During a Friday press briefing, White House Press Secretary was asked by Fox News White House correspondent about the effect of children having to wear masks all day. She responded by citing her own rising kindergartner's willingness to wear a mask.
Jen Psaki brushes off concern about "emotional, academic, and psychological effects of putting kindergartners in masks for hours at a time."
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) August 6, 2021
"My rising kindergartner told me two days ago she could wear a mask all day." pic.twitter.com/4VbZkC3lAd
Psaki also sharply noted "no there's not" when asked Doocy if there's any concerns from officials the White House had spoken to.
Q Back-to-school question: Florida’s Governor DeSantis says that he may start withholding funds from school districts that don’t let parents opt out of policies that require masks in the classroom. Does the President think that parents should have that kind of power?
MS. PSAKI: Well, I think I’ve spoken to this a few times, but I will say, as a parent myself of two young children, that I want public health officials to make decisions about how to keep my kids safe, not politicians.
And not only is Governor DeSantis not abiding by public health decisions, he’s fundraising off of this.
So, my view is that — and our view, as an administration, is that teacher — parents in Florida, parents across the country should have the ability and the knowledge that their kids are going to school and they’re in safe environments. That shouldn’t be too much to ask.
Q He says that his concern is about harmful, emotional, academic, and psychological effects of putting kindergarteners in masks for hours at a time. Is there any concern from officials that you guys talked to in your early pre-decisional discussions about that?
MS. PSAKI: No, there’s not.
And I will tell you from personal experience, my rising kindergartener told me, two days ago, she could wear a mask all day, and she’s just happy to go to camp and go to school.
And the objective from all of our public health officials have — has been clearly — and our Secretary of Education — kids need to be in school. We know there’s a mental health impact of them not being in school, and we should take the mitigation measures needed in order for them to be in school and in the classroom, including masking and including allowing that to be part of a reality in these schools to keep the community safe.
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This is just the latest feud between Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) and the White House, which has been going on this whole week. Christina Pushaw, the press secretary for Gov. DeSantis, emphasized in a previous statement to Townhall that these attacks from the administration were "unprovoked."
On July 26, Gov. DeSantis held a roundtable with medical experts about why masking children was such a bad idea. Alachua Chronicle provided a transcript and video of the event.
In April, John Tierney for City-Journal cited countless examples of studies showing harm children could experience from masks, particularly young children, providing links to his sources.
He also referenced guidance from UNICEF and the World Health Organization, which opposes masks for children under five:
Children aged 5 years and under should not be required to wear masks. This is based on the safety and overall interest of the child and the capacity to appropriately use a mask with minimal assistance.
WHO and UNICEF advise that the decision to use masks for children aged 6-11 should be based on the following factors:
- Whether there is widespread transmission in the area where the child resides
- The ability of the child to safely and appropriately use a mask
- Access to masks, as well as laundering and replacement of masks in certain settings (such as schools and childcare services)
- Adequate adult supervision and instructions to the child on how to put on, take off and safely wear masks
- Potential impact of wearing a mask on learning and psychosocial development, in consultation with teachers, parents/caregivers and/or medical providers
- Specific settings and interactions the child has with other people who are at high risk of developing serious illness, such as the elderly and those with other underlying health conditions
While Psaki pointed out DeSantis has fundraised over this, Philip Wegmann, the White House Reporter for Real Clear Politics, highlighted how President Joe Biden has also fundraised off of the pandemic.
Moments ago Psaki knocked the Florida governor saying, “not only is DeSantis not abiding by public health decisions, he's fundraising off of this.” A Republican source notes that Biden has, as recently as June, also fundraised off of COVID: pic.twitter.com/qWcG0CpBHZ
— Philip Melanchthon Wegmann (@PhilipWegmann) August 6, 2021
— Philip Melanchthon Wegmann (@PhilipWegmann) August 6, 2021
As Psaki mentioned in her exchange with Doocy, Education Secretary Miguel Cardona also spoke to reporters on Thursday. He too criticized Gov. DeSantis and his handling of mask mandates, accusing him and Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX) of being the ones preventing students from going back to school.
Asked about Abbott and DeSantis banning mask mandates, Cardona says "don't be the reason why schools are interrupted. The kids have suffered enough."
— Philip Melanchthon Wegmann (@PhilipWegmann) August 5, 2021
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