>>THIS WEEK ON NEWSNIGHT, NASA'S NEWEST MISSION TO MARS.

WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENS NOW FOR THE PERSEVERANCE ROVER, THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION THROWS ITS BACKING BEHIND THE ARTEMIS PROGRAM, BUT THE TIMING OF A MOONSHOT REMAINS UNCLEAR, AND THE DIGITAL DIVIDE FACING FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN STUDYING AT HOME DURING THE PANDEMIC.

NEWSNIGHT STARTS NOW.

♪ MUSIC ♪ >>HELLO, I'M NANCY ALVAREZ AND WELCOME TO NEWSNIGHT, WHERE WE TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THE BIG STORIES IMPACTING CENTRAL FLORIDA AND HOW THEY AFFECT ALL OF US.

AND WE DO THIS BY BRINGING TOGETHER A TEAM OF JOURNALISTS FROM DIFFERENT LOCAL MEDIA OUTLETS, THE PEOPLE COVERING THESE STORIES EVERY SINGLE DAY.

JOINING US THIS WEEK, EMILEE SPECK FROM WKMG AND THE HOST OF THE SPACE CURIOUS PODCAST AND BRENDAN BYRNE COMING BACK TO US FROM 90.7 WMFE AND HOST OF THE ARE WE THERE YET?

PODCAST.

MY FRIEND, STEVE MORT IN THE STUDIO WITH US ONCE AGAIN THIS WEEK.

ALL RIGHT.

FIRST, TONIGHT, A HUGE WEEK IN SPACE.

NASA'S PERSEVERANCE ROVER LANDS ON THE SURFACE OF THE RED PLANET.

>>TOUCHING DOWN AFTER ABOUT SEVEN MONTHS IN FLIGHT AND A 300 MILLION MILE JOURNEY, A NAIL BITING MOMENT CAPTURED IN DETAIL BY A SERIES OF ONBOARD CAMERAS.

>>THESE TECHNOLOGIES HAVE BEEN CRITICAL IN ALLOWING US TO SEND THIS VEHICLE IN THE JEZERO CRATER, A SCIENTIFICALLY IMPORTANT LOCATION, BUT ALSO A DIFFICULT PLACE TO LAND ON MARS, AND A SITE THAT WAS CONSIDERED ON PREVIOUS MISSIONS BUT REJECTED.

WE CAN NOW GET THERE WITH OUR TECHNOLOGIES.

>>THIS NASA ANIMATION SHOWS IN DETAIL HOW PERSEVERANCE LANDED.

A SUPERSONIC PARACHUTE FOLLOWED BY EIGHT THRUSTERS FIRED BY A SO-CALLED SKY CRANE ALLOWED PERSEVERANCE TO SLOW DOWN ENOUGH THAT IT COULD BE LOWERED SAFELY TO THE GROUND ON LONG CABLES.

PERSEVERANCE IS LESS OF A ROVER AND MORE OF A MOBILE LABORATORY.

IT WILL SPEND ITS TIME COLLECTING SAMPLES, WHICH IT'S HOPED WILL EVENTUALLY BE SENT BACK TO EARTH IN ABOUT A DECADE FROM NOW FOR CLOSER SCIENTIFIC STUDY.

THE MARS 2020 MISSION WILL ALSO DEPLOY A TINY HELICOPTER CALLED INGENUITY.

>>IF IT CAN FLY IN THE THIN ATMOSPHERE OF MARS, IT WOULD BECOME THE FIRST SUCH CRAFT TO DO SO ANYWHERE BEYOND EARTH.

IT WOULD ALSO BE A GIANT STEP TOWARD BEING ABLE TO EXPLORE MUCH LARGER SWATHS OF THE MARTIAN SURFACE.

PERSEVERANCE IS ALSO CARRYING AN INSTRUMENT CALLED MOXIE THAT WILL GENERATE OXYGEN FROM THE INHOSPITABLE ATMOSPHERE.

IT COULD BE AN IMPORTANT STEP TOWARD EVENTUALLY ESTABLISHING A HUMAN PRESENCE ON MARS.

>>ALL RIGHT, WELL, EXCITING WEEK AND SO MUCH TO TALK ABOUT HERE.

BRENDAN, LET'S START WITH YOU AND THIS PARTICULAR CRATER, THE JEZERO CRATER, WHERE THEY'RE HEADED.

WHY DID SCIENTISTS PICK THIS PARTICULAR PLACE TO LAND AND TO STUDY?

AND NO DOUBT YEARS OF RESEARCH WENT INTO THIS AND FINDING THE RIGHT SPOT.

>>I THINK IT WAS CALLED AN EXHAUSTIVE SEARCH BY NASA.

IT TOOK ABOUT FIVE YEARS TO PICK THIS PLACE.

THE MAIN SCIENCE MISSION OF PERSEVERANCE IS TO LOOK FOR ANCIENT SIGNS OF MARTIANS.

LOOK FOR SIGNS OF LIFE THAT MARS WAS ONCE INHABITED A VERY LONG TIME AGO.

