Virginia Republican gubernatorial candidate Pete Snyder continues to lead the way in advocating for schools to reopen fully. Snyder has made the push to send children back to school in-person a center-stage issue in his campaign, as Democrats continue to resist upsetting the teachers’ unions.
Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that children can return to in-person learning, with safety protocols in place, after more than a year of virtual learning. Despite this, Democrats overwhelmingly refuse to acknowledge the science from experts.
Snyder is compelling all other candidates in the race for governor, both Republican and Democrat, to pledge to "stand up to the teachers' union" and "support opening our schools now, five days a week, with a teacher in every classroom."
He said on Monday that the need for children to be in school should unite Republicans, Democrats, and Independents.
"Nothing has united Republican, Democrat, and Independent families in Virginia more than the need for our children to be back in school," Snyder said in a release on Monday. "Unfortunately, career politicians beholden to special interest and teachers unions have kept students out of the classroom. The pledge is simple: open our schools now! I hope all Republican and Democrat candidates running for office this year can join me by putting the interest of Virginia children, parents, and teachers ahead of special interests and the teachers union."
In addition to the conclusive data from the CDC, new polling also shows that large margins of Republicans, Democrats, and Independents support reopening schools in the near future.