roof since the pandemic hit Texas.

Before the shelter-in-place order, Lara “liked to keep the road hot.” He was always running around from one place to another. He said it’s definitely been an adjustment for him, but his life certainly hasn’t slowed down either. As a full-time student trying to manage a family, he’s noticed that he’s been a bit more on edge, especially when everything first started.

He’s been able to work through it, though, with the help of a support system he had in place well before the pandemic hit. Lara suffers from bipolar disorder and has been an addict in recovery for almost four years now. He’s thankful for coping See Quarantine, page 6

What Can You Do? s The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has released five basic tips to cope with stress during COVID-19.

1. Pause. Notice how you feel.

2. Take breaks from COVID-19 content.

3. Make time to sleep and exercise.

4. Reach out and stay connected.

5. Seek help if overwhelmed or unsafe. s Currently enrolled Eastfield students age 18 or above are eligible for free counseling services provided by the college. Contact Jasmine Garcia at jasminegarcia@dcccd.edu or call 972-860-7270. s Dallas County Community College District also allows all eligible full-time employees and their dependents to receive six prepaid counseling sessions at no cost. For more information, call 800-3433822. s The Here For Texas Mental Health Navigation Line is a free help line to find mental health and addiction resources. The line is open Monday through Friday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and will remain open during the pandemic. Assistance in Spanish is also available. Call 972-525-8181. s The North Texas Behavioral Health Authority mental health support line can be reached at 833-251-7544 for COVID-19 related issues. The 24/7 crisis line can be reached at 866260-8000. Both resources are free of charge. s Texas Health and Human Services has implemented a free 24/7 mental health support line. This resource specifically targets COVID-19 related mental health issues and is free to all Texans. Call 833-986-1919. s The National Domestic Violence Hotline is available 24/7 and can be reached toll free at 800-799-7233 or 800-7873224.

NEWS

3

The Et Cetera

eastfieldnews.com

Friday, June 12, 2020

Danforth remembered for charisma, love of Star Wars

By HARRIET RAMOS Copy Editor @HarrietRamosETC

David Danforth, Eastfield’s former Digital Media Technology program coordinator and faculty, will be remembered for his obsession with Star Wars, sense of humor and the impact he had on his students. He died on Saturday, May 16, after an extended illness. He was 48.

Danforth, also known as “Digital Dave,” joined the Eastfield faculty in 2001 and was a charter member of the Convocation Committee.

Shane John, one of Danforth’s former digital media students, said Danforth was both a friend and mentor to him.

John said he was looking for direction when he came to Eastfield in 2014.

He’d failed all of his business courses at the University of North Texas and didn’t know what to pursue next.

He enrolled in a couple of Danforth’s design courses. He said Danforth praised his work and encouraged him to keep going, even offering him a job as his lab assistant.

“He taught me so many skills,” John said. “How to talk with clients, how to price things, just how to be on time, have your act together. He was always my cheerleader. … He always created opportunities for me.”

John went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in film making from University of Texas at Arlington. This year he started his own production company. He said he wouldn’t be where he is today without Danforth’s influence.

“Every time I design something or any time I do anything, I think of Dave in the back of my head,” he said.

“I wish I could show him like ‘Hey, this is what I’ve done through everything that you’ve helped me with.’”

Liliana Rodriguez, senior manager of graphic communications at Eastfield, had Danforth first as a professor and then as a coworker.

She remembers Danforth bringing tacos for the whole class. Rodriguez said he was always looking for ways to build relationships with his students.

“He knew their life stories, their struggles,” she said.

“He went beyond just you sitting in his class or you having a problem with the project. He was more than that.

He really did … make those connections with the students and help them in any way he could.”

As coworkers, Rodriguez and Danforth had offices right next to each other.

Rodriguez said people frequently came into Danforth’s office just to talk to him.

“He was like a combination of a friend, a goofball, but also he had that listening ear,” she said. “He was the best listener. … He was just very easygoing and understanding of people. He accepted everybody.”

Rodriguez said she and Danforth knew each other’s children and spouses and felt like a part of each other’s families.

Rodriguez said when she was expecting her first child, Danforth designed a ninja-themed invitation for her baby shower.

“It was very geeky, and I loved it,” she said.

Rachel Wolf, associate vice president of Academic

ET CETERA FILE PHOTO

Due to COVID-19, the district is hosting this year’s graduation online. Typically, commencement would take place at the Curtis Culwell Center in Garland.

PHOTO COURTESY OF EASTFIELD COLLEGE

Digital media professor David Danforth died May 16. He was 48.

Affairs and Student Success, described Danforth as “playful and funny.”

As former executive dean of the Arts and Communications Division, she worked closely with Danforth in his role of program coordinator. She said sometimes he would go into her office when she wasn’t there and take pictures of himself on her phone.

“I have a couple of selfies where he’s just making ridiculous expressions,” she said. “He just was a very playful person.”

Wolf said Danforth was also a wonderful actor. He played the role of Elvis Presley in Eastfield’s 2010 spring production of “Picasso at the Lapin Agile.” She said, “he was the perfect Elvis.”

Wolf said Danforth brought a lot of energy and enthusiasm to the classroom, and his students loved him.

“Dave was tremendously funny, easygoing and warm-hearted, but he took his work seriously,” she said.

“He took being a father very seriously. He was very proud of his daughters and very committed to his family. An all-around great guy and it’s a sad loss, both to have him no longer at the college and no longer with us.”

Danforth is survived by his former wife, Meridith McLarty; daughters Sidney and Savannah Danforth; his father and stepmother, Richard and Patty Danforth; his stepfather, Barry Bryan; and two brothers, John and James Danforth.

No services were held in Danforth’s memory. He wished to have his ashes scattered on the beach and in the water at Pemaquid, Maine.

DCCCD graduation ceremony goes digital

By SKYE SEIPP Editor in Chief @SeippETC

In-person graduations have been canceled across the Dallas County Community College District and will take place virtually on June 13.

Ceremonies for each college will be aired throughout the day on the DCCCD YouTube and Facebook pages. Eastfield’s starts at 2 p.m.

Caps and gowns were provided free to graduates who signed up.

The virtual commencement will feature guest speaker Mark Cuban, owner of the Dallas Mavericks.

Chancellor Joe May said district officials wanted to keep people safe but still celebrate graduates. Large gatherings remain prohibited because of the danger of COVID-19.

“Around this time of year, the buzz and excitement of graduation typically fills the air,” May said. “It’s a moment for us to congratulate and honor the commitment and hard work of our students. Although we are unable to gather in-person this year, the celebration goes on.”

In reaction to the news posted in the Eastfield app by The Et Cetera,

sociology major Jasmine Garcia said “it sucks” having graduation online.

“It doesn’t seem as special as actually walking across the stage,” she said in a phone interview.

However, Garcia said she understood it was for safety reasons and that she’ll have another graduation in three years from the University of North Texas.

Another student in the Eastfield app reacted similarly.

LaToya Jackson, who couldn’t be reached for further comments, said, “I’m totally disappointed and was really looking forward to this, especially going back to school after 15 years.”

Social work major Jessica Ontiberos said DCCCD canceling in-person ceremonies was the right choice.

Ontiberos is a caretaker for her inlaws, who are both elderly and have health conditions that could make them susceptible to COVID-19.

“I still continue to practice social distancing regardless of everything opening,” she said. “Considering the circumstances with COVID, the virtual [ceremony] is a great thing.”

Visit dcccd.edu/grad2020 for the full graduation schedule.

4

NEWS

Friday, June 12, 2020

@TheEtCetera

The Et Cetera

Pandemic inspires EFC to donate time, PPE

By SAZOUN GRAYER Sports Editor @SGrayETC

Eastfield employees have been doing what they can to impact their community during the pandemic, from sharing meditation tips to donating personal protective equipment.

One example is Eastfield philosophy professor Kristina Hunsinger, a certified yoga instructor. When Social Sciences Dean DeShaunta Stewart encouraged faculty to start holding 10-minute conferences with one another to give them more time to communicate with colleagues, Hunsinger began teaching her colleagues about breathing meditation, which she practices at home.

One of her colleagues that participated was government professor Tiffany Nacoste, who said she enjoyed learning about breathing control and mindfulness.

“Professor Hunsinger’s 10-minute talk was eye-opening and provided me with some food for thought,” Nacoste said. “I am grateful for [her] sharing her knowledge. It helps to have more tools to manage life, especially in stressful times.”

Hunsinger made an instructional video on the process called “Mindful Breathing” that can be found on YouTube. Her intention was to share a practice that can help others.

She said that we are all unique with unique bodies and breathing patterns.

“Conditionally, we’ve learned to breathe in different ways that we probably haven’t thought about,” Hunsinger said. “But that’s one thing I guide people through: thinking about how you breathe. Not to judge it, but just to become familiar with what your instrument is. That was design to make the practice valuable for whatever you want to do with it.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF SHARON COOK

Dean of STEM Jess Kelly, right, gives 1,500 pairs of gloves from Eastfield’s biology department to Lisa Fox, director of emergency services at Dallas Regional Medical Center in Mesquite.

Hunsinger isn’t the only one trying to make an impact in the community. As the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic continues, doctors, nurses, first responders and other medical personnel are risking their own health and well-being to aid those in need. However, personal protective equipment is hard to come by during these times.

The World Health Organization estimates that 89 million masks and 76 million gloves are needed to combat the coronavirus each month, a number that is becoming impossible to reach

each day as supplies dwindle. The number of daily hospitalizations in Dallas County has reached almost 2,200 and is expected to get worse as April rolls on according to the WHO. Jess Kelly, the executive dean of the STEM division at Eastfield, has had the privilege of teaching future doctors, nurses, EMTs, veterinarians, dentists, and more for two decades. After seeing the call for more PPE support at medical centers around Dallas, he contacted biology lab coordinator, Dana See, to figure out how they could help.

Every year, the STEM department buys thousands of gloves for students to use in labs.

Since most classes are online now, there wasn’t much use for the gloves being there. So, they decided to donate 1,500 pairs of gloves to some people who really needed them at the Dallas Regional Medical Center in Mesquite.

“I knew the gloves were just sitting there not being used and I just thought that this was an extreme urgency,” See said. “Someone could be using these gloves and it could be preventing them from getting the virus. It’s so easy to do; someone just had to hand it to them.”

Kelly wiped down each box of gloves individually to ensure their safety and had them delivered to the center on April 2.