JEZERO CRATER WAS PICKED BECAUSE BACK LIKE FOUR BILLION YEARS AGO, SCIENTISTS BELIEVE MARS HAD WATER AND THIS CRATER WOULD HAVE BEEN A LAKE.

AND RIGHT AT THIS CRATER IS THIS DELTA.

THIS IS BASICALLY WHERE ALL OF THE SEDIMENT KIND OF RUNS INTO AND HAS CREATED THIS KIND OF GEOLOGICAL RECORD OF THIS EVIDENCE OF PAST LIFE THERE.

BY EXPLORING THESE DIFFERENT LAYERS OF THIS ANCIENT RIVER SEDIMENT, ASTROBIOLOGISTS THINK THAT THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO UNCOVER EVIDENCE THAT THERE WERE LIVING BEINGS ON THIS PLANET, WHICH WOULD KIND OF CHANGE THE WAY WE UNDERSTAND A LIFE OUTSIDE OF OUR PLANET AND LIFE, OTHER PLACES LIKE ON MARS.

>>FASCINATING.

EMILEE, YOU COVERED THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE ROVER AT NASA'S JET PROPULSION LAB.

SO WHAT MAKES THIS ROVER STAND OUT FROM ANYTHING WE'VE SEEN BEFORE?

>>SURE.

WE KNOW THAT THE CURIOSITY ROVER, WHICH IS CURRENTLY ON THE RED PLANET, THIS ROVER IS KIND OF A SOUPED UP VERSION OF THAT.

THIS IS THE LARGEST ROBOT THAT NASA WILL EVER... THAT HAS EVER LANDED ON MARS.

SO IT'S VERY EXCITING.

WE DO KNOW THERE WERE A LOT OF IMPROVEMENTS TO THIS ROVER.

IT HAS A NEW NAVIGATION SYSTEM THAT WILL HELP IT MISS SOME RISKY AREAS WHEN IT'S COMING IN FOR LANDING.

BUT WE DO KNOW THAT THE WHEELS ARE SOUPED UP AND THEY'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE THE ISSUES THAT THEY HAD, THE DEGRADING THAT THEY HAD WITH THE CURIOSITY ROVER.

I WAS ACTUALLY AT JPL WHEN THEY WERE PUTTING THE WHEELS ON THE ROVER, AND I CAN TELL YOU, THEY LOOK PRETTY NEAT.

>>SO COOL THAT YOU HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO COVER IT THAT WAY.

BRENDAN, LET'S TALK MONEY.

THIS IS A $2.7 BILLION, WITH A B, BILLION DOLLAR MISSION.

WE'VE HEARD SO MUCH TALK ABOUT RETURNING TO THE MOON AND OTHER PROJECTS THAT NASA WANTED TO ACCOMPLISH.

WHY IS THE AGENCY ATTACHING SO MUCH IMPORTANCE AND SO MUCH MONEY TO MARS?

>>I THINK THERE'S A FEW DIFFERENT WAYS TO LOOK AT THIS, NANCY.

ONE, NASA HAS A LONG-TERM AMBITION OF PUTTING HUMANS ON THE SURFACE OF MARS.

THE MORE WE KNOW ABOUT IT, THE MORE WE KNOW FROM OUR ROBOTIC EXPLORERS THAT GO BEFORE ASTRONAUTS, THE BETTER CHANCE WE HAVE OF A MISSION SUCCESS FOR HUMANS.

ALONG WITH SOME OF THE RESEARCH THAT'S ON THIS ROVER, THERE'S ALSO SOME TECHNOLOGICAL DEMONSTRATIONS.

ONE THAT WE HEARD A LITTLE BIT IN YOUR PACKAGE CALLED MOXIE.

AND BASICALLY THIS A PIECE OF EQUIPMENT THAT'S GOING TO TAKE THE CO2 IN THE ATMOSPHERE AND SCRUB IT AND SEE IF IT ACTUALLY TURNED IT INTO OXYGEN THAT YOU COULD BREATHE IN.

TO BE ABLE TO MAKE OUR OWN KIND OF MATERIALS THAT WE NEED FOR LIFE SUPPORT IS VITALLY IMPORTANT FOR HUMAN MISSIONS TO THIS PLANET.

IT'S ALSO GOING TO BE TESTING OUT SOME OF THE SPACESUIT MATERIALS THAT A MARTIAN ASTRONAUT WOULD HAVE TO WEAR.

RADIATION IS A REAL BIG DEAL ON THE MARTIAN SURFACE.

TESTING OUT THESE MATERIALS BEFORE WE PUT THEM ON OUR ASTRONAUTS IS GOING TO BE HELPFUL FOR THEM TOO.

ON THE OTHER HAND, ON THE SCIENTIFIC SIDE OF THINGS, THIS IS AN ASTROBIOLOGICAL MISSION, ONE THAT HASN'T HAPPENED ON MARS IN DECADES.

