7. Do not question the teachers’ unions

• There is no question that teachers’ unions are strong, this is true in Alabama and beyond, but a new tactic is emerging for the unions as they attempt to deal with parents tired of masks, closed schools and Critical Race Theory. Last month, the Alabama Education Association threatened a lawsuit against a local school board employee, and now the National Education Association is suing a parent in Rhode Island for requesting information about the kindergarten curriculum.
• Nicole Solas is being sued by the NEA for requesting information that they believe is not subject to public record laws. Solas responded by saying, “The NEA is so determined to push its political agenda that they are willing to expose themselves in a court of law for who they really are: an association of bullies eager to challenge a stay-at-home mom who simply wanted to know what her daughter would be taught.”

6. Infrastructure bill advances

• President Joe Biden’s $1 trillion-plus infrastructure bill has advanced in the U.S. Senate. Once approved by the Senate, the legislation will move to the U.S. House of Representatives. Biden has touted the bill, but it’s been criticized by Republicans who describe the bill as overspending.
• U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) stated, “We can get this done the easy way or the hard way,” when discussing the legislation. Vice President Kamala Harris has also described the package as a “historic investment.”

5. Birmingham-Southern College has no respect for the law

• Birmingham-Southern College will reportedly charge all students $500, but students who are vaccinated will be refunded the fee. The fee is meant “to offset continual weekly antigen testing and quarantining.”
• Alabama State Senator Chris Elliott (R-Daphne) has said that this is a “shameful” trend that’s been accepted by the college. He somewhat described it as “flaunting the rule of law.” Elliott went on to say that he believes it’s “a disrespect for the rule of law.”

4. 50% fully vaccinated nationally

• Just over 50% of all adult Americans are fully vaccinated, with 34.8% of adults in Alabama fully vaccinated, as the country has moved closer to herd immunity. Alabama remains the state with the lowest vaccination rate, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
• Over the last month, Alabama’s vaccination rate has increased as the Delta variant has spread. Mississippi leads just ahead of Alabama, with a fully vaccinated rate of 35.1%, according to most recent data.

3. Naked political posturing destroys everyone’s credibility

• Dr. Anthony Fauci didn’t have much to say about former President Barack Obama’s birthday gathering where people were in attendance without masks but instead went after people at an upcoming South Dakota biker rally where he said he’s concerned about another surge.
• Fauci said, “There comes a time when you’re dealing with a public health crisis, that could involve you, your family, and everyone else that something supersedes that need to do exactly what you want to do.” He offered no criticism for Obama’s birthday celebration that had hundreds in attendance.

2. One-third of Alabama schools will require masks

• Schools across Alabama are already requiring masks as students go back to class; about one-third of schools in the state will require masks for the first portion of the school year. The Alabama Department of Public Health has also decided to encourage mask use for all schools.
• Some of the most recent to require masks were Gulf Shores, Chambers County, Hoover, Mountain Brook, Pell City, Pike Road, Saraland and Satsuma school districts for all students and staff.

1. Deaths climb but far below surge

• There were 88 deaths reported by the Alabama Department of Public Health in one week of the coronavirus for the month of August, with a large portion occurring in Mobile County.
• The numbers remain low for deaths compared to the winter months, but the state has seen about 12.6 per day. There are about 2,000 people hospitalized in the state for the coronavirus. The weekly case count in the state is at about 3,000.