The president of America’s largest teachers’ union has “double-dog-dared” president Donald Trump to sit in a classroom full of pupils and “breathe that air”.
National Education Association president Lily Eskelsen Garcia was responding to Mr Trump’s plan to bring pupils back to school in the autumn, which she says cannot happen without guaranteeing the safety of students and staff.
The US president sparked outrage last week when he said on Twitter that he may withhold funding from schools that do not reopen.
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And the president criticised his own scientific advisers (from the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention), tweeting that their guidelines for schools reopening were “very tough and expensive” and that they were asking schools “to do very impractical things”.
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Ms Eskelsen Garcia told broadcaster CNN this week: “There’s no one that wants our kids back more than teachers...but we want to open it safely.”
She added: “We see what happens when they let bars open prematurely…This isn’t a bar. We’re talking about second graders. I had 39 sixth graders one year in my class. 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.”
Meanwhile, a second-grade teacher from Massachusetts has received hundreds of likes on Twitter after tweeting a thread highlighting teachers’ concerns about returning to the classroom.
Jillian Starr posted: “Why are people using the ‘children are less likely to spread the virus’ as a backbone of arguments, dismissing the fact that hundreds of adults ALSO work in schools? Why are teachers and school staff being discussed as if they are expendable? Why is nobody listening?”
She said: “Desks 6ft apart (in some states 3 ft...what?!?) Many classrooms do not have desks, but have 5-6 tables where students sit shoulder to shoulder. How are we supposed to spread students out? Is someone buying desks? With what money? Schools are facing budget cuts and layoffs.
“Students cannot share materials. Most of the materials in classrooms have been purchased BY teachers. If students cannot share, and students need their own personal sets of materials, who is purchasing these supplies? (again... with slashed budgets)
“Teachers have to beg for donations of Clorox wipes and tissues from their families and friends to support cold/flu season. Who is providing ALL of the new disinfectant materials for classrooms? Are teachers expected to do the cleaning? Will they receive hazard pay?”
The CDC’s guidelines for schools reopening include the use of cloth face coverings, as well as staggered scheduling, a back-up staffing plan, modified seating layouts to allow social distancing, physical barriers and the closing of communal spaces.
