Latest news with #Mennonite
Time of India
7 hours ago
- Health
- Time of India
Michigan announces second measles outbreak as US hits 1,227 cases
Michigan has its second measles outbreak of the year, Utah has seven cases and health workers in New Mexico are rushing to contain an outbreak in a county jail. But for the first time in months, Texas confirmed no additional measles cases this week tied to a major outbreak that raged through the late winter and spring. There have been 1,227 confirmed measles cases this year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday. There are three other major outbreaks in North America. The longest, in Ontario, Canada, has resulted in 2,212 cases from mid-October through June 24. The province logged its first death June 5 in a baby who got congenital measles but also had other preexisting conditions. Another outbreak in Alberta, Canada, has sickened 1,122 as of Friday. And the Mexican state of Chihuahua had 2,485 measles cases and eight deaths as of Thursday, according to data from the state health ministry. Other U.S. states with active outbreaks - which the CDC defines as three or more related cases - include Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Montana, North Dakota and Oklahoma. In the U.S., two elementary school-aged children in the epicenter in West Texas and an adult in New Mexico have died of measles this year. All were unvaccinated. Measles is caused by a highly contagious virus that's airborne and spreads easily when an infected person breathes, sneezes or coughs. It is preventable through vaccines and has been considered eliminated from the U.S. since 2000. How many measles cases are there in Texas? Texas held steady Tuesday with 750 outbreak-related cases across 35 counties, most of them in West Texas, state data shows. Throughout the outbreak, 97 people have been hospitalized. State health officials estimated less than 1% of cases - fewer than 10 - were actively infectious as of Tuesday. Fifty-five percent of Texas' cases are in Gaines County, where the virus started spreading in a close-knit, undervaccinated Mennonite community. The county has had 413 cases since late January - just under 2% of its residents. The state also noted in its Tuesday update that there are 34 cases across 18 counties that don't have a clear link to the outbreak now, but may end up added to it after further investigation. The April 3 death in Texas was an 8-year-old child, according to Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Local health officials said the child did not have underlying health conditions and died of "what the child's doctor described as measles pulmonary failure." A unvaccinated child with no underlying conditions died of measles in Texas in late February; Kennedy said the child was 6. How many measles cases are there in New Mexico? New Mexico had 86 measles cases Friday. Five new cases were confirmed this week in a jail in Luna County, which prompted health officials to urge locals to get vaccinated and halted in-person visits. Seven people have been hospitalized since the outbreak started. Most of the state's cases are in Lea County. Sandoval County near Albuquerque has six cases, Eddy County has three, Doña Ana County has two. Chaves, Curry and San Juan counties have one each. An unvaccinated adult died of measles-related illness March 6. The person did not seek medical care. How many cases are there in Oklahoma? Oklahoma held steady Friday for a total of 17 confirmed and three probable cases. The state health department is not releasing which counties have cases. How many cases are there in Arizona? Arizona has four cases in Navajo County. They are linked to a single source, the county health department said June 9. All four were unvaccinated and had a history of recent international travel. How many cases are there in Colorado? Colorado has seen a total of 16 measles cases in 2025, which includes one outbreak of 10 related cases. The outbreak is linked to a Turkish Airlines flight that landed at Denver International Airport in mid-May. Four of the people were on the flight with the first person diagnosed - an out-of-state traveler not included in the state count - while five got measles from exposure in the airport and one elsewhere. Health officials are also tracking an unrelated case in a Boulder County resident. The person was fully vaccinated but had "recently traveled to Europe, where there are a large number of measles cases," the state health department said. Other counties that have seen measles this year include Archuleta and Pueblo. How many cases are there in Georgia? Georgia has an outbreak of three cases in metro Atlanta, with the most recent infection confirmed June 18. The state has confirmed six total cases in 2025. The remaining three are part of an unrelated outbreak from January. How many cases are there in Illinois? Illinois health officials confirmed a four-case outbreak on May 5 in the far southern part of the state. It grew to eight cases as of June 6, but no new cases were reported in the following weeks, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health. The