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4 USA November 2 2022 | World and Press Paddling makes a comeback in a Missouri school district EDUCATION Corporal punishment had been in a slow decline before the pandemic but remains legal in 19 states, mostly in the South. By Michael Levenson 1 A MISSOURIschool district’s announcement that it is bringing back paddling drew a lot of attention and dismay this past week. But corporal punishment – with an interruption, perhaps, for the coronavirus pandemic in some places – never went away in a large number of schools. The practice remains legal in 19 states, mostly in the South, despite efforts to abolish it. 2 Although the numbers have declined in the past decade, about 70,000 public schoolchildren were subjected to corporal punishment in the 2017–18 school year, the most recent year for which federal data is available. 3 The practice, defined as paddling, spanking, or other forms of physical discipline, jumped back into the news with the announcement that the school district in Cassville, Missouri, had reinstated paddling, a practice it abandoned in 2001, according to the ‘Springfield News-Leader.’ 4 Corporal punishment will be used only with a parent’s permission and “only when all other alternative means of discipline have failed, and then only in reasonable form and upon the recommendation of the principal,” the district’s policy states. 5 It was put in place in response to requests from parents, the superintendent, Merlyn Johnson, told the ‘News-Leader.’ “We’ve had people actually thank us for it,” he told the newspaper. “Surprisingly, those on social media would probably be appalled to hear us say these things, but the majority of people that I’ve run into have been supportive.” Johnson did not respond to requests for comment Friday. 6 Groups such as the American Psychological Association, which has opposed corporal punishment in schools since 1975, have long argued that paddling can cause injury and trauma and is not effective at improving behavior. To the contrary, children become more aggressive and disruptive the more frequently they are subjected to physical punishment, according to the association. 7 Critics have also cited research showing that Black students and students with disabilities are more likely to be paddled in school than their peers. Although they constitute 15% of public school students in the United States, Black students make up 37% of the students subjected to school corporal punishment, according to the association. Children with disabilities make up 21% of all instances of corporal punishment, even though they are 17% of the student population. © 2022 The New York Times Company This article originally appeared in The New York Times. 0 – 3 PADDLING; s.w.u. spanking Prügel — corporal punishment “"kO… p´r´l‘; s.w.u. physical discipline “"dIs´plIn‘ körperl. Züchtigung — in decline rückläufig — dismay Entsetzen — practice Praxis — to be subjected to s.th. “s´b"dZektId‘ etw. ausgesetzt werden — federal data Daten auf Bundesebene — to reinstate “Æri…In"steIt‘ wieder einführen — to abandon “´"bœnd´n‘ abschaffen 4 – 5 reasonable angemessen — principal Schulleiter(in) — policy Regeln — in response to als Reaktion auf — superintendent Schulbezirksleiter(in) — to be appalled “´"pO…ld‘ entsetzt sein — … are supportive … sind dafür 6 – 7 American Psychological Association “ÆsaIk´l"ÅdZIk´l‘ US-Wissenschafts- und Berufsverband für Psychologie — to be disruptive “dIs"røptIv‘ stören — to cite anführen — research Studien — peer Altergenosse(-in); h.: Mitschüler(in) — to constitute “"kÅnstItSu…t‘ ausmachen | Photo: Getty Images Nebraska man squashes record for floating in a pumpkin, officials say GUINNESS WORLD RECORD By María Luisa Paúl 1 DUANE HANSENhad big plans for the 846-pound pumpkin he’d grown. He’d been trying to grow a pumpkin that big for nearly a decade, but “Berta” wasn’t just for show. Hansen hollowed it out, plopped a cooler inside, and hit the banks of the Missouri River. The 60-year-old was on a quest to squash the Guinness World Record for “the longest journey by pumpkin boat.” Yes, it’s a thing – and Hansen’s not the first to use a giant gourd as a vessel. 