“They need it and we appreciate our health care heroes in our community very much,” Kelly said. Kelly, who was a first responder himself earlier in his career, said that primary health care has been a big part of his life for many years now.

“They are heroes to me, and it is important and a calling to support them,” Kelly said. “They are serving our communities and in doing so serve us all … These health care heroes are sacrificing all of the normal comforts of their life to serve us. It is our duty to support them in our communities any way we can.

We are all in this together.”

DCCCD sets minimum enrollment for summer classes

By HARRIET RAMOS Copy Editor @HarrietRamosETC

Due to budget uncertainties resulting from the coronavirus pandemic, the Dallas County Community College District decided to set the minimum enrollment for Maymester and summer courses at 15. The minimum for Career and Technical Education classes is 10.

Courses that did not meet the minimum enrollment were canceled or consolidated with another section of the same course, according to the new class schedule management guidelines developed by the district.

Linda Braddy, president of Brookhaven and interim provost for the district, said the goal is to consolidate courses within students’ own campuses first.

If no other sections are available, courses from different campuses may be combined to meet the required minimum enrollment.

Whenever possible, classes that need to be combined will be sent to El Centro, where free textbooks through the IncludED program are being offered this summer.

Braddy said there are exceptions if students need to take a certain course to graduate and there is no other course in the district available.

“We definitely looked at it on a case-by-case

basis on those,” she said. “If you look, there are exceptions for the May term that ran with less than 15 or less than 10 in the CTE programs because the students needed them to graduate by then or to stay in sequence.”

Braddy said the district consulted with the Rapid Response Team, which is made up of faculty, instructional support staff and administration, before making this decision. Braddy also said they researched best practices of other community colleges around the country and found a course minimum of 15 is typical.

In previous years, professors who did not have a minimum of 15 in their summer courses did not receive their full pay but were paid according to the number of students. The change was announced two weeks before Maymester was set to begin, leaving some faculty like criminal justice professor Patrick Patterson scrambling to rearrange their schedules.

Patterson said faculty should have been informed of the change before summer class schedules were in place.

“If we would have known about this last year before we made our summer schedule, then we would have made our summer schedules accordingly,” he said.

Patterson said some of his classes will not fit under the new model, and he doesn’t think a one-size-fits-all approach to course enrollment

will work for certain programs, especially those that need to be taught by professors who have specialized backgrounds and credentials.

“These are the anomalies that they did not even take into consideration,” he said.

History professor and former Faculty Association president Liz Nichols, who is a member of the Rapid Response Team, said she is concerned about how the change is affecting adjunct professors. She said some full-time faculty feel that they should have priority over adjuncts if it comes down to an adjunct’s class having to be consolidated with the class of a full-time faculty member.

“There’s this fine balance that’s going to have to be negotiated in order to have some level of equity and ability to retain the adjuncts that are needed,” Nichols said. “Without adjuncts, you’d be hard-pressed to run a college. My hope is that full-time faculty will recognize that reality and negotiate in good faith to ensure that adjuncts also are able to get a piece of the pie.”

Emily Brock, an adjunct math professor at Mountain View, said her summer class was canceled.

“This is my income over the summer,” she said. “But for full-time people, this is extra pay beyond their full-time pay, but I know everybody’s got their own situation … For me as an adjunct, I have to pay my own insurance, and

having a class over the summer really is important to me.”

Brock said at this point she is uncertain how it will go in the fall.

Nichols also said students who register for a class with a certain professor will probably be disappointed if that class is consolidated and they get a different professor. She encouraged students to see the big picture.

“At the end of the day, what is your goal?” she said. “If your goal is to obtain a certificate, associate degree or transfer to a four-year in order to obtain the bachelor’s, then it would be prudent to focus on your ultimate goal rather than your need in the moment.”

Nichols said the minimum enrollment practice will likely continue into the fall. She said the district has been talking about the need to improve class scheduling for the last two years, but COVID-19 was what finally motivated them to move forward now. Ultimately, she said, the good of the students is what it’s all about.

“Even if I don’t necessarily like a policy or process, if it can be shown to me that this is what’s possibly best for students, then we should try it,” she said. “Then look at the data.

If it proves that it’s not helpful, then we can change it.”

— Skye Seipp contributed to this report.

NEWS The Et Cetera

5 eastfieldnews.com

Friday, June 12, 2020

DCCCD initiates return to campuses

By HARRIET RAMOS Copy Editor @HarrietRamosETC

When Clifford Onwueyi arrived at Eastfield Monday morning for his metal working class, he had to pass through two checkpoints on his way to the T Building.

At the first checkpoint, campus police inquired about the purpose of his visit and asked for his student ID. At the second checkpoint, he was asked for the pass generated by the Appian health questionnaire app on his phone that showed he was in good health and approved to be on campus that day.

Finally, Onwueyi squirted sanitizer on his hands and, with a face mask in place, entered the classroom.

In spite of the extra steps involved, Onwueyi said it felt good to be back on campus and in the auto body lab again.

Most students and employees are still not allowed on campus, but Onwueyi is an auto body major, which is a part of the Career and Technical Education field.

Students in CTE programs have begun returning to campuses in a limited fashion to complete labs necessary for their course work.

“It’s kind of an adjustment that many people try to make, because we cannot keep staying at home,” he said.

June 8 marked the beginning of Phase 2 of the Dallas County Community College’s Return to Campus plan.

Linda Braddy, president of Brookhaven and interim provost for the district, confirmed in an email that campus presidents and the chancellor’s executive team returned to their offices along with certain faculty, staff and students who have unfinished lab work from the spring.

DCCCD campuses have been closed to students and most employees since March 16 due to COVID-19.

Chancellor Joe May said in a June 3 virtual town hall that district officials have given the return to campus a lot of thought. However, most classes in the fall will still remain online.

“The No. 1 goal, obviously, is that we want to be able to meet the needs of students with keeping our employees safe, all at the same time,” May said.

May said the Back to Campus Task Force, which is composed of representatives across the district, is prepared to reverse course if there are unexpected snags.

Rob Wendland, DCCCD general counsel and member of the Back to Campus Task Force, said they were informed by certain “guiding principles” in making plans to return employees and students to campus.

They are relying on best practices from federal, state and local authorities.

SKYE SEIPP/THE ET CETERA

All DCCCD campuses have been closed since March 16 due to COVID-19.

Some of those best practices include mandatory wearing of face masks, 6 feet of social distancing and the Appian app that all employees and students are required to use every day they come on campus.

Individuals are expected to bring their own masks, but Executive Vice Chancellor Justin Lonon indicated the district has some masks on hand that could be made available on an as-needed basis.

The health questionnaire on the app asks if the user has a fever or other symptoms that could indicate COVID-19. If everything is OK, the app generates a pass that indicates the user is allowed to be oncampus that day.

Another practice is the self-reporting tool found on the DCCCD website that requires employees and students to report to the district if they test positive or are exposed to the coronavirus.

On April 1, The Et Cetera reported that three students had self-reported that they were positive or believed they had been exposed to COVID-19. District spokesman Alex Lyda said as of June 11, no new cases had been reported among students.

“There is zero doubt that we will have more COVID-19 cases of both students and employees in the future,” May said.

“That is 100 percent guaranteed. What we’re gearing up for is that certainty that we’ll be managing it going forward.”

So far North Lake, Brookhaven, Richland, Cedar Valley and Mountain View have all had positive cases of COVID-19 on campus in the past month.

The last day a positive case was reported at Cedar Valley, Mountain View and Richland was May 22; Brookhaven’s was May 26; and North Lake’s was June 3, according to the Clery Notices on the DCCCD’s website.

May said there will be thorough clean-

ing of any area that someone who tests positive for COVID-19 has been in.

Anyone who’s had contact with that person will be notified and won’t be allowed on campus for 14 days. If one student in a class becomes ill, the entire class will be quarantined.

“Any erring that we do will be on the side of safety,” May said.

Wendland said the return to campus is being conducted in phases so district officials can see how the protocols are working on a small number of employees before bringing in more.

“We’re taking a very deliberate, measured, phased approach to returning people to our campus,” Wendland said.

“We have an obligation as an institution to meet the needs of the students of the communities we serve. We understand that.

We take that obligation very seriously, but we’re dealing with something that’s really also unprecedented.”

Braddy said Phase 3 will begin in July, but it hasn’t been determined which employees will be returning then.

Onwueyi said it was strange at first to see everyone in class wearing masks, and it has made communication more difficult.

“If you don’t listen carefully, you will not hear what [the professor] is saying,” he said.

Onwueyi said remembering to keep 6 feet away from the other students and professors is also a challenge.

In spite of the ongoing pandemic, he said none of the students seem worried, and they are adjusting to the new protocols.

“It’s the new life we are now living,” he said.

— Skye Seipp contributed to this report

PHOTO COURTESY OF EASTFIELD COLLEGE

Economics professor Robert Felder came to Eastfield in 1970.

50-year professor remembered for positive attitude

By HUNTER GARZA Social Media Editor @HunterTateETC

Editor’s note: This is a portion of the obituary published to The Et Cetera’s website on April 10.

Robert Felder, a father, grandfather and economics professor, loved putting a smile on people’s faces and entertaining. Colleagues said his passion for his students radiated at all times.

Felder died on Saturday, March 7, at age 80 from a heart attack. He will be remembered by students and colleagues for his positive attitude and his dedication to teaching.

Professors Bob Felder, Bob Whisnant, Mary Forrest and Carl Knight started teaching at Eastfield when the college opened in 1970.

Felder held a master’s degree in business administration from Sam Houston State University. He was an employee at the Dallas County Community College District for 53 years and taught at Eastfield for 50.

“I never wanted to be anything but a teacher,” Felder said in a 2015 interview with The Et Cetera “That’s what Eastfield was able to do for me, and that’s why I’ve enjoyed it.”

Felder, along with Carl Knight, Mary Forrest and Bob Whisnant, was one of the last four Eastfield charter faculty members remaining from the charter group of Eastfield from 1970.

“He was a wonderful man who loved helping others,” said Forrest, a speech faculty member. “He was always someone you could count on. Everyone loved him, no doubt about it.”

Read the full version at eastfieldnews.com

6

NEWS

Friday, June 12 , 2020

@TheEtCetera

The Et Cetera

CARES Act money now available for students

By SKYE SEIPP Editor in Chief @seippetc

5 Amount (per million)

Students needing help financially can apply for money from the U.S. Department of Education through the Edquity app.

