The American Academy of Pediatrics is joining teachers unions and school superintendents in blasting Trump administration threats to withhold federal funds from schools that do not fully reopen, splitting with the president even as he tweeted again on Friday that schools "must be open in the Fall."
The alignment of the children's doctors with unions and superintendents is significant, following a week in which the Trump administration widely touted an earlier report from pediatricians that "strongly advocates that all policy considerations for the coming school year should start with a goal of having students physically present in school."
The doctors said Friday that a “one-size-fits-all approach is not appropriate” for decision making.
“Withholding funding from schools that do not open in person fulltime would be a misguided approach, putting already financially strapped schools in an impossible position that would threaten the health of students and teachers,” the pediatricians wrote in a statement with the American Federation of Teachers, National Education Association and AASA, The School Superintendents Association.
While the statement does not specifically refer to President Donald Trump, it follows a week in which Trump and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos have issued federal funding threats as part of an administration-wide push to get schools to reopen for in-person classes, which is widely seen as critical to jump-starting the economy ahead of the presidential election.
On Friday, Trump tweeted, “Now that we have witnessed it on a large scale basis, and firsthand, Virtual Learning has proven to be TERRIBLE compared to In School, or On Campus, Learning. Not even close! Schools must be open in the Fall. If not open, why would the Federal Government give Funding? It won’t!!!”
White House spokesperson Judd Deere, responding to the groups' statement, said, "If unions and misguided local leaders are going to hold schools hostage, putting our children’s mental and social development in jeopardy, President Trump is not going to waste taxpayer dollars."
Highlighting Disney World's phased reopening, beginning Saturday, amid the coronavirus surge in Florida, his statement continued, "If Disney World can be open so can our schools and this Administration will work in partnership to provide the resources and guidance needed for higher education institutions as well as local school districts to do that."
The administration agrees "the science is clear" that it's "better and healthier" for kids to return to school this fall, Education Department spokesperson Liz Hill said in a statement.
"Schools that are willing to provide a full school year of learning and be fully operational have no risk of losing funding," she said. "But should a school choose to neglect its responsibility to educate students, they should not receive taxpayer money for a job that’s not being done. Schools can and must reopen safely, and the federal government will provide the resources, flexibilities and guidance needed for local leaders to make that happen."
Teachers unions, parents and other education leaders have said they need more funding to reopen safely and that Trump’s political priorities will put children and educators in harm’s way.
The Friday statement, led by the academy, says reopening schools in a way that maximizes safety, learning and the well-being of students and teachers “will clearly require substantial new investments in our schools and campuses.”
The groups called on Congress and the administration to provide the federal resources to ensure that “inadequate funding does not stand in the way of safely educating and caring for children in our schools.”
The groups stressed the importance of learning in a classroom, but said reopening should be pursued in a safe way and with public health experts, education leaders and parents at the center of decisions. Schools in areas with high levels of Covid-19 community spread, for example, “should not be compelled to reopen” against local experts’ judgment.
“Public health agencies must make recommendations based on evidence, not politics,” they said. “We should leave it to health experts to tell us when the time is best to open up school buildings, and listen to educators and administrators to shape how we do it.”
Michael Stratford contributed to this report.
"with" - Google News
July 11, 2020 at 12:44AM
https://ift.tt/322HKxw
Pediatricians split with Trump on school reopening threats - POLITICO
"with" - Google News
https://ift.tt/3d5QSDO
https://ift.tt/2ycZSIP
Bagikan Berita Ini
Related Posts :
Rescuers are poised to move in as Category 2 Hurricane Laura batters Louisiana and Texas - CNBC- As Nation Reckons With Race, Poll Finds White Americans Least Engaged - NPR
- With Wisconsin Unrest as Backdrop, Republicans Intensify Law-and-Order Message - The New York Times
- Three Charged With Leaking Movies as Part of Global Piracy Ring - The New York Times
- New Zealand's Christchurch mosque terrorist sentenced to life in prison with no parole - CNN
0 Response to "Pediatricians split with Trump on school reopening threats - POLITICO"
Post a Comment