WH claims Trump wants to 'increase' school funding when he threatened to cut it if they don't reopen

Kayleigh McEnany said Wednesday that Donald Trump wants to increase school spending, even though earlier in the day the president threatened to cut federal funding if schools do not reopen in the fall.

‘He wants to increase funding and CARES for education,’ the White House press secretary asserted during a press conference Wednesday afternoon. ‘But he’s looking at potentially redirecting to make sure it goes toward the student and is most likely tied to the student and not to a district where schools are closed.’

‘I would note that he said this is something he may consider in the tweet,’ she added.

Trump claimed Wednesday morning that Democrats are pushing to keep schools closed because they are concerned that reopening would be a bad political move for presumed Democratic nominee Joe Biden ahead of the November presidential election.

He added that countries that have begun reopening their schools are having ‘no problems’ – failing to mention that their rates of cases and mortality from coronavirus are much lower than in the U.S.

‘In Germany, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and many other countries, SCHOOLS ARE OPEN WITH NO PROBLEMS,’ Trump tweeted.

‘The Dems think it would be bad for them politically if U.S. schools open before the November Election, but is important for the children & families,’ he wrote, adding: ‘May cut off funding if not open!’

White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany explained Wednesday that President Donald Trump actually wants to increase federal spending for schools

White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany explained Wednesday that President Donald Trump actually wants to increase federal spending for schools 

Her claim came after the president warned schools on Wednesday morning that he would 'cut off funding' if they did not return to in-person classes in the fall

Her claim came after the president warned schools on Wednesday morning that he would ‘cut off funding’ if they did not return to in-person classes in the fall 

'He wants to increase funding and CARES for education,' she said. 'I would note that he said this is something he may consider in the tweet'

‘He wants to increase funding and CARES for education,’ she said. ‘I would note that he said this is something he may consider in the tweet’

Only about 10 per cent of all education spending come from federal funding.

Also, Trump, more than likely, could not make an impact on the amount of federal funding allocated for different educational establishments.

‘What is best for the child is for these schools to be open. That is pretty clear,’ McEnany told socially distanced reporters gathered in the James S. Brady Briefing Room.

She also claimed that some children are becoming even more disadvantaged by being kept away from school as disadvantaged students no longer receive free breakfast and lunch and less abuse cases are being reported.

Vice President Mike Pence and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Robert Redfield announced Wednesday that new guidance will be issued on schools reopening.

The announcement about the CDC guidance came during a press briefing at the Department of Education after President Trump raged against the original plans for being too ‘expensive’ and ‘impractical.’

It's very unlikely Trump would have a decision over how school's federal funding. Advocacy director for The School Superintendents Association asserted: 'there is no mechanism by which they can decide to magically withhold funding without Congressional authorization'

It’s very unlikely Trump would have a decision over how school’s federal funding. Advocacy director for The School Superintendents Association asserted: ‘there is no mechanism by which they can decide to magically withhold funding without Congressional authorization’

‘I disagree with @CDCgov on their very tough & expensive guidelines for opening schools,’ Trump tweeted Wednesday morning.

‘While they want them open, they are asking schools to do very impractical things,’ he continued. ‘I will be meeting with them!!!’

Pence and Redfield previewed during remarks that the CDC will be releasing a new five-part series of recommendations on schools reopening sometime next week.

He added that the guidelines will include preparing communities, schools, teachers and parents for students to return to classrooms safely. 

‘Its purpose is to facilitate the reopening and the keeping open of the schools in this country,’ he said while flanked by Pence, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos and a few members of the White House Coronavirus Task Force. ‘It is critical that we get these schools open.’ 

Vice President Mike Pence previewed Wednesday that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will be releasing five new documents issuing guidance for reopening schools

Vice President Mike Pence previewed Wednesday that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will be releasing five new documents issuing guidance for reopening schools

His comments come after President Donald Trump said he is against the original guidelines put forward by the CDC for reopening schools earlier this year ¿ claiming the guidance is too 'tough & expensive'

His comments come after President Donald Trump said he is against the original guidelines put forward by the CDC for reopening schools earlier this year – claiming the guidance is too ‘tough & expensive’

CDC Director Robert Redfield (pictured, left) reiterated the vice president's comments and appealed to the president's displeasure with the old guidelines, claiming the new guidance would help communities and families prepare for students to return to the classroom

CDC Director Robert Redfield (pictured, left) reiterated the vice president’s comments and appealed to the president’s displeasure with the old guidelines, claiming the new guidance would help communities and families prepare for students to return to the classroom

While citing other countries have gone back to school, the president left out that the U.S. by far has the most confirmed cases of coronavirus in the world, surpassing 3 million

While citing other countries have gone back to school, the president left out that the U.S. by far has the most confirmed cases of coronavirus in the world, surpassing 3 million

Also, Trump, more than likely, could not make an impact on the amount of federal funding allocated for different educational establishments. 