Students must be enrolled in summer or fall classes to apply.

The money comes from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act that was passed on March 27. Each institution must give half of its allotted funds to students.

Eastfield received roughly $3.65 million total in federal stimulus aid from the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund, of which about $1.8 million must go to students.

The Dallas County Community College District as a whole received about $19.5 million federal stimulus aid.

Chief of Advancement Initiatives Pyeper Wilkins said the Department of Education has not given clear guidance on how to award the funds to students.

She said students have to meet Title IV requirements to get funds, meaning they must be eligible for financial aid, be a U.S. citizen and be in good academic standing.

Wilkins added that students are not required to receive financial aid, they just have to be eligible.

“There’s very few ways to determine whether you are eligible besides filling out a FAFSA form,” she said.

“It’s going to be really important for students to fill that out. We are not going to require that students fill that

Money received from CARES Act $4.32M

4 $3.65M

3 $2.90M $2.55M

1

$2.16M

$2.50M

2

$2.19M $1.82M

$1.40M

$1.28M

$1.25M

$1.09M

$1.45M

$700K

Cedar Valley

Brookhaven

Total Received For Students

North Lake

El Centro

Mountain View

Campus Source: U.S. Department of Education

Eastfield

Richland

Total Received by DCCCD: $19.5M For Students: $9.75M *Total numbers rounded to the nearest tenth MATTHEAU FAUGHT/THE ET CETERA

out, but it will be a longer process to get a student some of those CARES Act dollars if they haven’t already filled out that FAFSA.” Students who have already filled out FAFSA will still have to go through Edquity to apply for emergency aid.

Wilkins said it takes about 10 minutes to apply and can be done through the mobile app or on a computer.

Students who are not U.S. citizens can apply through the Edquity app

for emergency aid from the DCCCD Foundation which has $1 million available from donations.

Wilkins said all students fill out the same application using Edquity and the district will figure out which aid to draw from.

“It’s the right thing to do,” she said.

“We are committed to helping all students, not just those that are deemed eligible by the Department of Education.”

According to the Education Department, the funding for students

can go towards food, housing, materials, technology, health care and childcare.

Wilkins said different amounts will be awarded depending on what the emergency is.

Money from the CARES Act and through the Foundation cannot be used to pay for classes.

“Emergency aid is not a scholarship to pay for classes,” she said. “It is for all those things that are beyond classes that still cause students major problems and cause students to have

to drop out if they can’t pay their rent or bills.”

Students typically receive an answer on their eligibility within 48 hours and funds are deposited about 72 hours after filling out the application, she said.

Through Edquity students can put their banking information in the app and have the money directly deposited into their account.

Wilkins said for the CARES Act money students can choose to not put their banking information in the app and receive a check.

She said students will be awarded the money from the institution they attend.

The other half of the CARES act is for institutional aid.

Wilkins said that money will be used to reimburse the district for technology they purchased when classes went online and to help ensure labs and classes are safe for those who have begun returning.

About half of the institutional aid will be used to reimburse the district for the amount they refunded to students who dropped classes.

As part of the DCCCD’s effort to help during the pandemic, students were able to drop a class up to the last day and receive a full refund.

She said in total it came out to be about $4.5 million.

“Some people just couldn’t do it and not everybody can,” Wilkins said. “We want to, at least financially, make them whole.”

— Hunter Garza contributed to this report

Quarantine impacts student’s life, well-being Continued from page 2 mechanisms he already learned before COVID-19. Whereas a lot of Alcoholics and Narcotics Anonymous programs are still operating through a virtual platform, he can’t imagine the struggle of someone trying to rid themselves of an addiction during this time.

“That’s not the same as me sitting face to face with you, being able to empathize with you,” Lara said. “Being able to put my hand on your shoulder and say, ‘It’s gonna be OK.’” Lara regularly talks with new group members as part of his recovery, and he’s worried.

He said that a phone can weigh 500 pounds for a new member when it comes to calling for help.

He understands the necessity for social distancing but dealing with someone’s newfound

sobriety over the phone is a huge adjustment.

Social work major Twana Miller experienced a stir-crazed period when the pandemic went into full swing.

She said she was fortunate to be able to work from home, but staying cooped up every day nearly drove her out of her mind.

“You can only go to Wal-Mart so many times a day,” she said.

Miller estimates she would go to the store anywhere from three to five times a day just as an excuse to get out of the house. She even became friends with several cashiers. Finally, she couldn’t take it anymore.

She decided to hit the road with her husband, truck driver Robert Miller. They went everywhere from Oklahoma and California to the Arizona-Mexico border.

They stopped for takeout several times, and she noticed that other states were being much more stringent when it came to protective measures.

She said most businesses in California would refuse service to anyone not wearing a mask. At truck stops along the way, she noticed that she wasn’t the only person traveling with a partner.

“You might be surprised how many women I’ve seen,” Miller said. “Not just women drivers, but also just riding with their spouses. …

Just to be with their spouse, be together and to make a little money.”

Before she left, Miller said she couldn’t sleep. However, with all the comforts of home crammed into the cabin of a semi and the sway of the road gently rocking her back and forth, she said it’s the best sleep she’s gotten in a very

long time.

“It’s very comforting sleeping on the truck,” she said. “This may sound crazy but sleeping in [my husband’s] bunk almost feels like a waterbed because of all the motion when he’s driving.”

Miller isn’t the only one who has been able to find a silver lining in the pandemic.

Ramirez has also found hope through some of his clients. He said some families are really using this time to come together.

“Take advantage of the opportunity that we have to be able to take walks without the burden of having to be somewhere right now,” Ramirez said. “Take the time to finish some personal projects. Focus on a lot of self-promoting, self-educating kind of stuff. This is a great opportunity.”

NEWS

7

The Et Cetera

eastfieldnews.com

Friday, June 12, 2020

Immigrants’ uncertainty increases during pandemic

By HARRIET RAMOS Copy Editor @HarrietRamosETC

Carlos Rovelo had just finished his shift on a recent Monday afternoon at World Central Kitchen in Santa Fe, New Mexico, helping distribute food to families affected by the COVID-19 crisis. Everything was put away, and Rovelo was outside ready to leave when a woman driving a minivan pulled into the parking lot.

“I’ve been lost. I couldn’t find this place,” the woman told Rovelo in Spanish. Rovelo could see three small children in car seats in the back.

“She was just desperate,” Rovelo said.

Rovelo went to his car and pulled out the leftover meals the chef had just given him to take home and gave them to the woman, a single immigrant mother from Chihuahua, Mexico.

“This mother is not so much concerned about COVID-19,” he said. “She’s so afraid that [she’s] not going to be able to feed these kids.”

Rovelo, a government professor at Eastfield and political analyst with Univision and Telemundo 39, said anxiety is high in the immigrant community. The coronavirus has added another layer of complexity to the uncertain existence undocumented immigrants in the United States already faced due to the political climate.

“They are also highly concerned about deportation,” he said. “Preceding this crisis there was already an immigration crisis, so this has just added to the emotional, mental [stress] of the immigrant.”

During his time in office, President Donald Trump has made numerous proposals to curb illegal immigration in the United States.

In July 2019 he gave authority to the Department of Homeland Security to expedite deportation of undocumented immigrants who have been in the United States for less than two years without giving them access to an attorney or a hearing before an immigration judge.

Trump is also trying to end Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, the Obama-era program that protects young people from deportation who were brought into the United States illegally by their parents. The Trump administration has challenged the program as unconstitutional, and the Supreme Court is expected to issue a ruling this month.

As of Sept. 30, 2019, there were close to 700,000 active DACA recipients nationwide, according to United States Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Edwin Romero, a 2012 Eastfield graduate, came to the United States with his family from Michoacán, Mexico, when he was 6 years old.

As a teenage undocumented immigrant, he worked low-paying jobs in the fast-food industry. In 2013 he qualified for DACA, which allowed him to get a job as a paralegal with the immigrant advocacy group RAICES. Romero said his own job has not been af-

fected by the coronavirus, but he knows others who are not as fortunate.

“They lost their jobs … and they didn’t qualify to receive stimulus checks because of their status,” he said. “[There are] a lot of resources and things that are just harder for undocumented people to access.”

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, signed into law by Trump on March 27, provided stimulus checks for up to $1,200 per person to supplement the income of those who had lost jobs due to COVID-19.

The payments were off-limits to immigrants without a social security number, including immigrant families with one U.S. citizen spouse or U.S. citizen children.

The CARES Act also designated more than $6 billion for colleges and universities to use as emergency assistance for students affected by the coronavirus.

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos said the money was only for students who are eligible for federal financial aid, which excludes undocumented students and those with DACA. The Dallas County Community College District has found another route to help undocumented students who may be struggling financially because of the pandemic.

“The DCCCD Foundation has other funds that we are using for these students when they apply,” Valerie Cavazos, Director of Marketing and Communications for the DCCCD Foundation, said in an email Monday.

For more information on how to apply for emergency resources, students can visit dcccd.edu/emergencyaid.

Undocumented immigrants who did not lose their jobs due to coronavirus layoffs often work in jobs in the food industry, agriculture and meat packing that put them at a higher risk for being infected by COVID-19.

“Undocumented people are not going to be hired in an office where they can work from home,” Romero said. “Because these are the only jobs they’ll get hired for, they have to risk their lives and go to work because [otherwise] they’re not going to make a living for their family.”

Romero said inadequate health care access is another barrier. Many undocumented immigrants do not have health insurance and they cannot afford a private physician. That leaves them in a vulnerable position because they don’t know where to go if they need to get tested for COVID-19.

Many are hesitant to go to a doctor because of their immigration status.

“They’re afraid to do anything,” Romero said. “They’re afraid to go to the doctor sometimes because they’re scared somebody is going to ask them for a social security number.”

DACA recipients, like Romero, do not have permanent legal status within the United States, but they do have social security numbers and work permits. Many are on the front lines in the fight against COVID-19.

On March 30, the Center for Migration

Eastfield hosts drive-thru food bank

BAYLIE TUCKER/THE ET CETERA

Members of the National Guard help unload food into cars at Eastfield on May 22. All DCCCD campuses offered a drive-thru food pantry through the North Texas Food Bank in an effort to help people affected by the coronavirus. The food bank at Eastfield served 824 people, according to DCCCD Police Commander Gabriel Galvez. The next visit to Eastfield is June 17. Visit ntfb.org/ mobile-pantry for more locations and dates.

