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Democrats are trying to change the story of how the pandemic was handled during Joe Biden’s administration. Now, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the Democratic administration opened schools despite Republicans.
Jean-Pierre’s statement is not entirely true, since it was the Republican governors who pushed to keep the schools open, taking into account the scientific evidence that revealed the low level of contagion in the academic centers.
“In less than six months, our schools went from 46% to — open — to nearly all of them being open to full time,” Secretary Jean-Pierre told reporters Thursday.
“That was the work of this president and that was the work of Democrats, in spite of Republicans not voting for the American Rescue Plan, which $130 billion went to schools to have the ventilation, to be able to have the tutoring and — and the teachers and being able to hire more teachers. And that was because of the work that this administration did,” Jean-Pierre added.
Karine Jean-Pierre says schools re-opening “was the work of Democrats in spite of Republicans” #copolitics pic.twitter.com/y5quJvfGEK
— Campfire Colorado (@CampfireColo) September 1, 2022
Democrats on school closings
Despite Jean-Pierre’s statements, there are Democrats who recognize that schools were closed during the pandemic, and who defend that policy on the part of the government. This is the case of Senator Patty Murray, who, when asked if it was a mistake to close schools, answered that it was not.
"Was it a mistake to keep children home from school so long during the pandemic?"
Democrat Senator Patty Murray: Absolutely not pic.twitter.com/n9GZszKMbi
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) September 4, 2022
Meanwhile, different Republicans, such as the governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis, during the pandemic, pushed for schools to remain open, despite criticism from Democratic leaders. The Republican went against the teachers’ unions and his administration focused on keeping the state open.
“These children have been out of school for almost a year, so if they follow the CDC’s new recommendations, they won’t be back this school year or in the fall,” the Florida governor said at the time.
“Those who insist on keeping the school doors closed are ignoring the evidence and putting special interests before the best interests of children and families,” DeSantis concluded.
Williams Perdomo es periodista y escritor, especializado en las fuentes Política y Cultura.