DeVos Won’t Say If Schools Should Abide By CDC Rules

CNN reports:

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos on Sunday refused to say whether schools should follow guidelines from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on reopening, saying those guidelines are meant to be “flexible.” “The CDC guidelines are just that, meant to be flexible and meant to be applied as appropriate for the situation,” DeVos told CNN’s Dana Bash.

“There is nothing in the data that would suggest that kids being back in school is dangerous to them,” DeVos said, when asked by Bash if she can assure parents and students that schools will be safe and pressed on health guidance that says children are at highest risk when meeting in full-sized, in-person classes — doubling down on a similar comment she made last week.

Devos did not answer a Single question https://t.co/hds5aUYqdM

— Molly Jong-Fast? (@MollyJongFast) July 12, 2020

What we heard from Secretary DeVos was malfeasance and a dereliction of duty. It’s appalling.

DeVos and Trump are messing with the health of our children. pic.twitter.com/ghUWgudijL

— Nancy Pelosi (@TeamPelosi) July 12, 2020

DANA BASH: What the Fairfax County superintendent is saying is they would need a building the size of 5 Pentagons in order to accommodate their students and meet the CDC guidelines. So should they follow them?

BETSY DeVOS: The CDC guidelines are meant to be flexible. pic.twitter.com/4FVlCOU7QY

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) July 12, 2020

BASH: You’re the Secretary of Education. So why do you not have guidance on what schools should do if there’s a coronavirus outbreak just weeks before you want them to reopen?

DeVOS: There are really good examples that have been utilized in the private sector. pic.twitter.com/RBFxZ5OeFw

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) July 12, 2020

Asked twice, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos declines to say yes, schools should follow CDC guidance as they reopen. Instead she says every situation is going to look different and, of education leaders, “These are smart people who can figure things out.”

— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) July 12, 2020

Should teachers who are at risk because of their age or have an underlying illness go back into the classroom if they don’t feel comfortable? “That’s something for them to work out with their local district,” Education Secretary Betsy DeVos tells @DanaBashCNN.

— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) July 12, 2020