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Trump Hammers CDC, Threatens Major Action If Schools Don't Reopen in the Fall

By Johnathan Jones July 8, 2020 at 12:56pm

President Donald Trump stressed the importance of reopening schools in the fall while slamming guidelines set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in a tweet Wednesday.

“I disagree with the @CDCgov on their very tough & expensive guidelines for opening schools. While they want them open, they are asking schools to do very impractical things. I will be meeting with them!!!” Trump wrote on Twitter.

I disagree with @CDCgov on their very tough & expensive guidelines for opening schools. While they want them open, they are asking schools to do very impractical things. I will be meeting with them!!!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 8, 2020

The CDC currently advocates for temporary school closures in communities with outbreaks of the coronavirus and calls for strict social distancing and the modification of school days to prevent the spread of the virus.

CDC Director Robert Redfield commented on his agency’s guidelines Tuesday, The Associated Press reported.

“It’s clear that the greater risk to our society is to have these schools close,” Redfield said.

“Nothing would cause me greater sadness than to see any school district or school use our guidance as a reason not to reopen,” he said.

Citing success in other countries that have reopened their schools, Trump went further, threatening to cut off funding for schools that do not reopen and asserting that some Democrats want to keep kids at home in order to further their political objectives.

Do you think schools should be reopened nationwide for students for the fall semester?

“In Germany, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and many other countries, SCHOOLS ARE OPEN WITH NO PROBLEMS,” Trump said in a tweet Wednesday.

“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!” the president concluded.

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!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 8, 2020

His comments come a day after he discussed reopening schools with health and education leaders at the White House.

During a roundtable discussion, Trump said he would like to see the country’s students return to class.

Praising Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for his decision to reopen schools, the president called for others to follow suit.

“So we’re very much going to put pressure on governors and everybody else to open the schools, to get them open. And it’s very important. It’s very important for our country. It’s very important for the wellbeing of the student and the parents,” he said, according to the White House website.

Trump then called out Democrats for their apparent political motives with regard to keeping kids at home.

“They think it’s going to be good for them politically, so they keep the schools closed,” he said.

“No way. We’re very much going to put pressure on governors and everybody else to open the schools.”

Vice President Mike Pence also spoke during the roundtable discussion and commented on the negative side effects of continued school closures for some students, especially those with special needs.

There are real physical and mental costs for children deprived of an in classroom setting. The services and counseling children with mental illness and disabilities receive at school is extremely important. We must open schools this fall. pic.twitter.com/8M72V2HiuV

— Mike Pence (@Mike_Pence) July 8, 2020

“It’s important that we reopen our schools, as you’ve directed, for the academic and the intellectual development of our children, but it’s also vitally important that we remember … that 7 million American children suffer from either mental illness or emotional disturbance, and they principally receive the care from health and mental services at their school,” Pence said.

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