BY UNDERSTANDING WHAT KIND OF THINGS WE NEED TO LOOK FOR FOR SIGNS OF LIFE ON MARS, WE'RE ABLE TO LOOK OUTWARD AND TO OTHER PLACES IN OUR SOLAR SYSTEM AND BEYOND OUR SOLAR SYSTEM, PLACES LIKE EXOPLANETS TO SEE IF THE SAME EVIDENCE EXISTS ON THESE OTHER PLANETS TO ANSWER THE ULTIMATE QUESTION OF SCIENCE, ARE WE ALONE?

THE $3 BILLION PRICE TAG MIGHT BE A BIT.

REMEMBER, SOME OF THAT MONEY WAS FUNNELED INTO US HERE ON THE SPACE COAST BECAUSE IT LAUNCHED FROM CAPE CANAVERAL BY A PRIVATE COMPANY ULA, BUT IT'S A SMALL PRICE TO PAY FOR THIS UNDERSTANDING OF OUR PLACE IN THE UNIVERSE AND WHERE HUMANS ARE GOING TO GO NEXT.

>>SO FASCINATING.

ARE WE ALONE?

I COULD ANSWER THAT FOR YOU RIGHT NOW FOR FREE.

WE ARE NOT, AND WE ALL KNOW IT.

ALL RIGHT, EMILEE, WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF SENDING THE SAMPLES BACK TO EARTH?

SO LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT.

HOW IT WILL WORK.

>>RIGHT.

THIS IS GOING TO BE THE MOST COMPLICATED MISSION THAT HAS EVER HAPPENED IN SPACE FLIGHT AND SPACE EXPLORATION.

IT IS GOING TO REQUIRE THREE LAUNCHES.

IT'S GOING TO REQUIRE ANOTHER LANDER, ANOTHER ROVER, ANOTHER SMALLER ROCKET ON ONE OF THOSE LANDERS THAT'S GOING TO GO TO ANOTHER ROCKET THAT'S GOING TO BE WAITING AROUND MARS.

AND WHAT WE'VE HEARD FROM NASA IS THAT THEY WANT TO HAVE THAT SAMPLE BACK BY 2031.

THAT'S 10 YEARS FROM NOW.

THIS ROVER THAT'S SET TO LAND TOOK DECADES OF DEVELOPMENT TO EVEN GET TO THE POINT OF LAUNCHING AND NOW THE SOON ARRIVAL.

SO THE FACT THAT WE WANT TO DO THREE LAUNCHES, MULTIPLE TECHNICALLY MISSIONS TO GET THIS SAMPLE, IT'S GOING TO BE A HUGE PROCESS.

BUT IF WE CAN GET ROCKS AND SOIL FROM MARS BACK ON EARTH, THINK ABOUT THE CAPABILITIES WITH THE LABS THAT WE HAVE HERE ON EARTH.

PREVIOUS ROBOTIC MARTIAN MISSIONS LIKE WITH CURIOSITY, IT HAS AN ONBOARD LAB, SO IT CAN DO SOME ANALYSIS THERE, BUT NOTHING IS COMPARED TO WHAT WE CAN DO HERE ON EARTH.

AND THEN THE OTHER THING YOU HAVE TO THINK ABOUT IS THE IMPACT FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.

THAT SAMPLE, WE MAY NOT HAVE TECHNOLOGY RIGHT NOW THAT CAN TELL US A LOT OF THINGS ABOUT IT.

THERE'S TECHNOLOGY THAT WILL STILL NEED TO BE DEVELOPED AND THAT COULD AFFECT GENERATIONS TO COME.

THOSE GENERATIONS COULD IN FACT BE OUR FUTURE MARTIANS, THE FIRST PEOPLE TO STEP FOOT ON MARS.

>>FOR SURE.

WELL, LET'S TALK A MINUTE ABOUT NASA'S WAY POINT TO MARS FOR HUMANS AND THAT'S THE MOON.

HERE'S THE WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY JEN PSAKI EARLIER THIS MONTH CONFIRMING THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION SUPPORT FOR THE ARTEMIS PROGRAM THAT IT'S HOPED WILL SEND ASTRONAUTS TO THE LUNAR SURFACE AND EVENTUALLY TO MARS.

>>TO DATE, ONLY 12 HUMANS HAVE WALKED ON THE MOON; THAT WAS HALF A CENTURY AGO.

THE ARTEMIS PROGRAM, A WAYPOINT TO MARS, PROVIDES EXACTLY THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADD NUMBERS TO THAT, OF COURSE.

LUNAR EXPLORATION HAS BROAD AND BICAMERAL SUPPORT IN CONGRESS, MOST RECENTLY DETAILED IN THE FY2021 OMNIBUS SPENDING BILL.

AND CERTAINLY WE SUPPORT THIS EFFORT AND ENDEAVOR.

>>WELL, IT DOES HAVE BIPARTISAN AND BICAMERAL SUPPORT AS THE PRESS SECRETARY MENTIONED THAT, BUT MISSING FROM THAT STATEMENT, OF COURSE, EMILEE, IS A TIMEFRAME.

THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION HAD A PRETTY AGGRESSIVE GOAL.

WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THIS ADMINISTRATION'S PLANS AND WHY THEY'RE SIGNIFICANT FOR THE SPACE COAST?