‘It’s absolutely essential that we get our kids back in the classroom for in-person learning,’ Vice President Mike Pence said during remarks at the Education Department on Wednesday afternoon. 

When asked by a reporter about why Trump threatened to cut funding, Pence said: ‘The president is just really serious.’

‘What you heard from the president is just a determination to provide the kind of leadership from the federal level that says we’re going to get our kids back to school, because that’s where we belong,’ Pence said.

The president also asserted Wednesday morning that he is against the previous guidelines for reopening schools laid out by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  

Redfield asserted during remarks at the Department of Education on Wednesday, after Trump sent his tweet, that the guidelines from the center should not be used as a rationale for schools to remain closed. 

‘First and foremost, I want to make it very, very clear that the guidance that CDC continues to put out for schools K-12 and higher learning is intentional for reopening and keeping our schools open. That’s its purpose,’ the CDC director explained in a bald appeal to the president denouncing the guidelines.

‘I think it’s critical,’ he continued, ‘and it would be personally very disappointing to me and, I know, my agency if we saw that individuals were using these guidelines as a rationale for not reopening our schools.’

Redfield reiterated: ‘It’s guidance, it’s not requirements.’ 

Federal funding for primary school mostly goes toward low-income schools and special education programs, causing education leaders to immediately question how Trump’s administration would be able to hold back funds for the majority of U.S. schools.

‘To be clear: there is no mechanism by which they can decide to magically withhold funding without Congressional authorization,’ Sasha Pudelski, advocacy director for AASA, The School Superintendents Association, tweeted Wednesday morning. 

Trump’s comments regarding schools’ funding come the day after he hosted White House talks on getting U.S. students back to class as schools, elementary through college, have gone mostly remote since March.

‘We want to reopen the schools. Everybody wants it. The moms want it, the dads want it, the kids want it. It’s time to do it,’ Trump said. ‘We’re very much going to put pressure on governors and everybody else to open the schools,’ the president said during the event focused on reopening U.S. schools. 

Trump, as president, has little power to force schools to open, since that is a decision made at the state and local level. 

Trump hosted an event at the White House Tuesday night aimed at reopening schools and sending students kindergarten through college back to class

Trump hosted an event at the White House Tuesday night aimed at reopening schools and sending students kindergarten through college back to class

First lady Melania Trump joined the president at the event Tuesday, claiming: ‘Children’s mental health and social development must be as much of a priority as physical health,.’

‘The same is true for parents,’ she continued. ‘Many will be forced to make stressful choices between caring for their children and going back to work.’

During the event, Trump also lashed out at Harvard University, claiming they should be ‘ashamed’ for what he claims is a premature decision to remain remote for the whole year.

‘I see Harvard announced that they’re closing for the season, for the year,’ Trump said during his closing remarks at Tuesday’s event. ‘I think it’s ridiculous. I think it’s an easy way out. And I think they ought to be ashamed of themselves.’

Several universities are facing lawsuits from students claiming they should not be required to pay the same level of tuition and fees as classes transitioned to fully online.

U.S. schools have been closed since March, transitioning to complete online and virtual learning ¿ and some have already declared they will be closed through the rest of 2020

U.S. schools have been closed since March, transitioning to complete online and virtual learning – and some have already declared they will be closed through the rest of 2020

Coronavirus cases continue to surge in the U.S. over the past few weeks after the number of infections was steadily declining

Coronavirus cases continue to surge in the U.S. over the past few weeks after the number of infections was steadily declining

Some areas seeing surges in cases, like Florida, California and Texas, ended rapid reopening and began reinstating lockdown orders

Some areas seeing surges in cases, like Florida, California and Texas, ended rapid reopening and began reinstating lockdown orders

Specifically, the legal action argues that students should not have to pay for facilities and other maintenance fees – like those sums usually paid for use of the library and other technologies and facilities located on campus.

Even though other countries have moved toward reopening schools and going back to in-person classes, American schools and universities are much more cautious as the U.S. remains by far the most affected country by coronavirus with more than 130,000 deaths.

While the U.S. is nearing 3 million total confirmed infections of coronavirus as cases soared over the past few weeks, the second most-affected country, Brazil, is only at about half of that with more than 1.6 million confirmed cases.

Countries that have already started reopening their schools have set an example for ways the U.S. can consider when students and teachers return to the classroom.

Some have started with part-time class schedules, with some only hosting classes one day a week, others require masks to be worn at all times or are maintaining social distance by separate desks that are six feet from one another.

Some models have floated the idea of a schedule where while the school is open every day, students only attend half the week so only half of the school’s population is attending in-person classes from day to day.

source: dailymail.co.uk