National Education Association President Lily Eskelsen Garcia is challenging President Donald Trump to go to a school amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Garcia was asked by the host of CNN’s “New Day” Wednesday, Alisyn Camerota if public schools will be ready to open in September.
She responded by explaining how reopening schools safely is the most important thing.
Garcia criticized Trump, saying he is failing to provide adequate resources to prepare for a safe return.
“I double dog dare Donald Trump to sit in a class of 39 sixth graders and breathe that air without any preparation for how we’re going to bring our kids back safely,” Garcia said.
Watch her comments below:
“I double dog dare Donald Trump to sit in a class of 39 sixth graders and breathe that air without any preparation for how we’re going to bring our kids back safely.”
— CNN This Morning with Audie Cornish (@CNNThisMorning) July 8, 2020
National Education Association President Lily Eskelsen Garcia says schools can only reopen if done so safely. pic.twitter.com/d13sVYr5oS
Camerota continued on to ask Garcia who is going to pay for the necessary resources to “retrofit” schools prior to reopening.
Garcia identified the HEROES Act, a House-passed bill, as a solution to the cost of reopening, as it includes funding for schools.
She argued Trump does not have a plan to reopen schools safely and that is something he is not focused on.
“That’s not what we’re hearing from Donald Trump, that he’s going to bully governors into prematurely opening unsafe schools,” Garcia said.
She added, “There is another option, open them safely.”
Garcia was asked what her advice would be to parents who are willing to take the risk of sending their children back to school.
She urged them to demand the White House provide a plan to reopen safely.
Garcia pointed out the way teachers are able to adapt to social distancing guidelines by bringing students back in shifts, asking for more school buses, and using portable classrooms on playgrounds.
She closed her remarks reiterating it is necessary to do this properly to mitigate the risks of contracting the coronavirus.
“We have to do this right. Doing it wrong should not be an option when we could do it right,” Garcia said.
