Symone Sanders, spokeswoman for Vice President Kamala Harris, joined other Biden administration officials in dodging straightforward questions about liberating schools from coronavirus closures.
Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicates that schools can reopen safely for in-person learning, with COVID protocols in place, even before all teachers are vaccinated. The Biden administration has overwhelmingly prioritized teachers’ unions with respect to returning to in-person instruction, at the expense of children unable to attend school due to coronavirus closures.
Sanders was pressed by CNN’s John Berman about whether or not children can return to school before all teachers are vaccinated, as the CDC says is possible. Sanders said that teachers “should be prioritized," but would not draw a distinction between "prioritizing" educators and keeping children out of traditional schooling until each and every teacher has received the coronavirus vaccine. Sanders wondered if in-person learning before teaches receive vaccines is safe, but the Biden administration's own CDC director has indicated it is.
CNN calls out Biden official for dodging a question about reopening schools:
— America Rising (@AmericaRising) February 17, 2021
"I don't understand why it's a hard question to answer." pic.twitter.com/2P5caUdbv1
The administration has flip-flopped its stance on sending children back to school for in-person learning. While claiming to be “following the science,” experts have shown that children can return to school safely after nearly a year of virtual learning.