With a new school year dawning, education officials are grappling with whether to remove the names, images and statues of Confederate figures from public schools — especially since some are now filled with students of color. [...] “Racism, bigotry, and a blatant lack of patriotism,” she wrote in her petition. “These are not values of South Carolinians and should not continue to be enshrined in a place of learning.” 

The program, which began in 2011 and is funded by a State Department grant, brings groups of international coaches, sports administrators and mostly teenage athletes to the public university's campus in Fairfax County, Virginia. [...] Participants gain a deeper understanding of inclusion and diversity in athletics, organizers say, at the same time that they get a glimpse of American culture — specifically, American sports culture.

The day before returning to their respective homelands, Lara Tietz and Emma Gregersen came by The Tidewater News for a quick visit with their host, Welton Deshields of Franklin. [...] Lara, 17, lives in Kassel, Germany; Emma, 18, is from Thy, Denmark, and both said they’ve enjoyed their first visit to the United States of America. The Lions clubs in their localities helped in getting the two to travel stateside.

Virginians may not know it, but for the month of July, the state is hosting a select group of future world leaders. The Mandela fellowship, started by President Obama, is a prestigious program that brings some of Africa’s best and brightest young leaders to the U.S. This year, Virginia Commonwealth University is one of just four colleges hosting 50 Mandela fellows for six weeks.

Governor Bob McDonnell today signed an historic cultural exchange agreement to bring “Treasures from the Forbidden City,” a showcase of approximately 200 objects from Beijing’s Palace Museum to Virginia in the summer of 2014.