Flubs questions on reopening schools in fall, CDC guidelines

DeVos spoke as the controversy over getting children back to school safely is looming as the next big test for the Trump administration.

Health experts say it is not possible to bring kids back to school everywhere when many parts of the country are grappling with coronavirus infection rates that are spinning out of control, with little hope of reversing the trend or even flattening the growth curve.

Trump has seized on a return to in-person classes as a line in the sand as he struggles to regain the trust of the American public that is giving him failing marks for managing the pandemic.

Like other Trump administration officials, DeVos appears to be seeking to avoid angering the president. She pointedly refused to concede that his plan may not be possible given the spread of the virus and the inherent dangers of a group setting like schools to students and staff.

The CDC has issued detailed guidelines for reopening schools safely, including social distancing, physical barriers and limits to sharing of supplies and books.

But many school officials in hard-hit areas say there is simply no way for them to meet those guidelines, giving them a choice between opening in a way that they know to be unsafe and planning to at least start the school year with largely remote learning.