>>RIGHT.

SO UNDER THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION, THE GOAL TO PUT BOOTS ON THE MOON WAS 2028.

UNDER THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION, THEY PUT THE PEDAL TO THE METAL AND SPED THAT UP BY FOUR YEARS.

CURRENTLY THE GOAL IS 2024.

UNDER THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION, WE STILL DON'T KNOW IF THAT TIMELINE IS GOING TO STAND.

THERE IS SOME QUESTION ABOUT FUNDING.

WE'VE HAD SOME INDEPENDENT REPORTS SAYING THAT IT IS GOING TO BE HARD WITH THE CURRENT FUNDING TO GET THE VEHICLES ON THE PLANET THAT WE NEED.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE LUNAR GATEWAY THAT NEEDS TO BE ORBITING THE MOON.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A ROCKET, THE SLS ROCKET, THAT HAS BEEN DELAYED FOR YEARS.

THERE ARE A LOT OF HURDLES THAT NEED TO OVERCOME, BUT THE BIGGEST THING IS GOING TO BE FUNDING AND WHETHER THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION SUPPORTS KEEPING THE TIMELINE AT 2024, WHICH IS STILL VERY AGGRESSIVE.

>>OF COURSE A LOT OF OTHER PRESSING FUNDING PRIORITIES AT THE MOMENT TO BE SURE.

AND BE SURE TO HEAD ON OVER TO OUR WEBSITE, WUCF.ORG/NEWSNIGHT, FOR MORE ON THE STORIES FROM TONIGHT'S PROGRAM.

AND WHILE YOU'RE THERE, YOU'LL FIND A LINK TO NASA'S MARS PERSEVERANCE ROVER PAGE.

NANCY.

>>ALL RIGHT, STEVE.

BUT WASN'T IT NICE TO TALK ABOUT NASA AND SPACE?

BECAUSE NOW WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT COVID-19 AGAIN.

SO BACK TO REALITY.

NEXT TONIGHT, THE OFFICIAL OVERSEEING FLORIDA'S COVID-19 RESPONSE ACTUALLY RESIGNED THIS WEEK.

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DIRECTOR JARED MOSKOWITZ SAYS HE'LL TRANSITION OUT OF THE ROLE AND HE SAID IT WAS TO SPEND MORE TIME WITH HIS FAMILY.

HERE'S GOVERNOR DESANTIS THIS WEEK TALKING ABOUT HIS TOP GUY'S DEPARTURE.

>>HE'S DONE A FANTASTIC JOB.

I THINK FLORIDA HAS THE BEST EMERGENCY RESPONSE IN THE COUNTRY.

I THINK WE'VE DONE THE BEST IN TERMS OF LOGISTICS, BOTH IN TERMS OF PREPARING FOR, RESPONDING TO STORMS, AS WELL AS RESPONDING TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.

AND I THINK JARED WAS A BIG REASON WHY.

>>ALL RIGHT.

EMILEE, LET'S TALK ABOUT THE DETAILS ABOUT WHY AND HOW MOSKOWITZ IS LEAVING AND WHO WILL REPLACE HIM.

DO WE KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THAT YET?

>>RIGHT.

SO AS YOU MENTIONED, HE SAID HE'S LEAVING TO SPEND MORE TIME WITH HIS FAMILY.

I CAN'T IMAGINE BEING A PUBLIC OFFICIAL AT THIS CURRENT TIME DURING A PANDEMIC, AND I KNOW HE'S BEEN UNDER A LOT OF PRESSURE AND HANDLED IT PRETTY WELL.

HE HASN'T ALWAYS BEEN IN THE SPOTLIGHT, BUT IT'S USUALLY BEEN PRETTY POSITIVE WHEN HE GETS THE JOB DONE.

AND THE FACT THAT HE IS ONE OF THE TOP OFFICIALS IN FLORIDA AS A DEMOCRAT AND WAS SELECTED BY GOVERNOR DESANTIS IS SPEAKING FOR ITSELF.

HE ISSUED A TWEET EARLIER THIS WEEK AND IT MAKES IT SOUND LIKE THIS MAY NOT BE IT FOR HIM.

I DO THINK WE'LL HEAR FROM HIM AGAIN.

AND ON TOP OF THAT, HE ALSO SAID THAT THE PARKLAND SHOOTING REALLY WEIGHED HEAVY ON HIS DECISION TO SPEND MORE TIME WITH HIS FAMILY AND TO STEP DOWN.

>>THE GOVERNOR ALSO UNVEILED MORE OF HIS PLANS TARGETING BIG TECH THIS WEEK WITH A BILL ON PRIVACY.

BRENDAN, TALK US THROUGH THOSE PROPOSALS.

WHAT'S THIS ALL ABOUT?

>>YES.

THIS BILL WOULD KIND OF OPEN UP TRANSPARENCY ON WHAT TECH COMPANIES ARE DOING WITH CONSUMERS' DATA, SO HOW THEY USE YOUR DATA, WHO THEY SHARE YOUR DATA WITH, AND IF THEY'VE SOLD IT TO OTHER COMPANIES OR WHATNOT.