state's other two cases so far this year were in Cook County, and are unrelated to the southern Illinois outbreak. How many cases are there in Iowa? Iowa has had six total measles cases in 2025. Four are part of an outbreak in eastern Johnson County, among members of the same household. County health officials said the people are isolating at home, so they don't expect additional spread. How many cases are there in Kansas? Kansas added one more case this week for a total of 80 across 11 counties in the southwestern part of the state, with three hospitalizations. All but three of the cases are connected, and most are in Gray County. How many cases are there in Michigan? Health officials in Grand Traverse County in northern Michigan confirmed an outbreak of three cases Tuesday. The state declared an earlier outbreak of four cases in Montcalm County, near Grand Rapids in western Michigan, over June 2. The state has had 16 cases total in 2025. How many cases are there in Montana? Montana had 23 measles cases as of Friday, an increase of one this week. Fifteen were in Gallatin County, which is where the first cases showed up - Montana's first in 35 years. Flathead and Yellowstone counties had two cases each, and Hill County had four cases. There are outbreaks in neighboring North Dakota and the Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columbia and Saskatchewan. How many cases are there in North Dakota? North Dakota, which hadn't seen measles since 2011, was up to 34 cases as of June 6, but has held steady since. Two of the people have been hospitalized. All of the people with confirmed cases were not vaccinated. There were 16 cases in Williams County in western North Dakota on the Montana border. On the eastern side of the state, there were 10 cases in Grand Forks County and seven cases in Cass County. Burke County, in northwest North Dakota on the border of Saskatchewan, Canada, had one case. How many cases are there in Utah? Utah had seven total measles cases as of Friday. At least three of the cases are linked, according to the state health department. State epidemiologist Dr. Leisha Nolen said she is aware of at least three different measles clusters in the state. She expects to see more cases because there are other unvaccinated people who were exposed. At least two of the people infected had to be hospitalized. Two are pregnant. Where else is measles showing up in the U.S.? Measles cases also have been reported this year in Alaska, Arkansas, California, District of Columbia, Florida, Hawaii, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, Virginia and Washington. Health officials declared earlier outbreaks in Indiana, Ohio and Pennsylvania over after six weeks of no new cases. Tennessee's outbreak also appears to be over. Cases and outbreaks in the U.S. are frequently traced to someone who caught the disease abroad. The CDC said in May that more than twice as many measles have come from outside of the U.S. compared to May of last year. Most of those are in unvaccinated Americans returning home. In 2019, the U.S. saw 1,274 cases and almost lost its status of having eliminated measles. What do you need to know about the MMR vaccine? The best way to avoid measles is to get the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine. The first shot is recommended for children between 12 and 15 months old and the second between 4 and 6 years old. Getting another MMR shot as an adult is harmless if there are concerns about waning immunity, the CDC says. People who have documentation of receiving a live measles vaccine in the 1960s don't need to be revaccinated, but people who were immunized before 1968 with an ineffective vaccine made from "killed" virus should be revaccinated with at least one dose, the agency said. People who have documentation that they had measles are immune and those born before 1957 generally don't need the shots because so many children got measles back then that they have "presumptive immunity." Measles has a harder time spreading through communities with high vaccination rates - above 95% - due to "herd immunity." But childhood vaccination rates have declined nationwide since the pandemic and more parents are claiming religious or personal conscience waivers to exempt their kids from required shots. What are the symptoms of measles? Measles first infects the respiratory tract, then spreads throughout the body, causing a high fever, runny nose, cough, red, watery eyes and a rash. The rash generally appears three to five days after the first symptoms, beginning as flat red spots on the face and then spreading downward to the neck, trunk, arms, legs and feet. When the rash appears, the fever may spike over 104 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the CDC. Most kids will recover from measles, but infection can lead to dangerous complications such as pneumonia, blindness, brain swelling and death. How can you treat measles? There's no specific treatment for measles, so doctors generally try to alleviate symptoms, prevent complications and keep patients comfortable.
