Whether or not schools should be reopened has been a growing concern for parents and lawmakers alike. Both Republicans and Democrats have been at odds over the subject, and President Joe Biden (D) has since reframed his argument about schools reopening. As worry continues to mount over how remote learning is affecting students across the country, lawmakers are sharing their thoughts on why schools should be reopened.
President Biden commented that the U.S. should “open a majority of schools in K through eighth grade, because they’re the easiest to open, the most needed to open in terms of the impact on children and families having to stay home.” However, he later clarified that the country would see kindergarten through eighth grade classes returning to in-person and five days a week “at the end of the first 100 days” of his administration.
In a response given on the Senate floor, Florida Senator Rick Scott (R) commented that the country has to focus on the “3 Rs,” which are “respect the science, reopen our schools safely and return our teachers, our children to our classrooms.”
“The consequences are devastating,” he explained, adding that “being forced to stay at home has taken a significant social and emotional toll and it also directly impacts our children’s future.”
Calling remote learning an educational alternative that “is not backed by science or facts,” Scott affirmed that there is clear evidence that reopening schools is an effective way to move forward.
“The CDC confirmed last month that in-person instruction does not pose an increased risk of community transmission,” Scott asserted.
