The American Academy of Pediatrics and national education groups are pushing back against President Donald’s Trump’s repeated calls to reopen American schools in the fall, saying those decisions should be made by scientists and educators, not politicians.
“Science should drive decision-making on safely reopening schools,” said the AAP, American Federation of Teachers, the National Education Association and The School Superintendents Association in a statement released on Friday.
“Public health agencies must make recommendations based on evidence, not politics. We should leave it to health experts to tell us when the time is best to open up school buildings, and listen to educators and administrators to shape how we do it,” the groups said.
The statement reflects a sharp split with Trump, who has said repeatedly over the past week that schools must reopen in the fall and has threatened to pull federal funding for those that do not.
However, as HuffPost’s Arthur Delaney previously noted: “Schools are mostly funded by state and local taxes, and federal funds are appropriated by Congress, so it’s not clear how much the president’s threat matters.”
The AAP previously came out “strongly” in favor of in-person learning in the fall despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, citing the many benefits for children. Estimates suggest that roughly 54