Hindustan Times
15 hours ago
- Health
- Hindustan Times
Michigan announces second measles as US hits 1,227 cases
Michigan has its second measles outbreak of the year, Utah has seven cases and health workers in New Mexico are rushing to contain an outbreak in a county jail. Measles It is preventable through vaccines and has been considered eliminated from the US since 2000.(Representational/AFP) But for the first time in months, Texas confirmed no additional measles cases this week tied to a major outbreak that raged through the late winter and spring. There have been 1,227 confirmed measles cases this year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday. There are three other major outbreaks in North America. The longest, in Ontario, Canada, has resulted in 2,212 cases from mid-October through June 24. The province logged its first death June 5 in a baby who got congenital measles but also had other preexisting conditions. Another outbreak in Alberta, Canada, has sickened 1,122 as of Friday. And the Mexican state of Chihuahua had 2,485 measles cases and eight deaths as of Thursday, according to data from the state health ministry. Other U.S. states with active outbreaks — which the CDC defines as three or more related cases — include Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Montana, North Dakota and Oklahoma. In the U.S., two elementary school-aged children in the epicenter in West Texas and an adult in New Mexico have died of measles this year. All were unvaccinated. Measles is caused by a highly contagious virus that's airborne and spreads easily when an infected person breathes, sneezes or coughs. It is preventable through vaccines and has been considered eliminated from the U.S. since 2000. How many measles cases are there in Texas? Texas held steady Tuesday with 750 outbreak-related cases across 35 counties, most of them in West Texas, state data shows. Throughout the outbreak, 97 people have been hospitalized. State health officials estimated less than 1% of cases — fewer than 10 — were actively infectious as of Tuesday. Fifty-five percent of Texas' cases are in Gaines County, where the virus started spreading in a close-knit, undervaccinated Mennonite community. The county has had 413 cases since late January — just under 2% of its residents. The state also noted in its Tuesday update that there are 34 cases across 18 counties that don't have a clear link to the outbreak now, but may end up added to it after further investigation. The April 3 death in Texas was an 8-year-old child, according to Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Local health officials said the child did not have underlying health conditions and died of 'what the child's doctor described as measles pulmonary failure.' A unvaccinated child with no underlying conditions died of measles in Texas in late February; Kennedy said the child was 6. How many measles cases are there in New Mexico? New Mexico had 86 measles cases Friday. Five new cases were confirmed this week in a jail in Luna County, which prompted health officials to urge locals to get vaccinated and halted in-person visits. Seven people have been hospitalized since the outbreak started. Most of the state's cases are in Lea County. Sandoval County near Albuquerque has six cases, Eddy County has three, Doña Ana County has two. Chaves, Curry and San Juan counties have one each. An unvaccinated adult died of measles-related illness March 6. The person did not seek medical care. How many cases are there in Oklahoma? Oklahoma held steady Friday for a total of 17 confirmed and three probable cases. The state health department is not releasing which counties have cases. How many cases are there in Arizona? Arizona has four cases in Navajo County. They are linked to a single source, the county health department said June 9. All four were unvaccinated and had a history of recent international travel. How many cases are there in Colorado? Colorado has seen a total of 16 measles cases in 2025, which includes one outbreak of 10 related cases. The outbreak is linked to a Turkish Airlines flight that landed at Denver International Airport in mid-May. Four of the people were on the flight with the first person diagnosed — an out-of-state traveler not included in the state count — while five got measles from exposure in the airport and one elsewhere. Health officials are also tracking an unrelated case in a Boulder County resident. The person was fully vaccinated but had "recently traveled to Europe, where there are a large number of measles cases,' the state health department said. Other counties that have seen measles this year include Archuleta and Pueblo. How many cases are there in Georgia? Georgia has an outbreak of three cases in metro Atlanta, with the most recent infection confirmed June 18. The state has confirmed six total cases in 2025. The remaining three are part of an unrelated outbreak from January. How many cases are there in Illinois? Illinois health officials confirmed a four-case outbreak on May 5 in the far southern part of the state. It grew to eight cases as of June 6, but no new cases were reported in the following weeks, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health. The state's other two cases so far this year were in Cook County, and are unrelated to the southern Illinois outbreak. How many cases are there in Iowa? Iowa has had six total measles cases in 2025. Four are part of an outbreak in eastern Johnson County, among members of the same household. County