President Trump doubled down today on his remarks he made on Tuesday night that schools, from pre-K to college, open in the fall. As the country recovers from months of shutdown, which had drastic economic repercussions, the president has been active in returning the country to normal, despite opposition from the left. President Trump has made it clear that if schools across the country do not open, he will cut federal funding.
In his tweet, Trump wrote, “In Germany, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and many other countries, SCHOOLS ARE OPEN WITH NO PROBLEMS. The Dems think it would be bad for them politically if U.S. schools open before November Election, but it is important for the children and families. May Cut off funding if not open!”
The president continued to emphasize the need to reopen schools, and criticized the Center for Disease Control for their reopening guidelines. He said the CDC are asking schools, “to do very impractical things,” and plans to meet with them.
At a Department of Education event on Tuesday evening, First Lady Melania Trump also urged states to reopen schools. She said that the importance of “children’s mental health and social development must be as much as a priority as physical health.”
President Trump had harsh words for Harvard University, who preemptively chose to shut down for fall 2020 and possibly for the whole year. While states and education facilities have to make a choice to allow students back onto campus, the president said closing is an “easy way out.”
States have already gone on the defensive against President Trump and his insistence for schools to reopen. Governor Cuomo said the president has no ability to dictate state’s choices for reopening. Sasha Pudelski, advocacy director for The School Superintendents Association, said it is not within the president’s power to withhold funding.
Why this matters: The Democrats have been clear that the Coronavirus response is one of their main campaign strategies. President Trump seems to understand this clearly, and it is why he is taking a harsh stance against state’s refusal to open or return to a regular way of life.
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