Biden plan would only reopen half the schools ‘one day a week’ by end of April
WASHINGTON — The Biden administration on Tuesday admitted that their plan to “reopen” the nation’s schools would only see about half the children back in classrooms for as little as one day per week.
What’s more, the proposal could apply to as few as 50 percent of schools by the end of April.
White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki was asked to define the specifics of Biden’s plan as his administration faces increasing pressure to prod the teachers’ unions to get their members back into classrooms.
The president made a vow to safely reopen a majority of K-8 schools in his first 100 days in office but his own public health experts like Dr. Anthony Fauci have poured cold water on that April 30 deadline.
“His goal that he set is to have the majority of schools, so more than 50 percent, open by day 100 of his presidency and that means some teaching in classrooms,” Psaki said.
“So at least one day a week, hopefully it’s more, and obviously it is as much as is safe in each school and local school district,” she added.
When asked to clarify further, Psaki said Biden wanted the nation’s educators “teaching at least one day a week in the majority of schools by day 100.”
The bombshell revelation that Biden’s plan would only resume in-person learning for half the schools and as little as one day per week comes after his own CDC director said in-person classes can be held safely without staff receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.
But Psaki last week rejected Rochelle Walensky’s comments, bizarrely claimed that the CDC chief had spoken in her “personal capacity,” and said the White House was waiting for final guidance.
“The guidance will come officially from the CDC. There’s a lot of data we’re looking at. We’re looking at vaccinations … mask wearing, social distancing and proper ventilation,” she said during Friday’s press briefing.
Calls are growing for public schools to open immediately for full-time, in-person classes after nearly a year of virtual learning.
The nation’s powerful teachers unions have scuttled efforts to return to in-person learning in cities like San Francisco and Chicago, instead opting for continued at-home learning.
It is largely up to governors to send kids back to classrooms, but Biden has not urged them or or unions to do so, raising questions about whether he will make good on his pledge.
Last week, former Big Apple Mayor Mike Bloomberg urged Biden to “stand up” to unions and tell teachers to “suck it up.”
“It’s time for Joe Biden to stand up and to say, the kids are the most important things, important players here,” Bloomberg said Wednesday on MSNBC.
“And the teachers just are going to have to suck it up and stand up and provide an education.”
When asked if Biden would choose the nation’s children or teachers unions, Psaki insisted the question was “a little bit unfair.”
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said there was no reason why schools, who have access to billions in federally-approved emergency funding, couldn’t reopen.
“Just six weeks ago, Congress sent another huge sum to help schools. It brought the total for K-12 to about $68 billion,” he said Friday.
“As of the latest update, only $4 billion of the 68 had been spent. Ninety-four percent of the K-12 funding we have already provided is still in the pipeline,” McConnell said.