CDC Director Confronted Over Ties to Teachers Unions

Katie Pavlich | March 31, 2022 9:00 AM

Centers for Disease Control Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky gave testimony to the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis Wednesday where she was confronted about the agency's close ties to the teachers unions.

Scalise, the panel’s top Republican, and CDC director Walensky in heated argument about teachers unions’ role.

Scalise demands answers to why CDC guidance reflects teachers unions’ edits.

Walensky defends CDC for soliciting opinions and says guidance is scientifically rigorous. pic.twitter.com/iy66WYMgqW
— Dan Diamond (@ddiamond) March 30, 2022

Emails reveal Walensky was heavily influenced by teachers unions, specifically the American Federation of Teachers, on reopening and mask guidance while she publicly claimed she was simply following the science on requirements.

Ahead of her testimony, Republicans issued a lengthy report further exposing the collaboration.

"On February 12, 2021, the CDC released the Biden Administration’s first school reopening guidance. Senior agency officials shared a draft copy of the school reopening guidance with the AFT. After reviewing the draft, AFT staff asked CDC Director Rochelle Walensky to install a “trigger” in the guidance that would cause schools to close automatically if COVID-19 positivity rates reached a certain threshold. The CDC obliged, and thousands of schools across the country remained closed throughout the 2020-2021 school year," the report states. "On July 19, 2021, Director Walensky told Select Subcommittee Republicans the CDC’s consultation with AFT was routine and consistent with the agency’s customary process for issuing guidance. However, Republicans’ investigation reveals this level of coordination is not routine. On February 18, 2022, Republican staff interviewed Dr. Henry Walke, a career CDC scientist and medical doctor. Dr. Walke testified this level of coordination between the CDC and an outside organization was 'uncommon.' In fact, according to Dr. Walke, the CDC does not typically share draft guidance outside the agency for any reason, even with other federal partners."