2 Rick Swenson, who in 2016 completed a 25-mile trip inside a pumpkin when he paddled from Grand Forks, N.D., to Oslo, Minn., holds the title. But Hansen’s 38- mile float on Saturday would 0 – 1 TO SQUASH “skwÅS‘; s.w.u. to smash zerquetschen; h.: überbieten; vgl. squash Kürbis — to float (Boot) fahren — official öffentl. Vertreter(in) — to hollow out aushöhlen — to plop inside hineinpacken — cooler Kühlbox — to hit the banks losschippern (b. Ufer) — to be on a quest to do s. Duane Hansen embarking on the “SS Berta.” | Photo: Phil Davidson blow past that record. If verified by Guinness World Records, he could join those who have pushed the limits on what’s possible – whether growing eight-foot-long beards, spinning basketballs atop toothbrushes, or stopping electric fans with their tongues. 3 Officials in Bellevue, Neb., announced Hansen’s record on Saturday, just hours after he’d completed the voyage to Nebraska City. “Congratulations Duane for smashing the world record,” they wrote in a Facebook post. “We are proud that you started this record breaking 38 mile journey in Bellevue.” 4 Guinness World Records didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment from ‘The Washington Post.’ To validate a zur Mission machen zu tun — gourd “gU´d‘ Kürbis — vessel Wasserfahrzeug 2 – 4 to blow past h.: übertreffen — to verify “"verIfaI‘; s.w.u. to validate “"vœlIdeIt‘ bestätigen — electric fan Ventilator — voyage “"vOIIdZ‘ Reise — submission Antrag — to comply with rules Auflagen erfüllen — to wish s.o. Godspeed jdm. e-e gute Reise/viel Erfolg wünschen 5 – 6 produce Obst und Gemüse — pun Wortspiel — Cinderfella vgl. Cinderella (flachrunde Kürbisart, die im gleichnamigen Märchen in e-e Kutsche verwandelt wird) record, the organization requires evidence with its submissions, including photos, videos, and witness statements. It appears Hansen has taken some steps to comply with the rules, after family members and officials documented his voyage. Hansen spent about 11 hours floating in his pumpkin. People across the globe followed his progress, wishing Hansen Godspeed – or as one fan put it, “gourdspeed.” 5 Hansen is known for growing large pumpkins and other produce. When he first approached Bellevue officials about sending his giant pumpkin down the river, they didn’t know he would be riding in it. “Seems like a unique if not slightly crazy way to celebrate his 60th birthday,” Bellevue’s Facebook post states. Hansen’s birthday was Aug. 26. … 6 On social media, pumpkin puns and congratulations for the new “Cinderfella” started pouring in from as far as Australia. When Hansen’s wife, Allyson, was asked what it’s like to have a world-record-holding husband, she told News Channel Nebraska, “I never know what’s going to be next.” For Hansen, it’s go big or gourd home. © 2022 The Washington Post
World and Press | November 2 2022 Trump is getting his 2020 rematch with Biden – in 2022 midterms POLITICS Recently, the current and former presidents have slugged it out as if they’re contesting the White House, not Congress. By Jordan Fabian and Mark Niquette Former President Donald Trump and current President Joe Biden in September 2022. | Photos: Picture Alliance/AP 1 FORMERPresident Donald Trump has demanded that the U.S. somehow re-run the 2020 election he lost. President Joe Biden is doing everything he can to oblige him. The current president, who has struggled to tame inflation at a 40-year high, has delighted in an opportunity to turn the midterm congressional elections into another referendum on his twice-impeached predecessor. And Trump has eagerly made himself the center of the campaign, to the chagrin of many Republicans. 2 In speeches and rallies across the country over the last two weeks, Biden and Trump have slugged it out as if they’re contesting the White House, not Congress. Trump has even shadowed Biden’s appearances, rallying four days after the president in Pennsylvania last week and in Ohio next weekend. 