On today’s episode of The Confluence:
A+ Schools hopes new year brings opportunities to address chronic absences, among other issues
(0:00 - 10:07)
It’s the first day of school for all Pittsburgh Public School students, aside from those entering kindergarten. Also, it’s Wayne Walters' first day as the district's official superintendent.
James Fogarty, executive director of A+ Schools, says he’s impressed with Walters’ efforts to reach out to the community.
One issue Fogarty hopes to see addressed is chronic absences. In the 2021-2022 school year, the chronic absence rate was nearly 42% of Pittsburgh Public School.
“When you survey parents, and I’m a parent in this district, we underestimate by half how many days our kids have missed,” Fogarty says.
He explains that children missing two days in the first month of school means they could be on the path to chronic absences.
U.S. Senate Republican nominee Mehmet Oz’s Muslim identity has come up very little in the campaign
(10:17 - 18:06)
If TV personality and Republican nominee Mehmet Oz is elected to the U.S. Senate to represent Pennsylvania, he would be the first Muslim senator in the chamber.
But Oz’s religion has hardly been brought up in the campaign by himself or his competitor Lt. Gov. John Fetterman. What are those in the Islamic community thinking about his background?
“We know that the Muslim community is incredibly diverse,” says Marc Levy, a reporter for the Associated Press. “Some people speculate that Muslims would be more likely to think that Oz is more tied to his Turkish heritage rather than his religion. And in addition, you know, Muslims said that people in their community are going to vote on issues. They don't vote for someone just because they're Muslim.”
A 2017 Pew Research Survey found two-thirds of Muslim voters “identify or lean toward the Democratic Party.”
Levy says he spoke with Oz about what it might mean for him to be elected as a Muslim, Oz said it would be good to see a member of the community be elected to the U.S. Senate, ultimately reinforcing the message that hard work in the United States pays off.
Prohibitively high costs mean some can’t afford hearing aids, despite need
(18:16 - 22:30)
A new rule recently finalized by the Food and Drug Administration is expected to lower the cost of some hearing aids. But, high prices for the devices are still an issue for many people. 90.5 WESA’s Kate Giammarise has more.
The Confluence, where the news comes together, is 90.5 WESA’s daily news program. Tune in Monday to Thursday at 9 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. to hear newsmakers and innovators take an in-depth look at stories important to the Pittsburgh region. Find more episodes of The Confluence here or wherever you get your podcasts.
