Psaki says schools with ‘one day a week’ in-person classes count as reopened



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White House press secretary Jen Psaki was asked on Tuesday to clarify President Joe Biden’s plan to reopen K-8 schools within 100 days of his presidency.

At an afternoon press conference, a reporter asked Psaki to “help us understand” the White House or President’s definition of “open school.”

“Does it mean teachers in the classroom are teaching students in classrooms or does it just mean kids in classrooms with a remote screen? Help us understand,” he said. request.

Psaki said Biden’s goal was to have a “majority of schools” – over 50% – open on the 100th day of his presidency, which would be April 30.

“It means a little bit of teaching in the classrooms. So at least one day a week, I hope it’s more. And obviously it’s as much as it’s safe in every school and local district.” , Psaki said.

The reporter asked Psaki what she meant by “a certain teaching”, to which Psaki replied, “teaching at least one day a week in the majority of schools on day 100”.

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Biden has repeatedly called for the reopening of “most schools” within 100 days of his presidency. In a meeting with 30 governors in December, Biden highlighted the reopening of schools as a key first step in his new administration’s plan to tackle the coronavirus pandemic.

“I’m going to ask that we can open schools after 100 days,” Biden said on the call. “It’s going to take a lot of money, but we know how to do it. If we have the money and the funding, everything from ventilation to more teachers to smaller classes – a whole range of things. “

In a pre-Super Bowl interview on Sunday, Biden reiterated his call for children to return to classrooms. He also said he expects the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to issue “science-based” guidelines later this week on requirements to reopen schools – although the agency has issued guidelines. in September.

CDC Director Rochelle Walensky told reporters last week “Growing data suggests schools can reopen safely and that a safe reopening does not suggest teachers need to be vaccinated to reopen Safe. Vaccination of teachers is not a prerequisite for the safe reopening of schools. “

In an interview with Fox News, Dr. Marc Siegel, professor of medicine, said “there is too much confusion between what the White House says and what the CDC says.”

He added that any update to his guidelines must reflect the changing circumstances of the pandemic.

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“Having classroom instruction one day a week … might be enough to introduce your teacher to you, but it’s not enough to overcome the drastic socialization damage we’re seeing as a result of the school closure.”

Thomas Barrabi of Fox News contributed to this report.

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