Your Summit Weekly Briefing

IF YOU ARE 18 OR OVER, OR WILL BE BY ELECTION DAY, REGISTER TO VOTE! (TODAY IS THE LAST DAY YOU CAN IN CA)*

California Information:

• Register (or pre-register if you are currently under 18) at registertovote.ca.gov
• Voting by mail: You should receive your mail-in ballot October 12th. USPS is currently anticipating delays— make sure to mail your ballot as soon as possible so your vote is counted.
• Voting in person: Election Day is November 3rd. Find your nearest polling station at www.sos.ca.gov/elections/polling-place
  • Ballot drop box location list: www.sos.ca.gov/elections/polling-place (same list as above)
• Important dates: www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voting-resources/voting-california/election-dates-and-resources
• Frequently Asked Questions: www.sos.ca.gov/elections/frequently-asked-questions/

*You can register to vote at your polling station itself, but as a poll worker, I’d highly recommend registering today. It’s not difficult to register at the polling station, but it is more stressful. 

 

Washington Information:

• Register (or pre-register if you are currently under 18) at www.sos.wa.gov/elections/register.aspx
• Voting by mail: You should receive your mail-in ballot by October 16th. SPS is currently anticipating delays— make sure to mail your ballot as soon as possible so your vote is counted.
  • Ballot drop box location list: www.sos.wa.gov/_assets/elections/ballot%20drop%20boxes%202019%20general%20election.pdf
• Voting in person: Election Day is November 3rd. Find your nearest polling station at www.sos.wa.gov/_assets/elections/voting%20centers%202019%20general%20election.pdf
• Important dates: www.sos.wa.gov/elections/dates-and-deadlines.aspx
• Frequently Asked Questions: www.sos.wa.gov/elections/faq_vote_by_mail.aspx

 

1. General News: Protests in Thailand

Saturday was the third straight day Thais have protested against the current government, BBC reports. The protests, based in Bangkok and largely student-led, have been fueled by the disbanding of a popular opposition political party, which was ordered by the current Thai government in February. Protesters’ demands include:

• Dissolution of parliament
• End of harassment of government critics
• Changes to the military-backed Constitution
• Reformation of the monarchy, which is both powerful and wealthy 

On Thursday, the Thai government limited social gatherings to four people, officially due to Covid-19, though many believe it to be an attempt to “…curtail the student-led protest movement…” (BBC). A day later, police used a water cannon to break up the protests, though they seem to be keeping their distance as of the writing of this briefing. 

 

Learn more: I found “Explainer: What’s behind Thailand’s protests?” from Reuters a very helpful breakdown of protest triggers, details and demands. 

 

Rallying cries: One of the slogans of the protests is “let it end with our generation”, regarding the coups and political unrest that have plagued Thailand’s history. Another symbol is the three fingered salute, a sign of resistance derived from The Hunger Games franchise. 

2. Covid-19: Highest daily case count since July

Daily Covid-19 new case counts are spiking, almost to levels seen during midsummer. Last Friday (10/16/20), new cases per day were around 69,000, up from 63,610, according to data from Johns Hopkins University (that’s a 5,390 person increase). The day with the highest new Covid-19 case count number was July 17th, with 74,710 people (CDC). 

 

Vaccine progress: Two promising vaccines, one from Johnson & Johnson and another from AstraZeneca Plc, halted trials after a few participants experienced serious side effects. Meanwhile, Pfizer (another medical company)’s COVID-19 Vaccine will not be ready until at least mid-November, CNN reports. 

 

When will I get vaccinated?: Vaccination priorities are divided into tiers, with people in Tier One receiving vaccines first, Tier Two second, etc. If you are aged 3-18, you are Tier Two level priority. If you are 19-65 years old, you are Tier 2-5 priority, depending on level of severity and possession of a high risk condition. Read the table here for a more detailed listing of the tiers. 

 

Stay Informed: CNN reports live, bite-sized updates on Coronavirus here.

 

3. Politics: Presidential Debate

The final Presidential Debate between current president Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden will take place this Thursday the 22nd at 6 pm PST. This comes after a chaotic first debate and a second debate canceled due to Trump’s objections over its potential virtual format. With the President recovered from Covid-19, Thursday’s debate will be in-person. The topics will include: 

1. Fighting COVID-19
2. American Families
3. Race in America
4. Climate Change
5. National Security
6. Leadership.

 

It is not clear if their will be any rule changes to account for the frequent interruptions of both the other candidate and moderator that occurred during the last debate.

 

4. Sports: The SF 49ers’ Identity

In 2019, the 49ers held the NFL’s second ranked defense. They started off the 2019 season with eight straight wins. Then, they lost Superbowl LIV to the Kansas City Chiefs. Now, with many of their best defensive players either out or traded, the 49ers need to reshape their identity, including their offensive strategy. 

 

Read more: “49ers have lost their identity. Can Jimmy Garoppolo save their season?” by Eric Branch for the San Francisco Chronicle gives an in-depth analysis of the above issues. 

 

5. Summit: Name change forms

I am extremely proud to write that a form to easily change your name, gender marker and/or pronouns on school documents  is now listed on Summit’s website. To complete the form, simply download it onto your Chromebook, click “edit” on the downloaded copy, fill it out, and submit it to your school administration (principal, dean, etc) via email. You do not need guardian or teacher signatures. 

 

Who made the form: Yours truly, a gender-nonbinary student from K2. 

 

More: All Summit Public Schools forms, from free and reduced price meal plans to parent volunteer, can be found on the School Forms page of Summit’s website in PDF form. 

 

6. Actions

Editor’s note: each week, I will be posting petitions to sign/actions to take to support the BLM movement, ICE detainees, and other important matters. Remember, your voice counts, so use it.

 

• Post about a cop who opened fire on a group of Black children in August and call for them to be held responsible. From Color of Change:

 

“Lt. Scott Rowell opened fire on a group of five Black children as young as 9 years old, then resigned from the Waycross Police Department after activists rang the alarm. But Rowell — who was also involved in the murder of an unarmed Black man named Jack Lamar Roberson in 2013 — can still carry a gun and police badge in the state of Georgia.

 

That’s why we’re demanding that the Georgia Peace Officers Standards and Training Council (P.O.S.T) revokes Rowell’s police certification immediately. Revoking his certification would prevent Rowell from joining a police department anywhere in the state of Georgia.”

 

An image to post along with your message:

A link from Color of Change to generate a tweet on the subject can be found here.

 

You can also join Color of Change in their delivery of the Waycross petition via Facebook LIVE.

 

There’s still time to join the 88,000 people demanding Scott Rowell’s Police License be revoked. Find it here.

 

And, as always:

• Watch or listen or listen to this playlist. All advertisement revenue goes to Black Lives Matter. I currently have it on in the background as I am writing this brief. Do not skip the ads, the donations will not go through otherwise.

 

• Watch or listen to this video. All advertisement revenue goes to various aid organizations easing the humanitarian crisis in Yemen. Please note it is blocked on school Chromebooks due to being in the “Entertainment” category.
  • Learn more about the crisis at www.monareliefye.org/.