Pelosi: Trump is 'Messing With the Health of Our Children'
House speaker blasts president's goal of reopening schools
© press
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi blasted President Donald Trump's goal to reopen schools in the fall, accusing him of "messing with the health of our children" due to the coronavirus.
Pelosi called the Education Secretary Betsy DeVos's stance on reopening schools "malfeasance," arguing that reopening would put the health of students at risk.
"The president and his administration are messing with the health of our children," Pelosi said on CNN's State of the Union.
"We all want our children to go back to school," she added.
"Teachers do, parents do, and children do, but they must go back safely."
WATCH:
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says the Trump administration's push to restart in-person learning in schools is "messing with the health of our children" and that "going back to school presents the biggest risk for the spread of the coronavirus.” #CNNSOTU pic.twitter.com/qsAECfIGGc
— State of the Union (@CNNSotu) July 12, 2020
Trump last week threatened to “cut off” school funding if states did not reopen them in the fall.
© press
“In Germany, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and many other countries, SCHOOLS ARE OPEN WITH NO PROBLEMS,” Trump said.
“The Dems think it would be bad for them politically if U.S. schools open before the November Election, but is important for the children & families,” he continued.
“May cut off funding if not open!”
Trump also criticized the guidelines put in place by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, calling them impractical and expensive.
Although the Trump administration emphasized that CDC guidelines are recommendations and not requirements, Pelosi said public health measures should be mandated, arguing that the administration would never give a green light to that idea.
© press
"You have to have a science-oriented administration to require it," she said.
"They should be mandates, not requirements."
“They should be mandates, not requirements,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says about the CDC coronavirus guidelines #CNNSOTU https://t.co/OcTS24N9LZ pic.twitter.com/zHXUjAptXD
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) July 12, 2020
Pelosi also blasted Trump's overall handling of the coronavirus pandemic.
"They have no appreciation for the failure that has brought us to this point," Pelosi said.
"Going back to school presents the biggest risk for the spread of the coronavirus," she added.
"They ignore science, and they ignore governance."
