Long-Awaited Asteroid Finally Hits Earth

Teachers, students and parents around the country have been bracing themselves all spring and summer long for the start of this unprecedented school year. This week, it's here. Prologue: Host Ira talks with a teacher in South Carolina who is just trying to figure out what the first day of school will look like. (12 minutes) Masked Crusaders: Two teachers find themselves thrown into a heated and ugly fight with parents right before school opens back up. Producer Miki Meek has this story from Utah. (20 minutes) Screen Times at Ridgemont High: Aviva DeKornfeld talks with a high schooler about how he’s prepped for remote learning with a bunch of kids he doesn’t know. (4 minutes) Future Imperfect: Some schools started back in July, including many in Tennessee. David Kestenbaum talks to one teacher there who’s already gone through a month of in-person learning to see what the  future might hold for other schools. (6 minutes) The Case of the Well-Prepared Elementary School: A school that has prepared for every Covid scenario faces a problem they never saw coming. Stephanie Wang tells the story of one Indiana school's first day in person. Stephanie is the bureau chief of Chalkbeat Indiana. (11 minutes) The Leftovers: A week after starting classes, a Covid outbreak forces a university to send students back home. Producer Robyn Semien takes a tour of the emptying campus. (6 minutes)