health officials said the people are isolating at home, so they don't expect additional spread. How many cases are there in Kansas? Kansas added one more case this week for a total of 80 across 11 counties in the southwestern part of the state, with three hospitalizations. All but three of the cases are connected, and most are in Gray County. How many cases are there in Michigan? Health officials in Grand Traverse County in northern Michigan confirmed an outbreak of three cases Tuesday. The state declared an earlier outbreak of four cases in Montcalm County, near Grand Rapids in western Michigan, over June 2. The state has had 16 cases total in 2025. How many cases are there in Montana? Montana had 23 measles cases as of Friday, an increase of one this week. Fifteen were in Gallatin County, which is where the first cases showed up — Montana's first in 35 years. Flathead and Yellowstone counties had two cases each, and Hill County had four cases. There are outbreaks in neighboring North Dakota and the Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columbia and Saskatchewan. How many cases are there in North Dakota? North Dakota, which hadn't seen measles since 2011, was up to 34 cases as of June 6, but has held steady since. Two of the people have been hospitalized. All of the people with confirmed cases were not vaccinated. There were 16 cases in Williams County in western North Dakota on the Montana border. On the eastern side of the state, there were 10 cases in Grand Forks County and seven cases in Cass County. Burke County, in northwest North Dakota on the border of Saskatchewan, Canada, had one case. How many cases are there in Utah? Utah had seven total measles cases as of Friday. At least three of the cases are linked, according to the state health department. State epidemiologist Dr. Leisha Nolen said she is aware of at least three different measles clusters in the state. She expects to see more cases because there are other unvaccinated people who were exposed. At least two of the people infected had to be hospitalized. Two are pregnant. Where else is measles showing up in the U.S.? Measles cases also have been reported this year in Alaska, Arkansas, California, District of Columbia, Florida, Hawaii, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, Virginia and Washington. Health officials declared earlier outbreaks in Indiana, Ohio and Pennsylvania over after six weeks of no new cases. Tennessee's outbreak also appears to be over. Cases and outbreaks in the U.S. are frequently traced to someone who caught the disease abroad. The CDC said in May that more than twice as many measles have come from outside of the U.S. compared to May of last year. Most of those are in unvaccinated Americans returning home. In 2019, the U.S. saw 1,274 cases and almost lost its status of having eliminated measles. What do you need to know about the MMR vaccine? The best way to avoid measles is to get the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine. The first shot is recommended for children between 12 and 15 months old and the second between 4 and 6 years old. Getting another MMR shot as an adult is harmless if there are concerns about waning immunity, the CDC says. People who have documentation of receiving a live measles vaccine in the 1960s don't need to be revaccinated, but people who were immunized before 1968 with an ineffective vaccine made from 'killed' virus should be revaccinated with at least one dose, the agency said. People who have documentation that they had measles are immune and those born before 1957 generally don't need the shots because so many children got measles back then that they have 'presumptive immunity." Measles has a harder time spreading through communities with high vaccination rates — above 95% — due to 'herd immunity.' But childhood vaccination rates have declined nationwide since the pandemic and more parents are claiming religious or personal conscience waivers to exempt their kids from required shots. What are the symptoms of measles? Measles first infects the respiratory tract, then spreads throughout the body, causing a high fever, runny nose, cough, red, watery eyes and a rash. The rash generally appears three to five days after the first symptoms, beginning as flat red spots on the face and then spreading downward to the neck, trunk, arms, legs and feet. When the rash appears, the fever may spike over 104 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the CDC. Most kids will recover from measles, but infection can lead to dangerous complications such as pneumonia, blindness, brain swelling and death. How can you treat measles? There's no specific treatment for measles, so doctors generally try to alleviate symptoms, prevent complications and keep patients comfortable.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Hospitals on high alert for world's most contagious disease after young child is infected
