Trump vs. Biden on reopening schools - The Washington Post

Trump vs. Biden on reopening schools - The Washington Post

Trump vs. Biden on reopening schools

There are, not unexpectedly, big differences between the approaches that President Trump and former vice president Joe Biden are taking about whether and how to reopen schools during the coronavirus pandemic.

Trump has been repeatedly saying that all schools should open fully — even in areas where coronavirus infection rates are spiking — and that he wants to withhold federal funding from districts that don’t. Although he can’t unilaterally withhold money Congress has already spent, he is working with Senate Republicans to attach conditions or incentives to billions of dollars in new emergency aid for schools.

Trump administration, congressional Republicans eye tying school aid to reopening in next funding bill

In contrast, Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential candidate, released a new plan of his own on Friday (see video below) for reopening schools that stressed the importance of keeping people safe — a point that is not part of Trump’s threatening call to reopen.

Biden, joined by his educator wife, Jill Biden, said in a video recorded in his basement that school districts should make decisions about reopening based on local conditions.

“Forcing educators and students back into classrooms in areas where infection rates are going up or remaining too high is just plain dangerous,” he said.

Biden called on Congress to provide billions of dollars in emergency funding for school districts, which say they cannot openly safely without federal assistance to make the changes necessary and purchase enough protective equipment.

“If we do this wrong, we will put lives at risk and set our economy and our country back,” Biden said in the video.

Jill Biden added, CONTINUE READING: Trump vs. Biden on reopening schools - The Washington Post