Why are the Trump administration and GOP senators playing politics with school reopening?
By Amanda Menas
Public schools play a central role in every community. That’s why everyone is eager for schools to reopen for in-person learning–state and local leaders, educators, parents, and students alike–but only if it can be done safely.
Educators across the country are working tirelessly to get ready for the coming year, and for many, the year will begin with virtual instruction. The pandemic has continued to worsen in recent weeks, and many school districts have found that they cannot offer even part-time in person learning because they lack the resources needed to follow CDC guidelines on social distancing, personal protective equipment for students and staff, and cleaning supplies and staff to disinfect at regular intervals.
The country desperately needs national leadership to provide federal financial assistance to states and localities that will be forced to slash billions from public schools due to the economic crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic. As many as 2 million educator jobs could be lost over the next three years if Congress doesn’t act, an NEA analysis shows.
Instead of providing the leadership and funding that schools and communities need to support the reopening of the entire economy, the Trump administration has repeatedly tried to downplay the severity of the pandemic, and has used the crisis to push its privatization agenda that will siphon much-needed funding from public education to private schools.
The Senate has not acted to pass another major COVID relief package, leaving America’s public schools and all the families who rely on them in limbo as they try to figure out on their own what comes next.
Sen. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has stalled legislation that would provide billions of CONTINUE READING: Why are the Trump administration and GOP senators playing politics with school reopening? - Education Votes