Multiple hospitals in North Carolina are on high alert this week after confirming the state's first measles case in a popular college town. Doctors and health officials are on the lookout for people exhibiting signs of the infection, including a red, splotchy rash, fever, cough, runny nose, and sore throat. The child visited several public places after being infected, putting a concerning number of people at risk, as measles has an infection rate of 12-18, meaning one infected person can spread it to 12 to 18 other people. It is so contagious that if someone has it, it can spread to 90 percent of people who aren't immune, such as those not vaccinated. Measles vaccination rates in the US are high, with about 91 percent of children receiving the MMR vaccine by age two. To stop the virus from spreading, however, coverage needs to be at least 95 percent for herd immunity. But in many pockets of the US, parents are increasingly choosing to forego vaccination for their children, often citing debunked claims about injuries and a retracted paper linking the shots to autism. The current outbreak, which has sickened 1,200 people, killed three, and spread to all but 13 states, has its epicenter among Mennonite communities in West Texas, where vaccination rates hover around 46 percent. North Carolina hospitals are just the most recent to be placed on high alert after reported measles exposures and infections and staff are bracing for more cases. 'This was inevitable. We knew that eventually we would get a case here as well,' Dr David Wohl at UNC Health said. 'Measles is an incredibly infectious virus. It can linger in the air; it can linger on surfaces. People born before 1957, we basically assume you are immune because it was so widespread and it is so catchy, that it's almost impossible that you weren't exposed before the vaccines became available.' The child visited Piedmont Triad International Airport, the Greensboro Science Center, the Greensboro Aquatic Center, and ParTee Shack, as well as several spots in Kernersville, including a Sleep Inn and Lowe's grocery store, all in Guilford and Forsyth counties. Joshua Swift, Forsyth County public health director, told the Raleigh News & Observer: 'The patient has been treated and released, and is isolating and recovering.' The child will no longer be considered infectious by Thursday. North Carolina does not see many measles cases, with just one in 2024 and three in 2018. However, Dr Michael Smith, a pediatric infectious disease physician at Duke Health, is concerned about low vaccination rates among children. 'Until this year where we've had a lot of measles, as a parent you could say, 'Well measles is not really common in the United States so I'm not going to worry about it,'' he said. 'That story is not true. 'The MMR vaccine does not cause autism. Don't take it from me as a doctor – I'm a dad and both my kids are vaccinated. This is a safe and effective vaccine.' Despite cases of measles reaching peaks not seen since 2019, the CDC's newly formed committee for vaccine recommendations announced that the outbreak has stalled. Demetre Daskalakis, director of the CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, said: 'There's some really good indicators that we have hit a plateau, the cases are definitely decreasing. 'As we are seeing fewer cases in the southwest, we continue to see global introductions come into the US, which thankfully to date have mainly been short, terminal trains of transmissions as opposed to more sustained transmissions we saw in the southwest.' Overall, the risk to the US population is low, according to the CDC's committee, though state health agencies will continue to closely monitor transmissions and communities at higher risk. Yet Dr Wohl told WRAL News that the hospital staff have been working hard for months to prepare for an outbreak of measles or multiple outbreaks at once. Weekly case rates are on the decline, reaching a high the last week of March, with 116 new cases, before falling to 24 cases the week of May 11. They shot up again to 52 cases the week of May 18. The week ending June 15 saw nine new cases confirmed, marking the lowest count since the outbreak began in mid-January. Yet several other states – Washington, Michigan, Utah, and Virginia, among others – have also been placed on high alert after public health officials identified new cases, in some instances, for the first time in decades. In Virginia, staff have identified two exposures to measles within a one-week period at Dulles International Airport. One infected person, who had visited multiple businesses, came from North Carolina, while the second was an international traveler. In Michigan, the Grand Traverse County Health Department confirmed a third case of measles and has officially put the public on notice. Dr Joe Santangelo, Munson Healthcare's Chief Medical, Quality and Safety Officer, warned: 'Measles is one of the most contagious viruses known to man. 'With something like measles, we want to be very proactive in notifying the community if they may have been exposed to measles just because of how contagious this virus can be. 'We do believe it to be isolated to a bit of a population and we did share some exposure sites late last week and we're going to continue to monitor that.' Child vaccination rates in the US have been declining since the Covid pandemic and have not yet returned to pre-pandemic levels. State immunization programs reported pandemic-related disruptions in the 2021-22 school year. Studies indicate between 26 percent and 41 percent of households had at least one child miss or delay a well visit during the pandemic. The rate of vaccine exemptions among kindergartners — covering both medical and nonmedical reasons — held steady during the pandemic. However, in the 2022–23 school year, exemption rates increased in 41 states, raising the national rate from 2.6 percent to 3 percent, the highest ever recorded in the US. Ten states reported exemption rates above five percent. Among kindergartners with exemptions, more than 93 percent were for nonmedical reasons.