3 The 2022 election season kicked off with Republicans poised to take control of at least the House, thanks to voter outrage over high prices. But it’s instead becoming a battle between two men: Biden and Trump. 4 Biden’s sharp attacks on Trump and so-called “MAGA Republicans” – a reference to the former president’s “Make America Great Again” slogan – for threatening American democracy have broken through with an increasing number of voters, even as some vulnerable Democratic incumbents have occasionally fretted about the president’s tone. Roughly two in ten registered voters in an August NBC News poll named “threats to democracy” as the most important issue facing the country, more than the 16% who named cost of living. It’s an improbable turn of events, as economic issues are typically top of mind for voters. 5 “If the election in the final 60 days is not viewed as a referendum on the president and the party in power, Republicans are leaving opportunity on the table,” said Ken Spain, who oversaw House Republicans’ communications strategy in the 2010 midterms, when the GOP won a majority. While Trump’s involvement in the election excites his supporters, Spain said, he turns off independent voters and also energizes Democrats, hurting Republicans by shifting the focus of the campaign from Biden, inflation, and other issues favorable to the GOP. 6 Biden has repeatedly hit Trump over his false claims the 2020 election was stolen and his effort to overturn his defeat, culminating in the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. He delivered a Sept. 1 prime-time address from Philadelphia’s Independence Hall dedicated to the threat Biden believes Trump and his supporters still pose to the country, and the president went after his predecessor again Thursday at a Democratic National Committee event in Maryland. 7 “Extreme MAGA Republicans just don’t threaten our personal and economic rights; they embrace political violence. They refuse to accept the will of the people. They threaten our very democracy,” Biden said. For his part, Trump has called Biden an “enemy of the state” and said the president’s Philadelphia address was “the most vicious, hateful, and divisive speech ever delivered by an American president.” Trump’s opponents repeatedly criticized him as president for divisive speeches and racist rhetoric intended to appeal to his mostly White base. 8 As Biden has sharpened his attacks on Trump and his followers, prospects for his party in the midterms have brightened. The party that controls the White House typically loses seats in Congress because its supporters are less motivated to vote than opponents angry about the president’s policies. But landmark legislative victories by Biden and congressional Democrats, divisive Trump-aligned Republican candidates, and voter outrage at the Supreme Court’s decision to end nationwide abortion rights have improved Democrats’ chances of holding onto their Senate majority and at least narrowing their losses in the House, according to election forecasters. 9 Six in ten registered voters surveyed in an August ‘Wall Street Journal’ poll said abortion should be legal in all or most cases, and 56% said the Supreme Court ruling makes them more likely to vote in November. Biden has said abortion access is just one of many rights Trump acolytes would try to strip across the country if they return to power. “MAGA forces are determined to take this country backwards,” Biden said in his Philadelphia speech. 