Studies reported that 10,000 DACA recipients work in hospitals and 2,000 in nursing care facilities. Close to 15,000 work in the manufacturing sector, which includes pharmaceutical, medical equipment and cleaning products.

Even though these DACA recipients are considered essential workers, they might all lose their jobs in the near future if the Supreme Court rules the program unconstitutional.

“Right now, we are hoping for the best but preparing for the worst,” Romero said.

In preparation, RAICES is offering free renewal services to those whose DACA permits are about to expire, hoping to buy them a year or two more of protection even if the Supreme

Court rules against them.

Romero said his marriage to an American citizen makes him eligible for legal permanent residency no matter what the court decides, but it is hard knowing not everyone has that option.

Still, he believes immigrants shouldn’t focus on what will happen if DACA is taken away, but rather continuing the fight to succeed in this country.

“Before DACA, we were all still here, we were all still fighting for a better world,” Romero said. “We know that somehow we are going to figure something out to continue living and surviving because that is what we’ve been doing this whole time.”

8

NEWS

Friday, June 12, 2020

@TheEtCetera

The Et Cetera

‘Change has to happen’

Protests to end police brutality erupt in America following death of George Floyd

By SKYE SEIPP Editor in Chief @seippetc

Jeremiah Roland began shaking as a police officer approached his vehicle. He wasn’t speeding and wondered why he was being stopped.

“Black men are scared when we’re in the car and get pulled over,” he said.

The officer told Roland his brake light was out. But when he looked back, he saw three other police cars had pulled up to the scene.

Roland is an architecture major and basketball player at Eastfield, not a criminal. He said it appeared the police were racially profiling him, and that’s why other officers were called.

“They see a black dude. He’s kind of tall and wearing a little bit of accessories. They’re gonna be like, ‘Oh, he’s a gang member,’” Roland said. “And you already know what they do to them: slam them on the ground. … And I’m not with that. I wouldn’t be resistant, but I wouldn’t want my life taken.”

Racial profiling is a reality black Americans say they face every day. This reality has left Roland terrified of the people who are supposed to “serve and protect” the community. For Roland, and all black Americans, racist stereotypes can lead to their death, he said.

George Floyd is just one example. The 46-year old black man who grew up in Houston was killed on May 25 in Minneapolis when a white police officer, Derek Chauvin, pressed his knee on Floyd’s neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds. Floyd was unresponsive for almost 3 minutes, but Chauvin still kept his knee pressed into the back of his neck.

Floyd was being arrested for allegedly using a fake $20 bill to buy cigarettes.

His death was captured on video by a passerby, and the video went viral on social media.

Three other officers stood by as Floyd begged for help. Among

his final words were “I can’t breathe,” echoing the plea of Eric Garner, who was killed in 2014 by a New York police officer in a similar fashion when he was stopped on suspicion of selling loose cigarettes. The words “I can’t breathe” have since become a rallying cry for Black Lives Matter supporters.

Dallas County Community College District Police Chief Lauretta Hill said she was outraged after witnessing the “murder” on video. She added that there is no training in law enforcement that teaches placing a knee on a suspect’s neck.

“I was angry, upset, outraged, sad and extremely disappointed in those officers,” she said. “The way they handled it and the fact that they lacked empathy, … sensitivity and just the dignity of a fellow human being.”

Following Floyd’s death, protests erupted in all 50 states and in other countries in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, calling for an end to police brutality and systemic racism.

Protests in Dallas began on May 29 and have continued every day since.

Government professor Marcene Royster said what made the Floyd video more impactful than others was the brutality of the method used. She compared it with the recent killing of Ahmaud Arbery, a black man who was shot and killed by white residents while jogging on Feb. 23 in Glynn County, Georgia. The shooting was captured on video, but Royster said it didn’t compare to watching a man draw his last breath on camera.

Our country must “confess its sin and mistreatment of people of color,” she said.

“Not [even] an animal would be treated that way,” she said.

“White America needs to accept the fact that other people than them make up this country and are important.”

‘Bodies on the line’ Some protests, including those in Dallas, devolved into rioting with property damage, vandalism and looting. Eventually, a 7 p.m. curfew was enacted. National Guard, state police and local police were called in to control crowds.

The first protest in Dallas was May 29 and began with a peaceful gathering at the Dallas Police Department about 6:30 p.m.

Eventually demonstrators marched into the city.

As protesters crossed over East R.L. Thornton Freeway from Akard Street, police presence intensified, and tensions began mounting. Demonstrators gathered around cars, shouting at police and blocking squad cars from moving. Protest leaders, who were marked in white bandanas, worked to push back the crowds surrounding police to keep tensions down.

Their efforts failed.

Armored police vehicles arrived, and police eventually formed a line with raised riot shields. The escalation continued until tear gas was fired, which Police Chief Reneé Hall said was because objects were thrown at officers and police vehicles were damaged.

Protesters began moving through downtown to Deep Ellum.

Along the way windows were broken and some stores were looted. As the crowd moved out of Deep Ellum, a metal band trio with amplifiers hooked up to a car battery revamped the energy of demonstrators with blistering guitar riffs, screeching vocals and heavy drumbeats.

The following night, tear gas, rubber bullets and other means of suppression were used liberally on protesters to break up crowds after a peaceful gathering at City Hall became destructive. By 10:45 p.m. Dallas police said 74 arrests had been made, including a photojournalist.

Most of the day was a cat-and-mouse chase between demonstrators and police forces. Groups of protesters would be split up by police, only to find another group and continue marching. As with the previous day, some people damaged property, looted and vandalized buildings.

Dallas was not the only city where protests became violent.

Demonstrators in Minneapolis burned a police station, and Louisville was the site of destructive protests after police relations with residents were already broken after the killing of Breonna Taylor, who was shot and killed by police while sleeping. New York

NEWS

9

The Et Cetera

eastfieldnews.com

Friday, June 12, 2020

PHOTO BY SKYE SEIPP/THE ET CETERA

Photo on page 8, a protester spray paints “Black Lives Matter” on the John F. Kennedy Memorial in Dealey Plaza on May 30. Photos on page 9 clockwise from above, a protester begins coughing and gagging after being hit with tear gas and shot at with pepper bullets by police in Dallas on May 30. A painting of George Floyd is carried by a demonstrator on May 29. Protesters began running away after meeting police who were holding tear gas canisters on South Akard Street near East R.L. Thornton Freeway.

City, Washington D.C., Atlanta, Los Angeles and other major cities around the U.S. dealt with similar demonstrations.

After two nights of Dallas becoming a chemical war zone, Sunday saw peace in the streets. A curfew was set for 7 p.m., and the largest gathering was at Freedman’s Memorial Cemetery off of Interstate 75, where an afternoon vigil for those killed by police was held. In contrast to two days of chaos, people peacefully paid their respects to an altar, burned sage and sat in groups across the lawn of an unmarked mass grave of nearly 5,000 slaves.

Sociology professor India Stewart attended the vigil and was planning to protest downtown afterward. It was her first day of attending a demonstration and said she went because “black lives matter.”

“Since the inception of this country, people haven’t quite gotten that,” she said. “Sometimes we have to put our bodies on the line. … Sometimes the only time power will concede is with a demand, and so we have to demand that.”

Stewart said there is no proper way to protest in regard to the riots that had taken place in the days prior.

When it came to following the city curfew, Stewart said it would depend on the situation at the time as to whether she would leave.

“There are just laws and there are unjust laws, and sometimes we are bound to do the right thing,” she said. “And what’s right changes depending on when and where you are. At one time slavery was the law of the land.”

The streets were cleared at 7 p.m. Police roamed the streets arresting demonstrators

breaking the curfew and warned others to leave. Tear gas was fired at a group that was marching when the curfew began.

Since then protests in Dallas have been mostly peaceful with no riots, property damage or looting. However, 674 people were detained June 1 by Dallas police for “obstructing a freeway” on the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge.

Hall said protesters would not be charged, but initially all were going to be.

Despite all of this, protests have continued every day across North Texas and the country.

Suburbs, including Mesquite, and surrounding counties have had protests and marches calling for changes to policing tactics.

‘This is a systemic problem’ All four officers involved in Floyd’s arrest were fired the day after his death. Chauvin was charged with second-degree and third-degree murder, along with manslaughter. The other three officers are charged with aiding and abetting murder.

Floyd’s death at the hands of the police is not the first to cause outrage and demands from citizens for policing in communities to change.

In 2019, police killed 1,098 people, according to data from Mapping Police Violence.

About 24 percent of the victims were black.

Blacks make up 13 percent of the U.S. population. The data also shows that blacks are 2.5 times more likely to be killed by police than whites.

One percent of officers involved in killings were charged with crimes between 2013 and 2019.

“We constantly live in environments that are laced with gunpowder,” OSER program coordinator Brynndah Hicks Turnbo said. “And when something like this happens to Mr. Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Arbery, … and there are no charges, it’s as if you have poured gasoline on gunpowder.”

Black Lives Matter began in 2013 after George Zimmerman was not charged for the killing of Trayvon Martin, a 17-year-old black teen who was returning home from the store.

Since then, the movement has protested countless other killings of black Americans, typically by police officers, that supporters deemed unjustifiable.

Many activists have called for reforms in policing, with one of the latest trends to defund police departments and end the militarization of police. The idea would be to cut some funding from police departments and reinvest it in other areas of the community, such as education, job opportunities and housing.

Police departments typically take up a large portion of cities’ budgets. For instance, Mesquite allocated over $39 million for the police this fiscal year, which is the largest expenditure in its nearly $131.5 million budget.

Most supporters say the idea is to take the responsibility of mental health cases, homelessness and drug addiction away from police. In Eugene, Oregon, a group known as CAHOOTS handles mental health and homeless calls rather than police. The budget for the program is $2 million and the group responds to 20 percent of police calls, according to a report by The Register-Guard in Eugene.

After the killing of five Dallas police officers in 2016, then Police Chief David Brown said police in America were being asked to “do too much” when funds weren’t available to deal with “societal failures,” like drug addiction and mental health.

“Policing was never meant to solve these problems,” Brown said.

Activists are also calling for police departments to stop buying military equipment.

