Highlights:
2020: Trump Threatened To Defund Schools That Did Not Reopen During The Pandemic. According to Politico, “President Donald Trump and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos are threatening to cut federal funding if schools don’t fully physically reopen, increasing pressure on education leaders as the Trump administration intensifies its drive to get kids back in classrooms.Trump on Wednesday morning tweeted, ‘In Germany, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and many other countries, SCHOOLS ARE OPEN WITH NO PROBLEMS. The Dems think it would be bad for them politically if U.S. schools open before the November Election, but is important for the children & families. May cut off funding if not open!’ Trump’s remarks came as part of a new administration-wide push to get schools to reopen for in-person classes in the fall, which is widely seen as critical to jump-starting the economy ahead of the presidential election. During a White House event on Tuesday, Trump also vowed he would ‘put pressure’ on governors reluctant to open schools amid rising cases of coronavirus.” [Politico, 7/8/20]
AFT President Randi Weingarten Called Trump’s Threat “Unconscionable.” According to Today, “‘So at the very same time that kids need these experienced teachers because they're facing three crises, they need people to calm them down, focus on their well-being and their instruction, we're going to see a huge brain drain in the next few weeks. That was unconscionable what (Trump) did for political reasons.’” [Today, 7/9/20]