White House chief of staff Ron Klain has defended teachers’ unions that refuse to resume face-to-face education, despite studies showing a low risk of spreading the coronavirus.
Klain was asked Tuesday night why he believed that so many public schools were still closed, despite studies supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which continued to show that it is safe to reopen K-12 schools.
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“I’ll give you a word: money,” Klain replied during an interview with CNN. “That’s why the President of the United States sent a plan to Congress before he even took office to make the necessary investments to make schools safe.”
Klain later cited what he described as “considerable money” that schools in a study promoted by the CDC received.
“President Biden has sent a plan to Congress that will ensure that most of our schools can be reopened in 100 days. … Unfortunately, it costs money,” said Klain.
CNN anchor Erin Burnett stepped back, saying the virus was “just not happening”.
She then pointed to the Chicago Teachers Union, which recently voted to extend virtual learning.
“Ron, why do you think the teachers’ unions, in many cases, are reversing what the studies show?” Burnett asked.
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“I don’t think the teachers’ unions are canceling their studies,” said Klain. “I think what you’re seeing is that schools haven’t made investments to keep students safe. I mean, again, the Wisconsin study had classrooms of 12 on average. That requires a lot more classrooms, a lot more teachers, or, you know, other types of arrangements to make them small, grouping students very carefully. “
“So we need to do things to open up safely. Most of the teachers I talk to, they want to be back on the classoom. They just want to know if it’s safe and we, as a country, should make the investments to make it safe , “Klain added.