In Minneapolis, Mayor Jacob Frey was asked by protesters if he would defund the police department. When he said no, the crowd booed and shouted, “Go home, Jacob!”

The following day — June 7 — nine members of the Minneapolis City Council agreed to dismantle the police force and completely redo the department to focus on a community-led system. No details were made available as to what this will look like.

Hill does not support defunding police departments but said there is a need for change.

She cited police unions protecting bad officers and officers needing more training in de-escalation tactics.

She said since racism exists in America, it will come out in police.

“This is not the first unarmed black man that has been murdered by law enforcement,” Hill said. “This is a systemic problem.”

History professor Liz Nichols said there is a culture within police departments to stay silent, even if other officers are doing wrong.

Nichols has seen this first-hand. Her ex-husband has been an officer with the Dallas Police See Protests, page 13 ➤

10

COVID-19 TIMELINE

March 4 Friday, June 12, 2020 First positive case in Texas reported in Fort Bend County.

Information compiled

by Et Cetera staff Timeline designed by Mattheau Faught

March 19 – Gov. Greg Abbot bans gatherings of 10 or more people and closes all dine-in restaurants, bars, gyms and schools in Texas until April 3.

– China reports no new infections of COVID-19 for the first time.

-First coronavirus death recorded in Dallas, bringing the total to four in Texas.

March 13 – Trump declares a state of national emergency – Texas Gov. Greg Abbott declares state of disaster.

– City of Dallas closes parks, libraries and cultural centers.

– The Catholic Diocese of Dallas cancels all public Masses.

– The U.S. House of Representatives passes the Families First Coronavirus Response Act.

Jan. 21 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirms first case in the U.S. in Washington state.

January

NEWSMarch 27 March 15 –FDA authori Texas records the @TheEtCetera coronavirus t first death of a man in take 15 minu Matagorda County. hours.

– Over 100,0 reported in th

February

March

March 11 -WHO declares COVID-19 a pandemic.

-Trump announces a one-month travel ban from most of Europe.

– NBA suspends its season after Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert tests positive for coronavirus.

Dec. 31 China alerts the World Health Organization to several cases of pneumonia with an unknown cause in Wuhan City, Hubei Province of China.

Feb. 29 The U.S. confirms its first death in Washington state.

March 18 – President Donald Trump signs Families First Coronavirus Response Act, which includes free COVID-19 testing and emergency paid leave.

– The first case of coronavirus is reported in Mesquite, bringing the total in Dallas County to 39.

April 1 Over 20 cases re the U.S.

March 22 Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins issues countywide shelter-in-place order to go in effect.

March 16 – Dallas County closes all dine-i – The Dallas County Community Coltaurants, bars, gyms and enterta lege District extends spring break to March 29 and moves classes to online– Saturday Night Live stops prod only until at least the end of April. until further notice.

– The Harvesters baseball season is terminated after the NJCAA decides to cancel all sports for the remainder of the spring semester.

– Dallas ISD shuts down indefin

April 9 DCCCD announces summer classes will continue in an online-only format.

in resainment.

duction

nitely.

May

April 10 Global death toll passes 100,000.

April 8 Global infections over 1.5 million, with over 87,000 deaths.

April 27 Gov. Greg Abbott announces some businesses can open in a limited capacity on May 1.

April 15 Brian Allen of the Los Angeles Rams is the first active NFL player to test positive for the virus.

Friday, June 12 2020

June 9 Mesquite death toll rises to 25

May 20 Number of global cases passes 5 million.

April 18 Gov. Greg Abbott closes schools for the rest of the academic year.

April

00,000 eported in .

s nto

11

NEWS

izes new May 8 The Et Cetera eastfieldnews.com tests that Texas hair and nail salons and utes instead of barbershops reopen.

May 27 000 cases U.S. surpasses he U.S. 100,000 deaths from COVID-19.

April 14 President Donald April 3 Trump orders a halt DCCCD Chancellor Joe to U.S. funding of May informs students the World Health classes will remain Organization. online for the remainder of the semester.

May 18 DCCCD moves graduation ceremony online.

June

May 28 - The Texas Supreme Court blocks a voting by mail effort by Democrats to limit exposure to COVID-19.

- The Department of Labor announces the 10th straight week of jobless claims in the millions.

May 7 DCCCD announces most fall classes will be online-only.

May 22 Global cases reach 5.2 million with an estimate of 2 million recoveries and 335,000 deaths.

June 10 Dallas County reports a record high number of new daily cases with 300.

12

NEWS

Friday, June 12, 2020

@TheEtCetera

The Et Cetera

Alumnae, grade school teachers connect at distance

By HARRIET RAMOS Copy Editor @HarrietRamosETC

Spring break had just started when Genesis Castillo found out she and her fifth-graders couldn’t return to their classroom at John Quincy Adams Elementary in Pleasant Grove.

Dallas Independent School District officials announced on March 16 all in-person classes were indefinitely suspended due to COVID-19.

“I’m glad our kids’ safety is the top priority, but definitely heart-broken for not getting a proper good-bye,” Castillo posted on Facebook.

“Anyone else wish they could punch corona in the face?”

Castillo had two weeks to adjust her lesson plans and set up online classes for 80 students.

She said a lack of access to technology is one of the biggest obstacles they face.

Castillo, who received her Associate of Arts degree from Eastfield in 2014, is the dual-language reading teacher at John Quincy Adams.

She said her students live in a digital desert.

Many don’t have regular access to Wi-Fi or any electronic device other than a smartphone.

Only 49 of them showed up for the first virtual class on March 30.

“That was actually a reasonable amount for my community,” Castillo said. “One teacher told me she had zero and just sat there waiting for students. I had to adjust my expectations.”

About 40 percent of homes with children in Pleasant Grove do not have a subscription to an internet provider, according to a report released in April by The Commit Partnership, which used data from the 2018 U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey.

Dallas ISD purchased 10,000 mobile hotspots and a large number of Chromebooks to distribute to students without internet access and technology, according to the Dallas ISD news website.

Castillo said that priority was given to older students, and only 15 of her students received some type of laptop or tablet from the district.

About 25 received hotspots.

Those who are able to join Castillo on Zoom three days a week. For those who can’t, she has had to get creative.

The ways she adapts her lessons is to post supplemental assignments on Google Classroom so the students can keep up with what their peers are learning on Zoom.

For the three students who do not have any online access, Castillo sends them homework assignments and feedback via text messages.

Castillo is also finding creative ways to connect with her students outside of class time.

On April 24 she put on a drive-through event for her students. She and her fellow teachers filled bags with candy, coloring sheets and little toys and put them in the trunks of the students’ parents’ cars as they drove by.

A few days later she and a group of teachers from John Quincy Adams organized a “honk

SKYE SEIPP/THE ET CETERA

SKYE SEIPP/THE ET CETERA

Jonella Herrera, left, and Genesis Castillo stand in front of John Quincy Adams Elementary School in Pleasant Grove on May 21. Both are alumnae of Eastfield and teachers at the school.

and holler” parade.

As they drove through Pleasant Grove, they tossed candy and crayons from their open car windows to students on the sidewalk.

One of the students had made a green poster board sign with pictures of Castillo and her two co-teachers. “You are the best teachers,” it read in hand-stenciled letters.

Castillo knows these interactions are important for students who are facing uncertainty in their home lives.

A number of her students have parents who work at grocery stores or in other parts of the service industry.

They don’t have the luxury of staying home to protect themselves, and Castillo said their children worry about them.

“Some of them have expressed fear for family members that are still going out,” Castillo said. “How do you respond to that? It’s hard.”

Castillo said she misses being with her students in person, but distance learning is giving her some opportunities she didn’t have before.

“I teach a STAAR tested subject and grade, so we were very focused on … performance,” she said. “I think that now teachers have gotten a little bit of freedom in being able to really just focus more on building relationships, so I’ve been enjoying it. But I wish that we were able to do that in the classroom where I could see [and] hug my kids.”

Jonella Herrera, a 2015 Eastfield graduate, teaches second grade at John Quincy Adams.

Not only does she have the challenge of suddenly being thrust into an online teaching role, but she also has to make sure her own three children, ages 16, 13 and 11, are completing their work.

“The first three weeks I didn’t have a schedule,” she said. “I was on the clock non-stop.

I was replying to text messages, replying to

emails, sometimes even [as late as] 10 at night, 1 in the morning. And I’m like, ‘No, that is not healthy.’”

Herrera said creating a routine has been the key to helping her and her children make a successful transition to distance learning.

She posted her children’s Zoom schedule on a whiteboard, so they know when to log in.

She is on Zoom with her own students daily from 1:30 to 2 p.m. and she tries not to reply to work-related emails or texts after 4 p.m.

Like Castillo, some of Herrera’s students do not have the technology to log into Zoom.

She makes videos of herself teaching and uploads them to YouTube, which is easier for her students to access. For the six students who can’t use Google Classroom, she downloads the assignment, takes a picture of it and sends it to them in a text message.

Herrera said the switch to online learning has been overwhelming for some parents.

One student’s mother spent 30 minutes on the phone with Herrera pouring out her frustration about not having Wi-Fi at home and having to go back and forth to a relative’s house.

“I have been able to build that relationship with my parents that I usually wouldn’t have,” she said. “Now I’m able to see the additional things they’re going through.”

Herrera said her primary role is to support the parents and help them find solutions to the challenges they face. In spite of those struggles, Herrera’s students have welcomed the opportunity to interact with her online.

They show her their bedrooms and introduce her to their younger siblings. Herrera recognizes through these small gestures that the way her students see her has changed.

“They see me as a family member now,” she said. “Not just as a teacher.”

Jessica Ferguson, who attended Eastfield

Jessica Ferguson, an alumna of Eastfield and teacher at Solar Preparatory School for Girls in Dallas, stands outside of the school on May 22.

from 2010 to 2012, is the fourth- and fifthgrade dual language teacher at Solar Preparatory School for Girls in Dallas.

The school purchased devices for the students who needed them, and she said she is able to teach all of her students online.

“I think definitely I have the best-case scenario for any teachers I know,” she said. “I’m amongst a really fortunate group of teachers and students who have access to technology and really supportive parents.”

Ferguson said her workload is lighter than if she were in the classroom, but she feels awkward as a virtual teacher.

She is aware that some parents, as well as students, are listening to her presentation, and she worries she’s not explaining her lessons well.

She also finds it is harder to engage her students over a video-conferencing platform.

