Virginia’s Fight Over ‘Beloved’

Glenn Youngkin, who was elected governor of Virginia last night, built his campaign in part on school issues.

The book, which has become a fixture of the American literary canon since it was published in 1987, conveys the horrors of slavery, a subject with obvious historical resonance in Virginia.

The parent, Laura Murphy, took her campaign to the Republican-controlled General Assembly.

Greg Abbott is pushing to block books in school libraries with “pornography or other inappropriate content,” following up on state legislation that banned “critical race theory.” A state representative, Matt Krause, is also launching a probe into books in school libraries.

And in Virginia, the strategy paid off: He won Republican voters both devoted to and disdainful of Donald Trump.

Some thought masks should stay on, especially to protect immuno-compromised children and those under 5.

Just last week, Massachusetts extended its universal mask mandate for most public schools through mid-January, while Florida stripped federal aid from schools with mandates.

Reading aloud: For Katie, who has an 11-year-old, a 7-year-old and a 2-month-old, “buddy reading” has really helped.

“We are always sure to read expressively and do voices for the characters and stop and talk with each other about our questions and predictions,” Katie wrote.

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