U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos on Sunday blasted school reopening plans that are based on “a short-term flare-up for a few days.”
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In a contentious interview on CNN’s “State of the Union,” DeVos repeatedly insisted “kids have got to be back in school” in the fall.
“If there is a short-term flare-up for a few days, that’s a different situation than planning for an entire school year in anticipation of something that hasn’t happened,” she said. “That’s a very different thing. Kids have got to be back in school. They’ve got to be back in the classroom. And working families have to have their children in school.”
She also derided any reopening plan that includes a combination online/in-class learning, saying that doesn’t add up to “full-time instruction.”
“Four days a week, either four days a week online and, you know, the fifth day not, or two days a week in person, these are not valid options and choices for families. It’s not full-time instruction,” she said.
For DeVos, there is no other option than school “full time.”
“School leaders across the country need to be making plans to do just that,” she said. “There is going to be the exception to the rule. But the rule should be that kids go back to school this fall. And where there are little flare-ups or hot spots, that can be dealt with on a school-by-school or a case-by-case basis.”
She pointed out “there’s many counties across the country that have virtually no cases. And so school leaders need to be looking at the granular data right on the ground where they are and looking at if there are problems, then how are you going to deal with them.”
She added that in areas where the coronavirus is raging, there has to be remote learning “full time.”
“Going into the fall, we need to ensure education leaders need to ensure that kids are going to be able to be learning full-time, no matter how that looks, if they’re in an area with high incidence of virus, they need to be learning remotely full-time,” she said.
So far I listened to the first two min re the question can we assure that kids going back to school no covid will spread and it will be done safely? Threefold
1) Can we ever assure its 100% safe? Maybe close schools bec of shootings or flu outbreaks?
2) Can the interviewer assure that kids staying home will all be done safely and that won’t be a threat? Why does one outwiegh the other?
3) Who says their is no cost benefit where you say increase the risk but its so essential we just have to fo it anyhow?
Second few minutes,
Quote from CDC, that kids who meet in groups “could out everyone at risk”. And she says that to prove that kids do pose risks despite what we found at the YMCA study.
Well yes the CDC is saying they “could” . But that risk of “could” is so low. And thats what the YMCA study proves.
Third fake news question,
The AAP says kids should be in school but only if its safe and you shouldn’t compel them. Exactly who said Betsy is complelling them? What kind of nonsense is this. Betsy is saying give parents the choice.
Ask the parents who can not go to work because the schools will not do their jobs and the teachers want to be paid but are not willing to do the work. Yes, schools will have to change how they do schooling, more cleaning and more consideration of preventive measures. Without work, the families will suffer, the public will suffer and the children will suffer.
Look what is happening without summer camps !
Next myth,
This idea that this town in VA can’t manage to reopen schools because they need another 5 pentagons. Don’t your schools have gyms , outdoor space etc… Make some of them into classrooms. Think about what we would do. Make temp workshifts. This is essential. rent a few warehouses ,. There are plenty of shuttered places.. When its an essential service you do what you have to to make it work. Oh yes we have to be OCD about every safety regulation and fore hazzard now. If its not the exaclt public school layout its sooo dangerous. What kind of stupdty is this? No is not answer. Our kids are at stake.
Every hiemisha school knows how to get 5 make shift classes (pre fab trailers) in two days. Come on gimme a break
Next,
What should schools do if another outbreak? Oh I gotcha Betsy because you don’t have a plan. There is no plan you genuis and that question is so loaded. What does another outbreak mean? Are children getting sick or is it a flare up in the district? If its in the district just then OK reopen and take the risk. If its within the school then yes close it. And like Btesy stated, close it for a year? No close it till it goes down and reopen
What about teachers we have a teacher that got sick and died? Yes what about essential workers? Teachers are essential workers.
Next silly question how does it hlep to take money away during the pandemic? Carrot and stick you genuis. Money talks. if you won’t get money you will reopen. What a silly question.
So you address all cabinet members by their first names, or on the female ones?