Page 6 The Skanner June 7, 2017 News The Trump Administration Takes on Obama’s Education Law P resident Donald Trump and Educa- tion Secretary Bet- sy DeVos continue to make misleading state- ments about Common Core State Standards, muddying the waters for school districts working to implement the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). President Barack Obama signed ESSA into law on December 10, 2015, reauthorizing the landmark Elementary and Secondary Educa- tion Act (ESEA). Accord- ing to the U.S. Depart- ment of Education, ESSA includes provisions de- signed to advance equity in education by uphold- ing critical protections for America's disadvan- taged and high-need stu- dents; requires that all students in America be to high academic stan- dards that will prepare them to succeed in col- lege and careers; helps to support and grow local innovations—in- cluding evidence-based GAGE SKIDMORE/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS By Freddie Allen (NNPA Newswire Managing Ed.) Education Secretary Betsy DeVos said that ESSA does away with the notion of Common Core. That’s not true. In this photo, DeVos speaks at the 2017 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in National Harbor, Maryland. and place-based inter- ventions developed by local leaders and educa- tors; ensures that vital information is provided to educators, families, students, and commu- nities through annual statewide assessments that measure students' progress toward those high standards; and sus- tains and expands this administration's historic investments in increas- ing access to high-quality preschool. The law does not, how- ever, eliminate CCSS. The Los Angeles Times reported, that President Trump said that he want- ed to get rid of Common Core, during a recent town hall with business leaders. “Common Core to me, we have to end it," said Trump. "We have to bring education local." Last year, as the Re- publican presidential nominee, the reality TV star even proposed get- ting rid of the Education Department altogether, according to Breitbart. com. During an inter- view with Sean Hannity on Fox News, Trump said that the Department of Education “can be large- ly eliminated.” Education Week re- ported that DeVos told a Michigan radio host that ESSA “effectively does away ‘with the notion of the Common Core.’” She later went on Fox News and made the same false claim. Read the rest of this story at TheSkanner.com The Traveler’s Dilemma: Traveling Without Your Pet By Jasmine Streeter, DVM Special to The Skanner News L et’s talk travel! It’s been 12 hours since I returned from Cuba. I spent five nights and six days vis- iting the beautiful cities of Hava- na, Trinidad and Veradero. The peo- ple were welcoming and treated us like family. I was surprised by Cuba’s diversity and many shades of mela- nin. We all looked alike until we be- gan speaking our respective languag- es. It is truly an amazing place that I highly recommend visiting. Traveling with your pet can be fun, but there are times when you are itch- ing to beat the heat at a human-only resort or unable to bring your pet. With so many options — including drop-in pet-sitters, dog walkers and extended-stay boarding — there is no shortage of people to watch your little fur balls. Preparing not only for your trip but also your pet’s change of routine will be more enjoyable and lead to less hic- cups on your road or flight to bliss. Start early booking a boarding visit for your pet. Reservations fill quickly, especially during summer and major holidays. If you are hiring a sitter, book and confirm your dates three to four weeks in advance. This will give you time to read reviews of potential sitters and give them the chance to visit your animal and become accli- mated. No one wants to meet a pet for the first time on the day they are to be- gin sitting without the owner present. It will be stressful to the pet and also the sitter. Keep it simple. Have everything or- ganized and labeled before you leave. Label and place food in a visible area so no one has to search for your pet’s food. Write out the quantity your pet should receive and leave the measur- ing device near or in the food bin so it Dr. Jasmine Streeter, Veternarian, with Sheba is easily accessible. Leave medication on a kitchen counter in plain view with a label or sheet of paper near- by explaining how, when and what amount of pills, drops or ointment to give. I always physically show the caregivers how I apply the medica- tion and allow them to try so that I can answer any questions they have while I’m present. Never trust them to fig- ure it out on their own; it is far better to be overprepared than underpre- pared. Prepare for the worst. Nine out of 10 times your pet will be fine while you are away, but you need to make sure your caregiver is ready for emergen- cies. Leave your contact information, emergency contact information (such as friends or neighbors) and contact information for a veterinary clinic or hospital, as well as a mini-first aid kit (including tweezers, triple antibiot- ic ointment, gauze, antiseptic wipes, etc.) nearby. Agree and write out a monetary amount you are willing to spend on your pet if they become ill. It will save you time, money, surpris- es and a headache when you return if this is spelled out before the trip. With the summer upon us, I know there are many excursions that await. Wishing you and your pet a wonder- ful vacation season. Happy travels! Send your pet questions to drjas- mine@theskanner.com.