Boston Herald

Back to school in 2020 means back in school

- Jaclyn Cashman

Congresswo­man Ayanna Pressley should be ashamed of herself for politicizi­ng the issue of whether children should go back to school in the fall.

Massachuse­tts is doing incredibly well tackling the virus and if this pattern continues, there’s no reason children should be virtual learning unless they or someone in their household has a pre-existing condition.

Pressley recently slammed Education Secretary Betsy DeVos for pushing the idea that all children in America should go back to school in the fall but that each state determines what that looks like.

“Teachers, kids and parents are fearing for their lives,” Pressley wrote on Twitter. “You point to a private sector that has put profits over people and claimed the lives of thousands of essential workers. I wouldn’t trust you to care for a houseplant let alone my child.”

Parents are equally worried what the future holds for kids if they are stuck at home while mom and dad have to work full time.

This Twitter rant was in response to a comment DeVos made on CNN.

“What we’re saying is that kids need to be back in school and that school leaders across the country need to be making plans to do just that,” DeVos told the cable network. “There’s going to be the exception to the rule, but the rule should be that kids go back to school this fall. And where there are little flare-ups or hot spots, that can be dealt with on a school-by-school or a caseby-case basis, and there’s ample opportunit­y to have kids in school.”

Obviously states like Florida are seeing huge spikes in the virus and should consider virtual learning until they get their numbers under control.

If there’s ever a time to put politics aside and focus on the wellness of children it is now.

It is unconscion­able for a politician to take this opportunit­y during a pandemic to make a political statement that impacts a child’s Godgiven right as an American to get an education.

Virtual learning is a disaster for parents and children. I can’t name one person who thought it was an enjoyable experience or believe their kids got the same out of virtual learning than they did in the classroom.

The emotional component can not be stressed enough.

If you want to talk about what is not safe, there are all the protests where many demonstrat­ors are not wearing masks. These large gatherings that politician­s are allowing goes against all the recommenda­tions provided by the CDC and the local government.

People have a right to protest but they should be forced to follow the social distancing rules. The rules don’t seem to apply to these protesters. Somehow the First Amendment is being more protected than the right for thousands of kids to learn.

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 ?? GETTy imAgES FiLE ?? SCHOOL-BY-SCHOOL BASIS: Education Secretary Betsy DeVos has come under fire from Rep. Ayanna Pressley, above right, who says returning kids to schools nationwide is asking for trouble. At top, a desk is sanitized in Des Moines, Iowa.
GETTy imAgES FiLE SCHOOL-BY-SCHOOL BASIS: Education Secretary Betsy DeVos has come under fire from Rep. Ayanna Pressley, above right, who says returning kids to schools nationwide is asking for trouble. At top, a desk is sanitized in Des Moines, Iowa.
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