THIS IS CONSUMER PROTECTION BILL, RIGHT?

WHERE CONSUMERS WOULD HAVE ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION AND THEN THE STATE GOVERNMENT WOULD HAVE THE ABILITY TO SUE BIG TECH COMPANIES FOR NOT PROVIDING THIS INFORMATION OR USING IT INAPPROPRIATELY.

YOU HAVE TO THINK THAT THIS HAS A LITTLE BIT OF A CONNECTION TO SOME REPUBLICAN POLITICIANS AND LAWMAKERS WHO THINK THAT BIG TECH COMPANIES ARE TREATING THEM UNFAIRLY WHEN IT COMES TO CENSORSHIP ON CERTAIN MEDIA PLATFORMS LIKE FACEBOOK OR TWITTER.

THE GOVERNOR HAS NOT BEEN SHY ABOUT SAYING THAT, BUT THIS PARTICULAR BILL LOOKS AT PROVIDING THOSE PROTECTIONS TO CONSUMERS WHILE NOT EXPLICITLY SAYING THESE BIG TECH COMPANIES LIKE FACEBOOK OR TWITTER THAT THEY ARE TARGETING THEM SPECIFICALLY.

WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS WITH THIS BILL AS IT MAKES ITS WAY THROUGH THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

BUT AS WE ALL KNOW, OUR DATA'S OUT THERE AND MORE AND MORE COMPANIES ARE COLLECTING IT.

THE POINT OF THIS IS TO PROVIDE SOME TRANSPARENCY ON THIS.

>>WELL, WE'LL ALL BE WATCHING IT CLOSELY.

NO DOUBT.

ALSO THIS WEEK, FLORIDA AGRICULTURE COMMISSIONER NIKKI FRIED, FLORIDA'S ONLY STATEWIDE ELECTED DEMOCRAT, PUT OUT THIS CAMPAIGN STYLE VIDEO ON TWITTER PAID FOR BY HER POLITICAL COMMITTEE.

LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT IT.

>>YOU WON'T HEAR THIS FROM GOVERNOR DESANTIS, BUT YOU NEED TO HEAR IT.

THIS PANDEMIC HAS BEEN PAINFUL.

WHILE HE LASHES OUT AT EVERYONE ELSE LIKE HE'S THE VICTIM, WE ALL KNOW WHO THE REAL VICTIMS ARE, EVERY FLORIDIAN WHO HAS LOST A LOVED ONE, LOST A JOB, LOST A WAY OF LIFE.

THIS HAS BEEN SO MUCH HARDER THAN IT HAD TO BE AND WE KNOW WHY, BLIND ALLEGIANCE TO AN INSURRECTIONIST.

>>EMILEE, NIKKI FRIED STOPPED SHORT THERE IN THIS VIDEO OF DECLARING HER CANDIDACY FOR GOVERNOR NEXT YEAR.

WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT HER AMBITIONS?

>>RIGHT.

WELL, LIKE YOU SAID, SHE DIDN'T QUITE ANNOUNCED SHE'S RUNNING FOR GOVERNOR, BUT SHE DIDN'T MINCE WORDS THERE EITHER.

SHE'S DEFINITELY BEEN VERY CRITICAL OF GOVERNOR DESANTIS THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC.

THAT KIND OF HAS HINDERED A LITTLE BIT OF THE RELATIONSHIP.

SHE'S THE ONLY DEMOCRATIC CABINET MEMBER AND TECHNICALLY THE HIGHEST RANKING DEMOCRAT IN THE STATE RIGHT NOW.

I THINK SHE'S DEFINITELY GOING TO USE THAT LEVERAGE AND WE'LL SEE IF SHE DOES RUN.

HER POSSIBLE INTEREST IN THE MARIJUANA INDUSTRY MIGHT HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH HER CAMPAIGN.

I KNOW WE'RE SEEING MORE AND MORE INTEREST AND SUPPORT FOR THAT AS WELL, SO THAT SHOULD BE INTERESTING IF SHE DOES RUN.

>>YEAH.

AND BE SURE TO JOIN THE CONVERSATION ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

WE'RE @WUCFTV ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER, AND INSTAGRAM.

WE ALWAYS LIKE TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS.

WELL, FINALLY, TONIGHT, THE SECOND IN OUR SERIES OF REPORTS ON THE CLASS OF COVID-19, A PROJECT OF FLORIDA PUBLIC MEDIA STATIONS, INCLUDING WUCF.

GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS AND EDUCATION COMMISSIONER RICHARD CORCORAN MADE NATIONAL HEADLINES AND ATTRACTED A LAWSUIT FROM FLORIDA'S LARGEST TEACHER'S UNION WHEN THEY MANDATED THAT SCHOOLS REOPEN LAST FALL.

DISTRICTS AT LEAST HAD TO GIVE THEIR PARENTS THE OPTION OF SENDING THEIR KIDS BACK TO SCHOOL IN PERSON.