Malay Mail
3 days ago
- Business
- Malay Mail
Judges not infallible, but corrective procedures can set things right — Hafiz Hassan
JUNE 25 — Norman and Elizabeth Hahn and their three sons are devout members of the Mennonite Church, a Christian denomination. The Mennonite Church opposes abortion and believes that 'the fetus in its earliest stages . . . shares humanity with those who conceived it.' More than half a century ago, Norman Hahn started a wood-working business in his garage, and since then, this company, Conestoga Wood Specialties (Conestoga), has grown and now has more than 1,000 employees. Conestoga is organised under Pennsylvania law as a for-profit corporation. The Hahns exercise sole ownership of the closely held business; they control its board of directors and hold all of its voting shares. One of the Hahn sons serves as the president and CEO. The Hahns believe that they are required to run their business 'in accordance with their religious beliefs and moral principles.' To that end, the company's mission, as they see it, is to 'operate in a professional environment founded upon the highest ethical, moral, and Christian principles.' The company's 'Vision and Values Statements' affirms that Conestoga endeavours to 'ensure a reasonable profit in [a] manner that reflects [the Hahns'] Christian heritage.' As explained in Conestoga's board-adopted 'Statement on the Sanctity of Human Life', the Hahns believe that human life begins at conception. It is therefore 'against [their] moral conviction to be involved in the termination of human life' after conception, which they believe is a 'sin against God to which they are held accountable.' The moral conviction of the Hahns and Conestoga mirrors that of the Greens and Hobby Lobby, whose story I shared in 'Where artificial persons can profess a faith'. Hobby Lobby's statement of purpose commits the Greens to 'honoring the Lord in all [they] do by operating the company in a manner consistent with Biblical principles.' Each Greens family member has signed a pledge to run the businesses in accordance with the family's religious beliefs and to use the family assets to support Christian ministries. In accordance with those commitments, Hobby Lobby stores close on Sundays, even though the Greens calculate that they lose millions in sales annually by doing so. They refuse to engage in profitable transactions that facilitate or promote alcohol use; they contribute profits to Christian missionaries and ministries; and they buy hundreds of full-page newspaper ads inviting people to 'know Jesus as Lord and Savior.' Now, can Conestoga and Hobby Lobby, being corporations, engage in the 'exercise of religion'? The majority in Burwell v Hobby Lobby Inc. referred to the Dictionary Act, whose definition of the word 'person' includes corporations, companies, associations, firms, partnerships, societies, and joint stock companies, as well as individuals. The majority has no doubt that 'person', in a legal setting, often refers to artificial entities. The Dictionary Act makes that clear. Conestoga and Hobby Lobby won their respective suit against the federal government for being persons, albeit artificial, having the right to engage in the exercise of religion. Article 160 of the Federal Constitution deals with interpretation, and it provides specific meanings to words used in the Federal Constitution. — Pexels pic Sisters in Islam Forum, on the other hand, won its suit against a state religious authority for being an unnatural person (read: artificial) to which a fatwa (religious edict) does not apply. The majority in the Federal Court's decision rules that Sister in Islam (SIS) is not a person professing the religion of Islam. The phrase 'persons professing the religion of Islam' is used repeatedly in paragraph 1 of the State List of the Ninth Schedule of the Federal Constitution. According to the majority, only a natural person can profess, not an artificial person. Reference is not made though to the definition of 'person' in the Federal Constitution itself—the supreme law of the land. Article 160 of the Federal Constitution deals with interpretation, and it provides specific meanings to words used in the Federal Constitution. Article 160(1) refers to the Eleventh Schedule to the Constitution and states that the meanings given there shall apply. The Eleventh Schedule states that 'person' includes a body of persons, corporate or unincorporate. So unlike the word 'parent' which is not defined in the Federal Constitution, the word 'person' is. And not unlike the word 'person' in the US which is defined in a legislation (Dictionary Act), the word is also defined in the Interpretations Act 1948 and 1964. Judges are not infallible, but corrective procedures like appeal and review can set things right. Infallible they may not, but attributing motives is wrong. Justice Robert Jackson of the US Supreme Court famously quipped: 'We are not final because we are infallible, but we are infallible only because we are final'. It means an apex court's decision is considered final, not because they are inherently perfect or incapable of error, but rather because there is no higher judicial body to review them. But here in Malaysia, there can be a review of an apex court's decision, albeit in very exceptional circumstances. * This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.
