Trump administration cites the American Academy of Pediatrics to make its case for school reopening. Here’s what the AAP really said.
But the initial statement never was an endorsement of the call by President Trump for all schools to fully reopen — and the organization has now attempted to directly distance itself from the administration’s belligerent stance on reopening.
In late June, the AAP issued what it called “Covid-19 Planning Considerations: Guidance for School Re-entry,” in which it said in part:
Schools are fundamental to child and adolescent development and well-being and provide our children and adolescents with academic instruction, social and emotional skills, safety, reliable nutrition, physical/speech and mental health therapy, and opportunities for physical activity, among other benefits. Beyond supporting the educational development of children and adolescents, schools play a critical role in addressing racial and social inequity. ...With the above principles in mind, the AAP strongly advocates that all policy considerations for the coming school year should start with a goal of having students physically present in school. The importance of in-person learning is well-documented, and there is already evidence of the negative impacts on children because of school closures in the spring of 2020.
The administration saw the detailed guidance as support and various members began citing it in remarks about the opening of schools. CONTINUE READING: What pediatricians’ group really said about opening schools - The Washington Post
