Fed up with Republican Governors that are spending more time catering and humoring their Know Nothing-Science Denying-Anti Mask-Anti Vaxer fringe base rather than promoting public safety, President Joe Biden lashed out at leading former party of Lincoln state leaders during a Wednesday afternoon address to the nation, warning that the Secretary of Education, Miguel Cardona would be contacting them about their obstructing the safe reopening of schools.
In his remarks, Mr. Biden said:
"Unfortunately, as we’ve seen throughout this pandemic, some politicians are trying to turn public safety measures — that is, children wearing masks in school — into political disputes for their own political gain. Some are even trying to take power away from local educators by banning masks in school. They’re setting a dangerous tone..."
"...As I’ve said before, if you aren’t going to fight COVID-19, at least get out of the way of everyone else who is trying. You know, we’re not going to sit by as governors try to block and intimidate educators protecting our children."
Biden also said that if these Republican Governors tried to stop teachers and school leaders from getting paid for enforcing a mask mandate, the federal government would step in and pay them.
Without naming names, most informed observers knew that the President was talking about the Republican usual suspects: Florida's Ron the school boards are rebelling against you DeSantis, Texas's Greg I got COVID Abbott, and Arizona's Doug I will give extra funds to schools that help spread COVID Ducey.
The Grand Canyon State Governor received a letter from Secretary Cardona yesterday.
The pertinent passages are below:
"As the new school year begins in school districts across Arizona, it is our shared priority
that students return to in-person instruction safely. The safe return to in-person instruction
requires that school districts be able to protect the health and safety of students and educators and that families have confidence that their schools are doing everything possible to keep students healthy. Arizona’s actions to block school districts from voluntarily adopting science-based strategies for preventing the spread of COVID-19 that are aligned with the guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) puts these goals at risk and may infringe upon a school district’s authority to adopt policies to protect students and educators as they develop their safe return to in-person instruction plans required by Federal law."
"We are aware that Arizona has enacted a State law prohibiting local educational agencies (LEAs), among other local government entities, from adopting requirements for the universal wearing of masks.1 This State-level action against science-based strategies for preventing the spread of COVID-19 appears to restrict the development of local health and safety policies and is at odds with the school district planning process embodied in the U.S. Department of Education’s (Department’s) interim final requirements..."
"...The Department recognizes that several LEAs in your State have already moved to adopt such policies in line with guidance from the CDC for the reopening and operation of school facilities despite the State-level prohibitions. The Department stands with these dedicated educators who are working to safely reopen schools and maintain safe in-person instruction."
Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction Kathy Hoffman, who Biden alluded to in his remarks yesterday, also received the same letter as Governor Ducey. She applauded the Cardona correspondence, posting on social media:
https://twitter.com/Supt_Hoffman/status/1428099278434541568
Arizona Democratic Representatives Question Ducey's Funding Schools to Spread COVID Plan.
Using Cardona's letter, one United States Treasury spokesperson and several of Arizona's Democratic Congressional Leaders, according to reporting by AZ Central, questioned the "wisdom" of Ducey's recent actions like using COVID relief funds for schools that do not adopt Coronavirus prevention and safety measures.
The Treasury spokesperson said:
“No state should use federal funds to prevent or discourage schools from using evidence-based approaches to stopping the spread of COVID-19."
Arizona Senator Kyrsten Sinema posted on social media:
Arizona Congressional District (CD) Two Representative Ann Kirkpatrick relayed:
"Now, the Treasury Department has made it crystal clear that the Governor’s plans are a violation of the law — Arizona needs these federal dollars and Gov. Ducey is compromising that," she said in a statement. "It is abhorrent, disgusting, and puts our children at risk."
Arizona CD Four Representative Raul Grijalva wrote:
“(Ducey) is yet again pursuing reckless and inhumane proposals that will continue to exacerbate this public health crisis. In addition, it puts into question the legality around him restricting public health mitigation measures in the first place.”
Arizona CD Nine Representative Greg Stanton stated:
"I appreciate that the U.S. Treasury has sent a clear warning: using federal funds to subsidize the spread of COVID within our schools is a violation of the law."
According to AZ Central, Mr. Ducey's Communication Director C.J. Karamargin stated:
"The last thing we need is a bureaucrat in Washington D.C. telling Arizona parents what's best for them."
When pressed by reporters, Karamargin could not say how Ducey's school grant programs would help slow the spread of COVID 19.
It is great the Biden/Harris Administration is flexing the powers it has to hopefully get Republican Governors to do the right thing and promote public safety instead of public exposure to the Coronavirus.
Unfortunately, this will probably get placed in the courts because most of these Republican Governors will not do what is right for all their residents.
Meanwhile, all schools should adopt safety measures that will keep all educational stakeholders alive, healthy, and safe.
Wear a mask.
Get a vaccine.
No comments:
Post a Comment