Secretary Betsy DeVos warned on Wednesday about the dangerous effects of continuing to keep school-age children out of in-person learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The scientific data has repeatedly shown that with proper precautions in place, schools are rarely the site of mass COVID-19 infections. Despite the data, some states and teachers unions have continually pushed to keep school buildings closed and conduct virtual learning instead.
"We know so many of the private schools, parochial schools have been able to stay open for full-time learning, and it is the public schools, the inner-city schools that are shut, and those are the kids who are at home in some cases have two parents that go to work that are not overseeing their virtual at-home learning, and they are falling behind," Fox News host Sandra Smith said.
"Well, and we’ve heard so much discussion about the need for equity and equality. And these are the kids who are the ones that are being failed the most. The traditional public schools, with whom the teachers union have played politics, have kept these schools closed, have denied these kids the opportunity to continue their learning. It is shameful, and they have got to get back into the classroom," DeVos said. "We see it being done safely and without incident or minimal incident across the country, as you said in many private and charter schools, in schools around the world kids have got to be back in school. And we’re going to have a lost generation if we don’t heed that continued warning."
"The data shows that kids can safely be in school. They must be in school learning. And we have got to ensure that particularly the most vulnerable kids are able to access classrooms, are able to get back," DeVos continued. "You know, families with economic means have been able to figure alternatives out. We have got to empower those families. If these schools continue to refuse serving kids in-person, give the families the resources to find a place that will take care of their kids and their education."