“I just miss having those really memorable learning experiences with them,” she said. “Like where we have a true hook and where they’re engaged in an experience of learning. … It’s kind of hard to do that on a Zoom.”

In spite of the limitations of distance learning, Ferguson said it has motivated her quieter students to find their voice as they navigate unfamiliar online platforms and reach out to her for help.

Ferguson’s favorite part of the virtual school day is Shine Time, a 30-minute lesson designed to teach self-affirmation and other social-emotional skills. Ferguson starts each session with an icebreaker activity like show-and-tell or charades.

She also uses it as an opportunity to chat with the girls informally and ask what is happening in their lives outside of their schoolwork.

“I need it too,” she said. “I need to like not be asking about an assignment. I need a time where I can see them and just check in with them and know they’re OK.”

NEWS

13

The Et Cetera

eastfieldnews.com

Friday, June 12, 2020

Protests call for an end to racist systems beyond police terlocking, so sometimes they do form, depending on who you are in society, a matrix of oppression,” she said. “It’s not any one thing. It’s all of these things together and how they intersect that leads to these inequalities in these systems. It’s not even so much about dismantling these systems as it is about giving everyone a fair shot within these systems. … We have agency and power. We just have to use it.”

Continued from page 9 Department for over 30 years.

She said about 28 years ago he was chasing a suspect. After finally catching the suspect and beginning to handcuff him, more officers pulled up to the scene and began hitting the perpetrator.

He filed a complaint with internal affairs. Within two weeks, an internal affairs report was filed on him, she said.

It took six months and the help of Black Police Association and Dallas Commissioner John Wiley Price to clear his name.

“I think that’s a very telling incident in illustrating the endemic problem within police departments: that you’re taught not to tell,” she said. “The culture is ingrained to bury those incidences and the bad cops. And if you have the courage and the decency to do the right thing, then you become the target.”

Some of the first policing in the United States was performed by slave patrols, the first of which was established in 1704 in the Carolinas. The first police force funded by taxpayers was established in Boston in 1838 to protect shipping interests.

Nichols said those first forms of policing weren’t created to protect people.

“It was done as a means of controlling dissent,” she said, “which in the big scheme of things goes against every tenant of the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence and the whole idea of democracy.”

‘Change has to happen’ Almost since its inception, the Black Lives Matter movement has faced sharp criticism. Some say the exclusionary language leaves out other races. Others try to discredit the movement when protests turn violent.

President Donald Trump, for instance, tweeted that “when the looting starts, the shooting starts,” in response to recent protests across the country. The tweet was flagged by Twitter for “glorifying violence.”

Courtney Pickens, program coordinator for the Bee Aware Team, said rioting is the voice of people who are “unheard.”

“When has revolution not been dangerous?” she asked. “You can’t be comfortable and status quo and be revolutionary. There has to be some kind of friction. There has to be some kind of spark. That’s the American

‘I am absolutely drained’

PHOTO BY SKYE SEIPP/THE ET CETERA

Clockwise from top, protesters raise their fists in the air while taking a knee on Jackson Street near South Lamar Street in Dallas on May 30. Police at the intersection of South Griffin Street and Wood Street fire tear gas at protesters. Sociology professor India Stewart raises her fist in the air at the Freedman’s Memorial Cemetery on May 31.

way.”

Pickens drew ties between this movement and the Boston Tea Party, one of the starting points for the American Revolution, when some colonists dumped tea from British ships into Boston Harbor.

Peaceful protests against police brutality over the past seven years have also drawn criticism, probably the most famous being San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s decision to take a knee during the national anthem in 2016.

“When we do it nice, no one listens,” Pickens said. “When we do it not so nice, now it’s, ‘Oh no, we gotta get this under control.’ … Either way, change has to happen.”

Music major Arthur Garcia said there are a lot of people in America who judge people based on the color of their skin, and as long as racism continues, the country will never truly be united.

He said protests are good, but riots are counterproductive and go against what people are fighting for.

“The only true way these protests will succeed is if people continue to protest peacefully and show that the only thing that’s going to get us through this is peace, love and positivity,” Garcia said.

For people who shout that “all lives matter” in contrast to “black lives matter,” Nichols uses an analogy to help them understand the cause:

If a lifeguard is watching over a pool of 100 people and one person begins drowning no one yells “all people in the pool matter” when the lifeguard saves them.

“Black Lives [Matter] doesn’t say they’re better than,” Nichols said.

“The phrasing is to acknowledge and give voice to a group that is continually marginalized and harmed.”

Stewart said the protests, while mainly focused on policing, are also about the systemic racism present in all institutions in America. Stewart said the military, schools, police and banking systems are all examples of institutions that negatively affect black Americans.

“All of these institutions are in-

Many black Americans tell their children from an early age, to be careful when interacting with the police.

Hicks Turnbo said “the talk” is about protection and making sure black men and boys understand that some police officers will try to provoke them.

“The talk is not based on the odds of running into that fair police officer,” she said. “The talk is the probability of you being pulled over by an [officer] who wants to challenge you, who wants to provoke you to a state of anger so that they can have a justifiable reason for arresting you.”

Chief Hill said she tells her 12-year-old son that not all cops are like her.

“People see you, as a young black man, as different or less or threatening,” she tells him. “Until something changes, you need to protect yourself.”

All five mothers interviewed for this story expressed similar concerns and said they have talked with their children about being cautious when dealing with police officers.

Royster has told her son, who is now in his 40s, to be respectful by saying “yes sir,” to keep both hands on the steering wheel, have his driver’s license and registration out and not to argue if the police begin to take him away.

“Every black child, every black male, has been told that since the time they go to school,” she said.

Royster still fears for her son and all the other male members of her family, including her husband, whose career was in law enforcement.

“I’m tired of wondering if I’m going to get that call in the middle of the night,” she said. “I am absolutely drained, and I almost have no more tears left and close to no more prayers. And I tell you, that’s a terrible place to be.”

— Sazoun Grayer contributed to this report

Life &Arts Friday, June 12, 2020

@TheEtCetera

14

Family is essential

The Et Cetera

Single father, student, warehouse worker adjusts to new routines in pandemic

By HUNTER GARZA Social Media Editor @HunterTateEtc

It’s Monday at 5:30 a.m. and David Ramirez is up before the sun, but more importantly, before his daughters.

For three hours he works while they sleep. It’s the only quiet time he has to catch up on his assignments.

Ramirez is a 32-year-old single parent and full-time student studying criminal justice.

He is also a Phi Theta Kappa officer, a warehouse worker at Target and teacher to his two daughters.

Since the coronavirus pandemic, he has had to adjust his schedule to make sure his daughters’ education doesn’t suffer.

His 40-hour workweeks have been cut to 20 hours and the family doesn’t leave the house unless for essential trips for food, work or household items.

At 8:30 a.m. Ramirez’s roles change from student to father.

He gets the girls up and ready for the day, trying to keep some semblance of a routine.

He lays out clothes for 10-year-old Delilah while urging 12-year-old Angelina to hurry up and put on her shoes.

“Why do we have to wear shoes inside the house?” Delilah asks.

“Because that’s what I’m asking you to do, Delilah,” he responds.

Ramirez heads to the kitchen to begin breakfast.

Some days it’s cereal, but today it’s eggs, biscuits and Eggo waffles.

“Was there anything I forgot to finish?” he asks himself while scrambling eggs.

Criminal justice quizzes and discussion boards for philosophy are on his to-do list before he can start to focus on the girls’ assignments.

After a quick breakfast Ramirez heads to his first job of the day: home-schooling his kids.

Ramirez lives in Mesquite in a three-bedroom home that he shares with his two daughters and his parents.

Sitting in his blue-painted bedroom that doubles as a classroom and a space where he records music, Ramirez reads through Angelina’s homework assignment. She is working on a PowerPoint presentation on the Earth’s layers for her sixth-grade science class.

“I don’t know how to add the bullet points,” Angelina says.

Ramirez takes the mouse and shows her how to edit a slide in PowerPoint clicking the mouse a few times until getting it right.

Ramirez’s younger daughter Delilah sits in the living room, watching the movie “Selena” and waiting for her turn to use the desktop computer.

Ramirez understands the importance of hard work when it comes to school and all aspects of life.

After much trial and error with himself, his friends and his family, he shifted his life to where he is now.

Becoming a single father a few years ago only pushed that mentality further.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Ramirez practically lived in the Eastfield library.

He would arrive after dropping his daughters off at school in the morning and stay until after-school pickups, utilizing the

BAYLIE TUCKER/THE ET CETERA

Criminal justice major David Ramirez stands outside of Baker Park in Mesquite with his daughters, Delilah, left and Angelina. On top of being a single father, Ramirez is now his daughters’ teacher.

college’s tutors to help with topics he and the girls struggled with.

Now he has to learn from YouTube videos and hope he understands enough to relay the information to them.

“It’s like we’re learning together,” he says while handing Angelina his geology notes from a class he took last semester at Eastfield.

She’s in the zone so she pushes it to the side for later while continuing to watch Bill Nye science videos on the computer.

“Who’s that?” her father asks.

“How do you not know who Bill Nye is!” she exclaims, then rolls her eyes.

Ramirez bounces back and forth between helping Angelina, going through his own study material and going to the living room to check on Delilah.

At 11 a.m., he gives the girls a break to get their mind off school.

A walk or playing outside will help them focus when they get back to work.

While the girls play, Ramirez quizzes them.

“What did you just learn?” he asks while the girls go back and forth talking about their studies.

The break only lasts about 30 minutes and it’s back to the makeshift classroom until lunchtime.

Ramirez tries to keep a structure close to their normal school schedule while still making it easy for them to adapt and stay focused.

Around 1 p.m. he makes them their favorite meal, macaroni and cheese, and they all sit down to watch cartoons until 1:45 when they return to their schoolwork.

Once 1:45 hits they’re back in class but now Delilah is at the computer while Angelina works at the kitchen table.

They work like this until about 3 p.m., the time they would normally get out of school.

The rest of the day is family time.

They play games or watch TV or movies.

At some point Ramirez likes to review what they learned throughout the day as a whole.

“I’m new to this whole teaching thing,” he says. “I don’t know how teachers do it. I definitely have a newfound respect for them.”

During times like these when he’s stressed or overwhelmed, Ramirez turns to music.

He writes and sings songs and raps, inviting the girls to join to express emotions they don’t feel they can or want to talk about.