Winnipeg Free Press
4 days ago
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
Mennonite high school in Gretna won't offer classes in fall, future uncertain
Mennonite Collegiate Institute, a Grade 9-12 high school in Gretna, has announced it is pausing operations. The provincially accredited and supported school, which was established in 1889, will not offer classes in September. Twenty-three teachers and staff will lose their jobs. The length of the pause will be determined by delegates from the school's 11 supporting churches, who will meet July 7 to decide whether to close the school permanently or seek other options for the future. A main reason for shutting down operations for the upcoming school year was cited as lower than hoped-for enrolment that led to financial challenges, said MCI CEO Chris Harms. The school had just 45 students this year, down from 54 in 2023-2024. 'It's been a year-by-year continued slow slide,' he said. Harms also cited a breakdown in relations and loss of support from some rural Mennonite churches over issues such as LGBTTQ+ inclusion. MCI had maintained an open and welcoming stance to all students, but 'there is polarization in the community over this,' he said. The school is also facing challenges raising donations to supplement tuition fees. 'We have counted on some big donors over the years, but donor fatigue is setting in,' Harms said, noting the school could not continue to rely on them to sustain the school's operations. Harms said the goal for the school is to end well, including ensuring teachers and support staff are fully paid for their work. MCI is appealing to its donors to help it raise enough funds to do that. Even before the decision to close, the school was getting by 'month-to-month' on payroll, he said, noting teachers had agreed to reduced salaries and extra work this year to help the school survive. Harms acknowledged the timing of the announcement is unfortunate since it will make it difficult for teachers and other staff to find new positions in other schools. 'Those roles have mostly been filled by now,' he said. The school also has $1.7 million in debt for a mortgage and a line of credit. The decision not to operate next year was not made lightly by the school's board, Harms said, noting that MCI had spent months trying to build the necessary steps to keep it open. But the enrolment issue made the decision impossible to avoid, he said, noting the supporting churches mostly have aging congregations and not many children or youth. He expressed regret about the impact the school's closure will have on students, particularly those in Grade 11 who hoped to graduate from MCI next year. 'That was the hardest group of students to walk through this,' he said. Former MCI board member Karla Klassen Fehr said the news is difficult to hear. 'I see the main issue as enrolment,' said Klassen Fehr, whose husband and two daughters graduated from MCI. 'Without students, donor support can't maintain a school.' She said the school's rural location means there are a limited number of day students who can attend, and parents who live further away are less willing to send their children away for boarding school. 'Sensitive issues' over LGBTTQ+ and theology have strained relations with some local Mennonite churches, she said. 'I'm very sad to see this happen,' Klassen Fehr said. 'MCI has played a huge role in our community, giving students an opportunity for faith-based education that I highly value.' Wil Epp is also a former board member whose three children graduate from MCI. His congregation, Emmanuel Mennonite in Winkler, voted last month to stop supporting the school. The church has few children or youth and is dealing with its own financial issues, Epp said. 'Like many other churches, our church struggles with its budget,' he said, noting supporting MCI had ceased to be a priority for the congregation. Michael Pahl, executive minister of Mennonite Church Manitoba, said the closing of the school is disappointing. Together with Westgate Mennonite Collegiate in Winnipeg, MCI was a 'significant pipeline' for lay leadership and clergy in the denomination, Pahl said, adding the school played a key role in forming faith for many young people over the years. In addition to shrinking and aging rural Mennonite congregations, there is also growing competition from other Christian schools in rural Manitoba, he said. Cost for tuition at MCI was $6,700 a year this year, while students living in dorm were charged $12,500 a year. Out-of-province students paid $19,000 a year for tuition, room and board. That amount included a $6,500 out-of-province fee, as these students were not covered by Manitoba's education grant. MCI is a member of Manitoba Federation of Independent Schools and the Canadian Association of Mennonite Schools. faith@ The Free Press is committed to covering faith in Manitoba. If you appreciate that coverage, help us do more! Your contribution of $10, $25 or more will allow us to deepen our reporting about faith in the province. Thanks! BECOME A FAITH JOURNALISM SUPPORTER John LonghurstFaith reporter John Longhurst has been writing for Winnipeg's faith pages since 2003. He also writes for Religion News Service in the U.S., and blogs about the media, marketing and communications at Making the News. Read full biography Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