BUT MORE THAN HALFWAY THROUGH THE SCHOOL YEAR, TENS OF THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS ARE STILL LEARNING FROM HOME.

AS AMY GREEN OF WMFE REPORTS, MANY OF THESE VIRTUAL LEARNERS ARE STUDENTS WHO FACE SOME OF THE GREATEST CHALLENGES TO SUCCESS ONLINE.

>>YOU NEED TO FIND A GOOD TIKTOK, BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT SO MANY TIKTOKS.

>>BATHSHEBA'S TWO SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN HAVE BEEN LEARNING FROM HOME SINCE LAST MARCH.

>>I'M TERRIFIED OF LOSING ONE OF MY KIDS DUE TO THE PANDEMIC, DUE TO CORONAVIRUS.

>>GABRIELLE IS IN SEVENTH GRADE AT AN ORLANDO MIDDLE SCHOOL.

WE'RE ONLY USING HER FIRST NAME AND BATHSHEBA'S THOSE TO PROTECT THEIR PRIVACY.

GABRIELLE SAYS NAVIGATING BETWEEN THE DIFFERENT ONLINE LEARNING PLATFORMS IS CONFUSING.

SHE SAYS, EVEN ASKING A QUESTION IS HARD.

I HAVE TO TURN ON MY MIC OR TYPE IT IN THE CHAT.

AND THEY'RE USUALLY SCREEN-SHARING AND THEY'RE NOT ON THE PAGE.

>>GABRIELLE STRUGGLES WITH ONLINE LEARNING HAVE BEEN COMPOUNDED BY A TURBULENT HOME LIFE.

THE FAMILY IS FACING THE THREAT OF EVICTION AND GABRIELLE AND HER OLDER SISTER HAVE BEEN SPLITTING THEIR TIME BETWEEN THEIR MOTHER'S PLACE AND GRANDMOTHER'S.

BATHSHEBA SAYS SHE FEELS UNABLE TO HELP HER DAUGHTER CATCH UP.

>>I DON'T KNOW NOTHING ABOUT NO FRACTIONS.

>>NEITHER DO I, BUT I STILL HAVE TO DO THEM.

>>AND INTEGERS?

WHAT?

>>GABRIELLE'S ATTENDANCE AND GRADES HAVE SUFFERED SO MUCH THAT HER FAMILY AND TEACHER AGREE IT'S TIME FOR HER TO GO BACK TO CAMPUS.

>>YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE THE CATCH UP.

YOU HAVE TO WORK HARDER NOW TO CATCH UP, BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT YOU'VE FALLEN SO FAR BEHIND.

>>GABRIELLE JOINS 18,000 OTHER ORANGE COUNTY STUDENTS WHO'VE SWITCHED FROM ONLINE TO FACE-TO-FACE LEARNING THIS SEMESTER.

IT'S A SIMILAR STORY IN NEIGHBORING OSCEOLA COUNTY, A RICHLY DIVERSE DISTRICT WITH A LARGE PUERTO RICAN POPULATION.

STAGGERING THEME PARK LAYOFFS HAVE PUSHED THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE THERE TO NEAR 9%, THE HIGHEST IN THE STATE.

WHILE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS HAVE RETURNED TO FACE-TO-FACE LEARNING IN OSCEOLA, MORE THAN A THIRD ARE STILL GOING TO SCHOOL ONLINE.

>>THE LEARNING LOSS KEEPS ME UP AT NIGHT.

I'M NOT GOING TO LIE.

>>OSCEOLA SCHOOL DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT DEBRA PACE SAYS PARENTS IN HER DISTRICT WHO LACK HEALTH INSURANCE OR LIVE IN MULTIGENERATIONAL HOMES OFTEN KEEP THEIR CHILDREN IN REMOTE LEARNING.

THEY WORRY THE KIDS COULD BRING COVID-19 HOME FROM SCHOOL.

BLACK AND LATINO PEOPLE HAVE BEEN HIT HARDER BY THE PANDEMIC.

SYSTEMIC RACISM AND INEQUITIES IN HEALTHCARE HAVE MEANT PEOPLE OF COLOR ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE HOSPITALIZED AND DIE OF COVID-19.

>>MANY STUDENTS WHO ARE LEARNING FROM HOME ARE THOSE WHO NEED THE MOST SUPPORT, SUCH AS CHILDREN FOR WHOM ENGLISH IS NOT SPOKEN AT HOME OR IS A SECOND LANGUAGE AND SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS.

>>THE SLIDE IS REAL FOR OUR BLACK CHILDREN, FOR OUR HISPANIC CHILDREN, FOR OUR ELL AND ESE STUDENTS.

>>THAT'S BACKED UP BY RESEARCH FROM CONSULTING FIRM MCKINSEY.

A RECENT NATIONAL SURVEY FOUND STUDENTS OF COLOR WERE MORE LIKELY TO BE LEARNING REMOTELY AND TO BE FALLING FURTHER BEHIND.

PART OF THE PROBLEM IS THAT KIDS WHO ARE LEARNING FROM HOME ARE ABSENT MORE.

