Washington:
A medical association that the White House has cited in its press to reopen schools is pushing back against President Donald Trump‘s repeated threats to cut federal funding if schools don’t open this fall.
In a joint statement with national education unions and a superintendents group, the American Academy of Pediatrics on Friday said decisions should be made by health experts and local leaders. The groups argued that schools will need more money to reopen safely during the coronavirus pandemic and that cuts could ultimately harm students.
The statement comes at a time when schools across the nation are weighing decisions for the fall as Trump pushes them to reopen. Millions of parents are still waiting to hear if their children will be returning to school, but some of the nation’s largest districts have said students will be in the classroom only a few days a week. “Public health agencies must make recommendations based on evidence, not politics,” the groups wrote in the statement.
“Withholding funding from schools that do not open in person full-time would be a misguided approach, putting already financially strapped schools in an impossible position that would threaten the health of students and teachers.” Trump, however, repeated his threat on Friday, saying on Twitter that virtual learning has been “terrible” compared with in-person classes.
“Not even close! Schools must be open in the Fall. If not open, why would the Federal Government give Funding? It won’t!!!” he wrote. Trump issued a similar warning on Twitter on Wednesday, saying other nations had successfully opened schools and that a fall reopening is “important for the children and families. May cut off funding if not open!” Trump has not said what funding he would withhold or under what authority.
But White House spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany has said the president wants to use future coronavirus relief funding as leverage. McEnany said Trump wants to “substantially bump up money for education” in the next relief package, but only for schools that reopen. “He is looking at potentially redirecting that to make sure it goes to the student,” McEnany said at a Wednesday press briefing.