This all started when their mom left.

“I couldn’t really get my little girls to open up,” Ramirez said.

He began writing a song called “Broken Home” and asked his girls to be a part of it.

I didn’t want them to ever say, ‘My dad walked out on me.’

Together they wrote the lyrics, which explain the loss they felt.

The girls join in on the hook of the song singing, “Daddy, please don’t leave. Mommy please don’t go. I don’t want a broken home.”

Three-and-a-half years have passed since his daughters have last seen their mother.

Ramirez knew he had to step up and be responsible for his girls in her absence.

“I didn’t want them to ever say, ‘My dad walked out on me,’” he said.

See Father, page 15 ➤

LIFE&ARTS

15

The Et Cetera

eastfieldnews.com

Friday, June 12, 2020

Father balances home-schooling, single parenting during pandemic Continued from page 14 In addition to the schoolwork they do together, Ramirez and his girls are learning how to shoot and edit music videos for their songs.

They take turns filming each other and learning how to put the videos together.

“It’s just a daddy-daughter thing we do,” Ramirez said. “And we’re learning along the way.”

On top of being a full-time student and a now full-time teacher to his daughters, Ramirez also works at Target, in the back, sorting stock for online orders.

Due to COVID-19 his employment status has gone from full to part-time. On days when he works, the girls’ grandparents watch them at home.

Despite these changes to his income and schedule, Ramirez stays hopeful.

“Thankfully, I’ve always been good at saving money,” he says, laughing. “Lucky for me, I’m very cheap.”

He works from 2 to 9 p.m., two days a week.

Lately, it’s been a frenzy.

With news of longer and more severe lockdowns, people are ordering online now more than ever.

This gives Ramirez deeper respect for those that work in even more in-demand places like grocery stores.

“They really are out there in the battlefield,” he says.

Thankfully, his manager stresses the importance of following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s orders, so he doesn’t have to

worry too much.

The stockroom is set up like a factory and there are rows of assembly lines.

Where people once stood right next to each other, now they skip a row to ensure they maintain proper social distancing.

While this could be looked at as a negative, Ramirez manages to find the positives in this new normal.

“It’s making us talk to each other more,” he says.

He believes this has improved teamwork as a whole.

Instead of multiple people making numerous trips, they limit the trips to ensure less chances of contaminating themselves or others.

This minimizes the number of times they have to interact with customers and keeps them all a little bit safer with a greater peace of mind.

After work Ramirez clocks out and heads home to relieve his parents from their babysitting duties.

After checking in on the girls to make sure they’re getting ready for bed and brushing their teeth, Ramirez opens up his laptop and heads straight to his eCampus account.

Before he goes to sleep, he aims to get some more studying done and prepare for the next day of being a dad and a teacher.

This is his last semester at Eastfield. In the fall, he plans to transfer to the University of North Texas to pursue a degree in criminal law.

However, the coronavirus has now halted inperson classes for the remainder of the spring

Top, Ramirez’s hours have been reduced at the Mesquite Super Target, where he is a warehouse stocker. Right, the Ramirezes walk in their neighborhood.

semester and it’s unknown whether the same will happen for the fall semester.

“Learning how to adapt to change is critical because it will happen in life,” Ramirez said. “The best part to come out of this pandemic is that I get to spend time with my little girls. It’s like summer vacation all the time.”

PHOTOS BY BAYLIE TUCKER/THE ET CETERA

16

LIFE&ARTS

Friday, June 12, 2020

@TheEtCetera

The Et Cetera

Stardom won’t stop coronavirus infection A list of some celebrities who caught COVID-19

By JORDAN LACKEY Staff Writer @JordanEtc

Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson:

When Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson announced they had tested positive for COVID-19 on March 11, it represented, for many people, the moment when the pandemic became real and was a reminder that even celebrities are susceptible to the virus. While in Australia, the couple started experiencing flu-like symptoms and quickly got tested.

After confirming their diagnosis, the couple immediately self-quarantined for 14 days and urged the public to listen to the advice of experts and medical professionals. According to reports from March 28, the couple look healthy and have since returned to Los Angeles.

Idris Elba

Idris Elba, actor, producer, writer and musician, announced via Twitter March 16 that he had tested positive for COVID-19.

He reported no symptoms, but said he’d isolated since finding out about his possible exposure to the virus. In a video posted to his social media accounts on March 31, Elba announced that he and his wife, Sabrina Dhowre, are “doing OK” and urged people to remain calm.

ILLUSTRATION BY MATTHEAU FAUGHT

family “for as long as it takes.” As of April 13, Hivju announced that he and his wife have made full recoveries after several weeks in quarantine.

Princess Maria Teresa:

Princess Maria Teresa, member of the Spanish royal family, died March 26 at the age of 86 after contracting the virus, making her the first royal casualty of the pandemic.

Joe Exotic

Gun-toting polygamist Joseph “Joe Exotic” Maldonado-Passage became a household name after the release of the Netflix original series “Tiger King” on March 20. Exotic is currently serving a 22-year sentence for killing five tigers, falsifying wildlife records and the attempted murder-for-hire of Big Cat Rescue founder Carole Baskin.

According to reports from April 2, Exotic was transferred to the Federal Medical Center in Fort Worth after being isolated at the Grady County Jail in Chickasha, Oklahoma, due to coronavirus concerns. The medical center has not made Exotic’s current condition available to the public.

Chris Cuomo

Kristofer Hivju

Better known as Tormund Giantsbane on the hit HBO series “Game of Thrones,” Kristofer Hivju announced via Instagram on March 16 he had tested positive for COVID-19. He reported mild symptoms but expressed concerns for people who are more vulnerable to the virus and said he would self-isolate with his

Well-known CNN anchor Chris Cuomo announced March 31 via Twitter that he had tested positive for the virus and he’d be continuing his show from his basement while in quarantine.

Later that morning, his brother, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, shared his brother’s diagnosis, saying in classic big-brother style, “He’s young, in good shape, strong – not as strong as he thinks – but he’ll be fine.” On April 20, Cuomo released a video on Instagram that showed him reemerging from his basement isolation to be with his family once again after being cleared by the CDC.

Prince Charles

Prince Charles, son of Queen Elizabeth II and first in line to the British royal throne, tested positive for COVID-19, according to a statement from Clarence House on March 25. The statement reported the 71-year-old prince only experienced mild symptoms.

His wife, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, tested negative. Following government and medical advice, the prince and duchess self-isolated for seven days at their home in Scotland. As of April 1, Prince Charles announced that he was “on the other side of the illness.”

Sports The Et Cetera

17 @TheEtCetera

Harvesters train from home amid shutdown

By Sazoun Grayer Sports Editor @SGrayETC

Since COVID-19 arrived, fans everywhere have endured months without watching their favorite teams.

However, it hits even closer to home for the athletes involved. Not only are their seasons in jeopardy, but they have been unable to even leave their homes to practice and train. That isn’t stopping Eastfield’s volleyball and soccer players, though.

Rising sophomore volleyball player Abigail Hairell has been trying to stay in shape for the upcoming season from her parents’ home in Houston.

“Volleyball’s been pretty difficult,” she said. “It’s hard to play by yourself.”

Fortunately for Hairell, she has a sister in high school who also plays volleyball. Head coach Brandon Crisp sends players workouts to do at home. Hairell said she does them almost every day, often with her sister by her side.

The workouts consist of body weight exercises and ball drills to practice their passing and setting. Hairell has also been continuing to take classes. She had never taken online classes before, so it has been an adjustment. At first, it was hard trying to switch over to virtual learning and adapt, but eventually she got the hang of it.

“I’ve really started to like online classes,” Hairell said. “You get to do what you want, when you want. You get to do it more at your pace.”

She said she can’t wait to get back to campus and start playing again.

“The hardest thing is not being able to play volleyball in the gym,” she said. “I definitely miss it a lot.”

Crisp is in uncharted territory as well. He has been keeping in touch with the players through weekly video meetings. The meetings provide a chance for him to see how everyone is doing as well as help the group become closer with each other. His hope is to keep his players motivated and in shape to make sure they are prepared for whenever the fall season begins for Eastfield.

“They’re doing the best they can, but obviously playing volleyball is not the same playing by yourself,” Crisp said. “If you don’t have anyone to play with, you’re not playing normally. They’re definitely excited to get back.”

Eastfield soccer goalkeeper A’dc Williams said being stuck at home hasn’t been the worst thing in the world.

“I’m kind of an introverted person at heart, so being in self-quarantine is honestly like a dream come true for me,” Williams said, laughing. “But

at the same time, as an athlete I don’t like being kept in the house … It limits where I can go, where I can work out, where I can run and stuff like that.”

She said it can be discouraging as a player to not be able to be in your element. Some parts of her daily routine are more difficult now in lockdown.

“I’m like my own self-motivator,” she said. “I have to keep myself going and doing everyday tasks that I would do on a daily basis. So things that I usually do are harder because I’m stuck in the house and sometimes you get kind of down.”

Williams also isn’t the biggest fan of the online transition, especially when it comes to her psychology and biology classes.

“I hate it,” she said. “I’m a hands-on learner ...There are times I want to give up and just hit the wall. But I just kind of have to force myself to go through it and push through it and get it done.”

Williams said she has had to get creative with her workouts since the quarantine began. Usually she would work out at her apartment complex’s gym or even on campus, but those are no longer options.

Instead, she’ll go run around at a nearby park, do some stretches and make use of her weighted jump rope.

“I won’t say it’s easy, because it’s not,” Williams said. “The hardest part is just getting up and making yourself do it. Once you get it going, you’re like, ‘OK, I got this.’ Self-quarantine kind of makes it hard for you to do anything, so you have to make good of what you already have.”

Head soccer coach Paul Tate has been trying to do his part by keeping in touch with his players, calling and texting them every week, checking in on them and sending them workouts to do at home. His main priorities, though, are their classes and their home lives.

A lot of his players are working and trying to help out their families during these times. He understands that they have a lot on their plates, and he is just trying to support them in whatever they are going through as they wait to get back on the field.

“They’re all missing it; I can’t wait to have open gym during the summer,” Tate said. “I’m just hoping we’re allowed to get back to campus to actually do open gyms so all the girls can enjoy that, and we can see each other again and get to bond some more before we start preseason.”

