SIMPLE & QUICK: Attacking local leaders without having a Federal response plan is bad politics

In a new Axios-Ipsos poll released today, about 71% of parents responded that there is a large/moderate risk when asked, “How much of a risk to your health and well-being is sending your child to school in the fall?’

If that is not jarring, consider that this poll was taken 10-13 July, so it is not clear how many of the parents responding had heard Trump’s Secretary of Education Betsy Devos’ disastrous CNN appearance.

In the interview, the EdSec obviously lacked any forethought of basic real-life scenarios when questioned. True to the rules of the popular gym class sport, Betsy herself, successfully dodged, ducked, dipped, dived and dodged saying it would be safe to go back to school. Instead, DeVos falsely argues, “Well, we know that children get the virus at a far lower rate.”

In another CNN interview, Randi Weingarten, the president of the American Federation of Teachers, reports that there are no real talks or assistance from federal officials. In the interview, the union leader lambasted the administration’s response, offering her union’s answer: “We put a plan out in April . . . It has to be safe!”

While the President and his Administration continue to scare the hell out of America’s school-aged guardians, other leaders are working toward solutions. So far, Los Angeles and San Diego public schools have announced that they will keep their campuses closed and extend remote learning. Governor Andrew Cuomo of New York said today that his state will use a formula to rely on when to open their public schools.

Clearly there is not going to be Federal direction to help American schools re-open and stay open safely. There is no national plan or steps being taken to help nine (9) million broadband-deficient rural and low income students maintain access to their on-the-fly distance learning education in the first place.

What is clear is that the current U.S. Government under President Donald John Trump is letting American kids fall further behind. Instead of enacting American innovation and genius, the Trump administration is flailing in stump politics. No, there is not even an attempt to provide the American people with an earnest, logistical response to procuring American education in the midst of a global pandemic.

Furthermore, the U.S. economy is tethered to its public school system since schools and public school programs act as go-to childcare services for many of America’s working guardians. Without clear guidance to reopen public schools or a thoughtful plan to successfully handle distance education and ensure student well-being while guardians work, America will only fall deeper into economic and social disarray.

On par for a Trump course, and pinned forever in irony, Secretary DeVos skewered public school officials just a week ago, contending, “They didn’t figure out how to serve their students. Too many of them just gave up.”