>>WE'LL HAVE A CHILD SAY, "WELL, I'M GOING TO HAVE TO SIGN OFF NOW MISS, BECAUSE IT'S TIME FOR US TO GO TO THE GROCERY STORE, OR I HAVE TO SIGN OFF NOW, MISS, BECAUSE I'M HELPING MY YOUNGER SIBLING WITH HIS MATH WORK."

I DON'T THINK WE KNOW YET THE LONG-TERM IMPACT OF THIS ON OUR CHILDREN, BUT WE DO KNOW THAT WE CAN'T AFFORD TO LOSE A GENERATION.

>>PACE SAYS THE PANDEMIC IS NOT ONLY LAYING BARE PREEXISTING LEARNING DISPARITIES, IT'S EXACERBATING THEM, POTENTIALLY SETTING UP SOME OF THE MOST VULNERABLE CHILDREN FOR EVEN MORE CHALLENGES IN THE FUTURE.

I'M AMY GREEN IN ORLANDO.

>>WELL, TO DISCUSS THIS IMPORTANT ISSUE, I SAT DOWN WITH AMY GREEN TO TALK ABOUT HER REPORTING.

>>FAMILIES ARE AFRAID.

PARENTS ARE AFRAID.

AND ESPECIALLY FAMILIES OF COLOR AND LOW INCOME FAMILIES HAVE BEEN HIT HARDER BY THE PANDEMIC.

WE SEE THAT PEOPLE OF COLOR ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE HOSPITALIZED AND DIE OF COVID-19.

MANY OF THESE FAMILIES PERSONALLY KNOW SOMEONE WHO HAS FALLEN SERIOUSLY ILL OR PERHAPS DIED.

AND THESE ARE FAMILIES WHO FACE VERY OBVIOUS CHALLENGES TO SUCCESS ONLINE, AS YOU HEARD IN THE PIECE, THINGS LIKE ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGY.

YOU MIGHT HAVE MULTIPLE CHILDREN IN A HOUSEHOLD WITH ONE DEVICE OR NO DEVICE.

FAMILIES WHO LIVE IN RURAL AREAS MIGHT HAVE A DIFFICULT TIME ACCESSING A WIFI CONNECTION OR A CABLE INTERNET CONNECTION.

WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN THIS PANDEMIC IS A WIDENING OF THOSE LEARNING DISPARITIES.

>>AND OF COURSE, OUR REGION IS A MICROCOSM OF THOSE ISSUES THAT ARE PLAYING OUT AROUND THE NATION AND AROUND THE STATE IN THAT WE HAVE SO MANY OF THE DEMOGRAPHICS THAT ARE SO IMPACTED PARTICULARLY WITH THE KIND OF ECONOMY THAT WE HAVE.

>>THAT'S RIGHT.

I DID A CHECK OF THE NUMBERS IN SOME OF THE COUNTIES HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA, AND CERTAINLY YOU SEE THAT TREND PLAYING OUT IN CENTRAL FLORIDA.

ORANGE COUNTY, A VERY RICHLY DIVERSE DISTRICT, HAVING A GREATER NUMBER OF FAMILIES CHOOSING VIRTUAL OPTIONS THAN A DISTRICT LIKE LAKE COUNTY, WHICH IS LESS DIVERSE AND MORE FAMILIES ARE SENDING CHILDREN BACK TO CAMPUS.

>>LET'S DELVE A LITTLE MORE INTO SOME OF THOSE TECHNOLOGY ISSUES.

OBVIOUSLY THERE'S THE ISSUE OF ACCESS, BUT THERE'S ALSO THE ISSUE OF THIS BEING SOMETHING THAT WE HAVEN'T REALLY DONE ON A SCALE BEFORE AND THE TECHNOLOGIES ARE REALLY STRUGGLING TO KEEP UP.

WHAT DID YOU FIND IN YOUR REPORTING ON THAT?

>>WELL, THAT'S TRUE.

TEACHERS HAVE TWO OPTIONS FOR CONDUCTING CLASSES IN A VIRTUAL SETTING, AND THEY USE TWO DIFFERENT KINDS OF ZOOM STYLE MEETING APPS.

ONE IS MICROSOFT TEAMS, WHICH MANY ADULTS ARE FAMILIAR WITH.

THE OTHER IS CALLED BIGBLUEBUTTON.

CHILDREN ARE NAVIGATING BETWEEN THE TWO PLATFORMS.

ONE PLATFORM MIGHT WORK WELL ON THE TABLET THAT THE COUNTY IS PROVIDING TO THE STUDENT OR THE DEVICE THAT THE COUNTY HAS PROVIDED TO THE STUDENT.

THE OTHER APP MIGHT WORK BETTER ON A LAPTOP.

SO NOT ONLY ARE WE NAVIGATING BETWEEN TWO DIFFERENT APPS, WE'RE NAVIGATING BETWEEN TWO DIFFERENT DEVICES.