As of now, it is not yet known when athletics will return to DCCCD and elsewhere nor how it will be done. Athletic director Anthony Fletcher said the NJCAA will announce their decision as to whether sports will return in the fall on June 19.

Athletes and fans alike can only sit and wait for an answer on when sports will be back to normal.

Friday, June 12, 2020

Eastfield gets a new gym floor

PHOTOS COURTESY OF ERIC GUZMAN

Workers installed a new floor in Eastfield’s gym in early April while the campus was closed. The design includes subtle references to the college’s farmland past as well as bees, the symbol for Eastfield’s Harvester mascot.

opinion Etera Award-winning member of: • Texas Intercollegiate Press Association • Texas Community College Journalism Association • Associated Collegiate Press • College Media Association

Eastfield College 3737 Motley Drive Mesquite, TX 75150 Phone: 972-860-7130 Email: etc4640@dcccd.edu Editor in Chief Skye Seipp News Editor Eson Fellers Life & Arts Editor Lindsey Craft Social Media Editor Hunter Garza Sports Editor Sazoun Grayer Multimedia Editor Marisol Ramirez Photo Editor Baylie Tucker Copy Editor Harriet Ramos

Staff Writer Jordan Lackey Senior Graphic Artists Margaret Tamez Matthew Faught Cartoonists Eric Santos

Jesus Madrid

Contributors Monica Figueroa Editorial Assistant Marie Garcia Publication Adviser Elizabeth Langton Student Media Manager Sarah Sheldon Digital Media Adviser Sandra Evans Faculty Adviser Lori Dann

The views expressed on the opinion pages and other opinion pieces and cartoons in this publication are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of The Et Cetera, Eastfield College or the Dallas County Community College District.

The Et Cetera is published by a student staff.

Each member of the college community is entitled to one free copy of The Et Cetera.

First Amendment Right Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

Letters to the Editor Letters must be typed, signed and include a phone number. Letters will be edited for profanity and vulgarity, Associated Press style, grammar, libel and space when needed. The content will remain that of the author. Letters should be no longer than 250 words.

ABOUT THE COVER

Photos by Skye Seipp Clockwise from top, a woman points her finger and yells at police in riot gear on May 29. A protester is carried by others after she was hit in the arm with a tear gas canister. Protesters march down I-35E on May 30.

18

eastfieldnews.com

Friday, June 12, 2020

OUR VIEW

District’s pandemic response earns five stars We commend the Dallas County Community College District for its responses to the novel coronavirus.

In a time when many universities struggled with what options to take as life began shutting down, employees in the district came together — remotely — to respond to the needs of students in a holistic approach.

One of these initiatives, the texting and calling campaign employed by the Rapid Response Team, showed us that the district cares about the needs of its students. We hope the district continues this work as classes primarily remain online in the fall.

Don’t take just our word for it, though. Twitter user @amiableblanket commented on the call she received from the DCCCD by saying, “They just called me and had a real person ask me how I’m doing and how the adjustment has been for me. … UT could never and that makes me sad.”

Students appreciate that we’re not just seen as numbers, but as humans struggling like everyone else during this time. Many community college students work or are non-traditional students taking care of families while attending school.

Not only do students work, but 27 percent of

community college students who are dependents and 47 percent of independent students live in poverty, according to a 2016 study by the National Center for Education Statistics.

With massive layoffs hitting the country, the COVID-19 pandemic created more stress for community college students than traditional students at universities whose only job could be attending class.

The texting and calling campaign is just one example. Giving students the option to receive a full refund if they dropped by the last day of class May 14 was a huge help to us.

Whether it was due to students needing the money they spent on classes or not keeping up with their grades during this tumultuous time, the option for us to get a full refund was generous of the DCCCD. Communication at the beginning of the shutdown from district to students was rocky. There were times it felt like students were the last to know about what was taking place.

However, the problem was corrected, and student newsletters became more frequent without being too much.

Having the graduation ceremony online with a free cap and gown is also praiseworthy. While some school districts are holding ceremonies at sporting arenas, the cost outweighs the benefits for the DCCCD doing this.

It’s disappointing not being recognized for our successes in-person, especially for students who have worked so hard to graduate. However, the health of everyone is more important than a ceremony. In the end, what matters is receiving the degree.

Deciding now that classes will be primarily online in the fall was also a good decision. Our campuses are not built for social distancing, and trying to hold classes in-person while adhering to best practices would turn into a logistical nightmare. This choice now gives students and employees the opportunity to figure out best practices for another virtual semester.

There is no way of knowing how the coronavirus will affect academia in the long-term. With a second-wave being forecasted for the fall and a vaccine still unavailable, we hope the DCCCD will continue its work to ensure students’ needs are met.

Is getting drunk with friends worth the risk?

Many of us have found solace in the comfort of a shot glass as it slides across the bar top.

A bar is a wonderful and beautiful sanctuary.

I myself am inclined to indulge well beyond the point of moderation. The damage my liver has sustained is nobody’s problem but my own. That’s my health and my health is my business.

But when a sanctuary turns into a breeding ground for infection, the issue is no longer about our personal choices.

It’s a matter of public danger and social irresponsibility.

On May 18, Texas governor Greg Abbott announced that on May 22 the state would be lifting its restrictions on bars and allowing restaurants to operate at 50 percent capacity.

On May 19, Dallas County announced 14 deaths from COVID-19, the highest death toll we’d seen in a single day at that point.

But hey, what could be more important than an overpriced and watered-down vodka-cranberry?

On May 21, the day before the

Jordan Lackey @JordanEtc

reopening, Dallas County reported over 6,100 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 145 total deaths.

As of June 10, with bars now open, there are more than 10,000 confirmed cases and 228 deaths.

Sure, businesses are suffering and that sucks. But it’s not a consequence of the virus; it’s a reflection of an already fragile American economy.

A business owner demanding to reopen during a pandemic is like an apartment tenant who wants to keep living in Chernobyl. It doesn’t make any sense.

Drunk know-it-alls will argue about COVID in their corners as the bar rats crawl from table to table, trying to make up for lost time.

Doesn’t that sound lovely? Isn’t that what we’ve missed? Who needs to visit their grandmother in a nursing home when we could all get plastered instead?

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick already said, “lots of grandparents” are willing to sacrifice themselves for the cause.

Why don’t we just reopen nursing homes while we’re at it?

Maybe Grandma could use a stiff drink too. She probably needs it a lot more than some protester throwing a fit over a haircut.

Like Abbott and Patrick, a portion of this state is behaving like spoiled children. They’ll ignore the advice of medical professionals while crossing their arms, stamping their feet and saying, “but...but… I don’t wanna!”

Despite all logic, they pick and choose what facts they want to believe in. They choose only the information that aligns with their political preferences. It’s the American way.

They’ll sift through the recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention with a fine-tooth comb, crying, “a mask is too uncomfortable” for their delicate sensibilities.

Enjoy the satisfaction of pretending that a pandemic doesn’t exist due to the simple fact that it inconve-

niences you.

Why should we listen to those guys? The CDC only has an annual budget of over $11 billion they use to control and research infectious diseases. What could they know?

Instead, let’s listen to the politicians. Surely they’re the golden fount of information and wise decision making.

A politician controlled by lobbyists couldn’t possibly have an ulterior motive. Public safety must surely be their primary concern. What a joke.

So, let’s ignore the body count, let’s ignore science. Let’s ignore reason. And let’s ignore the epidemiologists. They probably don’t know what they’re talking about anyway.

Instead, let’s listen to Abbott.

Go out. Have a good time. Go wild and enjoy yourselves, kids.

Just remember, if you’re going to heed the advice of Abbott, it’s best also to remember the recommendations of President Trump.

When the bartender asks for your drink order, for the sake of your own health and the public’s safety, tell them you’ll have a double Lysol on the rocks.

OPINION

19

The Et Cetera

eastfieldnews.com

Our view:

Black Lives Matter.

Friday June 12, 2019

20 Friday, June 12, 2020

WRAP-UP

eastfieldnews.com

Away from ‘the hive’

The Et Cetera

Eastfield community sticks together through shelter-in-place quarantine

BAYLIE TUCKER/THE ET CETERA

BAYLIE TUCKER/THE ET CETERA

Business Major Darius Black stands in the doorway of his home in Mesquite. He says the switch to online learning was a struggle and that he was behind for the first week of classes because he didn’t know the schedules had been posted. He added that as a music student and member of the jazz band, he misses being able to rehearse on campus. “Like half of my jazz band is leaving [and] going to different schools. So now it’s like, ‘Oh, I’m not gonna play with these people again for a long time.’ And I haven’t decided if I’m still doing jazz band next year. That’ll mean I’m going to be one of the veteran players [and] now everything is on me and it’s a slight pressure.”

English professor Shazia Ali looks through her front door at her home in Plano. She says quarantine has been an adjustment that comes with pros and cons. “I feel like sometimes we’re working 24/7, but it’s heartwarming also, because you’re hearing a lot of success stories about students who are doing so well. With all the struggles that they’re facing, they’re going out of their way just to get that education. It’s worth it.”

BAYLIE TUCKER/THE ET CETERA

BAYLIE TUCKER/THE ET CETERA

Philosophy professor Kristina Hunsinger stands outside of her home in Oak Cliff. “I absolutely miss my students and knowing what’s going on in their lives,” she said. “I’ve made additional efforts, just because times are so difficult, to ask them how things are going and to check in with them.”

Clockwise from bottom, biology professor Brie Day sits with her 3-year-old son Leighton, while Roxi, 15, stands next to environmental professor Paul Day, whose right-hand is on 6-year-old Evangeline and left-hand is on 5-year-old Genevieve. Brie says the kids have become more passionate about learning through home-schooling during the quarantine, but that it can be a struggle juggling work and managing all of her kids’ education. “Another thing that’s kind of good out of all this is that I think it’s causing people to sort of reevaluate what’s really important in their life,” Brie said.

“Getting to spend more time at home with your family and realizing the importance of having family around the dinner table. It’s a good time for people to pause and sort of reflect on that.”

BAYLIE TUCKER/THE ET CETERA

English professor Katawna Caldwell-Warren sits near a window of her house with her daughter, Kensley River Warren. She says that while the first week of lockdown was rough, they’re becoming more acclimated to the adjustment. “My husband works from home and we have a toddler we are trying to home-school, and then I teach online classes. I handle dual credit and English classes, so trying to manage that and teach, that was the biggest thing.”