10 Going after Trump helps voters understand that issues like abortion, voting rights, and entitlement programs could be at USA 5 stake if Republicans win control of Congress, said Danielle Melfi, executive director of the pro- Biden outside group Building Back Together. “As we know from the data, it’s really important for us to not just tout the accomplishments but also to make sure we’re driving a clear contrast with the extreme MAGA agenda,” Melfi said. “They’re pursuing their undermining of our democracy to achieve their really unpopular policy goals.” … 11 Along with abortion, Trump’s continued involvement in national politics has loomed large over the November elections. The former president’s endorsed Senate candidates in Georgia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Arizona, several of whom have echoed his false claims of a stolen 2020 election, have struggled to raise money and gain traction against Democratic opponents. The federal investigation into classified documents at Trump’s Florida estate and his impending decision whether to seek another term in 2024 have also riled Democratic voters. 12 A focus on a Trump–Biden rematch and the former president’s obsession with the 2020 election – a topic he frequently mentions at rallies – hurts Republican candidates in competitive midterm races who have to answer whether they agree with Trump, said Mike DuHaime, a former Republican National Committee political director. “In the races where they focus too much on the past and on Trump, they’re going to lose,” DuHaime said. “In races where they can keep the focus on Biden and on a referendum on Democrats in Congress, they’ve got a much better shot to win.” … © 2022 Bloomberg L.P. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. 0 – 1 REMATCHRevanche — midterms; s.w.u. midterm congressional elections “k´N"greS´n´l‘ Kongresswahlen zur Mitte der Präsidentenamtszeit — to slug it out (coll) e-n Streit ausfechten — to contest s.th. um etw. kämpfen — to oblige s.o. “´"blaIdZ‘ jdm. e-n Gefallen erweisen — to tame zügeln — 40-year high höchster Stand seit 40 Jahren — to delight in s.th. s. an etw. erfreuen — to impeach wegen Amtsvergehen anklagen — predecessor “"pri…dIÆses´‘ Vorgänger(in) — to the chagrin of s.o. “"SœgrIn‘ zu jds. Verdruss 2 – 3 rally Kundgebung — to shadow s.o. jdn. verfolgen — to be poised to do “pOIzd‘ im Begriff sein zu tun — outrage “"aUtreIdZ‘ Empörung 4 to threaten “"Tret´n‘ bedrohen; s.w.u. threat Bedrohung — to break through with s.o. zu jdm. durchdringen — vulnerable “"vøln´r´b´l‘ gefährdet; h.: (fig) stark umkämpft — incumbent “In"kømb´nt‘ Amtsinhaber(in) — to fret about s.th. s. um etw. sorgen — poll “p´Ul‘ Umfrage — cost of living Lebenshaltungskosten — improbable “Im"prÅb´b´l‘ ungewöhnlich — turn of events Entwicklung 5 – 6 to oversee leiten — to excite begeistern — independent parteilos — to energize (fig) “"en´dZaIz‘ Auftrieb geben — to shift verlagern — to overturn aufheben; rückgängig machen — to culminate “"kølmIneIt‘ gipfeln — insurrection “ÆIns´r"ekS´n‘ Aufstand — prime-time address Rede zur besten Sendezeit — to dedicate “"dedIkeIt‘ widmen — to pose darstellen 7 to embrace s. zu eigen machen — violence “"vaI´l´ns‘ Gewalt — vicious “"vIS´s‘ gemein — hateful gehässig — divisive “dI"vaIsIv‘ polarisierend — to be intended to do darauf abzielen — to appeal to s.o. bei jdm. Anklang finden — base Basis 8 to sharpen verschärfen — prospects Aussichten — to brighten aufhellen; s. verbessern — landmark wegweisend — legislative victories “"ledZIsl´tIv‘ h.: erfolgreich durchgesetzte Gesetzesvorhaben — Trump-aligned Trump unterstützend — abortion rights “´"bO…S´n‘ Abtreibungsrechte — to narrow schmälern — election forecaster “"fO…kA… st´‘ Wahlexperte(-in) 9 – 10 to survey “s´"veI‘ befragen — ruling Urteil — acolyte “"œk´laIt‘ Anhänger(in) — to strip entziehen — determined “dI"t‰…mInd‘ entschlossen — voting rights Wahlrecht — entitlement programs “In"taIt´lm´nt‘ soziale Sicherung — executive director “Ig"zekj´tIv‘ Geschäftsführer(in) — to tout “taUt‘ werben für — accomplishment “´"kømplISm´nt‘ Errungenschaft — to pursue “p´"sju…‘ verfolgen — to undermine untergraben 11 – 12 to loom large e-e große Rolle spielen — to endorse unterstützen — to echo “"ek´U‘ h.: aufgreifen und wiederholen — to gain traction Boden gutmachen — classified geheim — estate Anwesen — impending bevorstehend — term Amtszeit — to rile s.o. jdn. ärgern — competitive “k´m"petItIv‘ umkämpft US-Politik im Englischunterricht Pressetexte • Skilltraining Extra – The American Political System ¤ 24,90 [D] ISBN 978-3-7961-1063-4 www.sprachzeitungen.de