AND IN FAMILIES THAT MAY NOT HAVE AN EXTRA DEVICE AT HOME, FAMILIES THAT MIGHT HAVE MULTIPLE CHILDREN SHARING ONE DEVICE, IT'S EXTRAORDINARILY CONFUSING FOR AN ADULT, MUCH LESS A CHILD LIKE GABRIELLE, WHO HAS ALL OF THESE OTHER THINGS GOING ON.

>>I WONDER HOW EDUCATORS AND HOW SCHOOL DISTRICTS FROM YOUR RESEARCH ARE SORT OF ADDRESSING THIS.

IS THERE A FEAR THAT YOU COULD HAVE AN ENTIRE YEAR OR MAYBE TWO YEARS OF STUDENTS WHO REALLY FALL BEHIND?

THEY'RE ACADEMICALLY DELAYED.

>>WHEN YOU AND I SPOKE WITH THE OSCEOLA COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT, SHE TOLD US ABOUT HOW THAT VERY ISSUE IS KEEPING HER AWAKE AT NIGHT.

THIS FEAR THAT WE COULD LOSE A GENERATION OF OUR MOST VULNERABLE CHILDREN, SETTING THEM UP FOR CONTINUED CHALLENGES INTO THE FUTURE THROUGH THESE DEFICIENCIES IN THEIR EDUCATION TODAY.

WE SAW A BIG CHANGE IN THE UPDATED EMERGENCY ORDER THAT THE DESANTIS ADMINISTRATION RELEASED IN NOVEMBER THAT CONTINUED THESE INNOVATIVE VIRTUAL OPTIONS THROUGH THE SPRING SEMESTER.

>>AND THE BIG CHANGE WAS THAT IT MADE WAY FOR SCHOOL OFFICIALS TO INTERVENE IN SITUATIONS WHERE THE STUDENT IS FALLING SERIOUSLY BEHIND, THE STUDENT IS SERIOUSLY DELINQUENT IN EDUCATION.

THE ORDER LEAVES THE FINAL DECISION ON THE CHILD'S EDUCATION TO THE FAMILIES ON WHETHER THE CHILD WILL GO BACK TO SCHOOL OR REMAIN AT HOME DOING VIRTUAL EDUCATION, BUT MAKES WAY FOR THOSE SCHOOL OFFICIALS TO REACH OUT TO THAT CHILD WHO NEEDS HELP.

>>AND IT ALSO BECOMES HARD, DOESN'T IT, FOR PARENTS JUST LOGISTICALLY TO KEEP THEIR CHILDREN AT HOME, CORRECT?

I MEAN, BATHSHEBA IS A WORKING MOTHER.

IT'S HARD FOR HER TO SORT OF JUGGLE THOSE TWO ROLES IN LIFE.

AND I GUESS THAT'S SORT OF SOMETHING WHICH HAS BEEN MIRRORED IN FAMILIES THROUGHOUT CENTRAL FLORIDA.

>>OH, ABSOLUTELY.

YOU HEARD THE OSCEOLA COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT IN THE PIECE TALK ABOUT HOW ONE REASON ATTENDANCE IS A CHALLENGE WITH THESE VIRTUAL LEARNERS IS BECAUSE A CHILD MIGHT NEED TO STEP AWAY FROM CLASS AND HELP A SIBLING WITH SCHOOLWORK OR STEP AWAY FROM CLASS AND RUN AN ERRAND WITH MOM.

THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH FAMILIES WHO WANT TO KEEP THEIR CHILDREN SAFE AND KEEP THEIR CHILDREN AT HOME AND ENROLL IN THESE VIRTUAL OPTIONS.

I'M DOING THAT WITH MY CHILD.

THE PROBLEM IS VIRTUAL EDUCATION OBVIOUSLY CANNOT REPLACE IN-PERSON INSTRUCTION, AND THE PROBLEM ARISES WHEN CHILDREN LIKE GABRIELLE NEED JUST A LITTLE EXTRA ATTENTION.

THEY NEED JUST A LITTLE EXTRA HELP OR JUST A LITTLE EXTRA SUPPORT, AND IT'S VERY HARD TO DO THAT IN A VIRTUAL WORLD.

>>AND YOU CAN SEE MORE OF MY INTERVIEW WITH AMY GREEN FROM WMFE ON OUR WEBSITE.

AND BE SURE TO TUNE IN FOR AN HOUR LONG SPECIAL PROGRAM ON THE CHALLENGES FACING FLORIDA'S CHILDREN DURING THE PANDEMIC, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23RD AT 5:00 PM HERE ON WUCF AND ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21ST AT 6:00 AM ON WUCF FM.

YOU CAN FIND MORE CLASSOFCOVID.ORG.

NANCY.

>>THAT IS ALL THE TIME WE HAVE FOR THIS WEEK.

MY THANKS TO OUR GUESTS, EMILEE SPECK FROM WKMG AND THE HOST OF THE SPACE CURIOUS PODCAST AND BRENDAN BYRNE OF 90.7 WMFE AND THE ARE WE THERE YET?

PODCAST.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT FRIDAY NIGHT AT 8:30 RIGHT HERE ON WUCF.

FROM ALL OF US HERE AT NEWSNIGHT, HAVE A GOOD AND SAFE WEEKEND.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.