“Why is it so tough for the Biden administration to give a straight, clear answer on this issue of when schools should open and just the general issue of teachers’ safety versus opening schools?” Tapper asked.
“Yeah, I mean, I think that they are torn,” Phillip responded. “Look, the teachers’ unions are a very powerful democratic constituency. And they feel very strongly that teachers should, at the very least, all be vaccinated before returning to school. But that is clearly not what the the CDC’s recommendations say. What is really puzzling to me is why the Biden administration, which ran on a campaign promise of having the science go first, and the science lead, can’t just simply state what the science says on the topic while also stating their preference for what they hope to happen.”
“I mean, they have even been, you know, it has even been suggested by some experts that they could offer a sort of carrot stick to states to prioritize teachers,” she concluded. “Why haven’t they done that, too, if the prioritization of teachers is so important? So, it’s hard for me to understand this, but from a straight up communications perspective, keeping that promise of letting the science lead seems to be something that they ought to be trying to do even on this issue, which is complicated, and it’s difficult for teachers and for families all across the country.”
“Yeah, I mean, I think that they are torn,” Phillip responded. “Look, the teachers’ unions are a very powerful democratic constituency. And they feel very strongly that teachers should, at the very least, all be vaccinated before returning to school. But that is clearly not what the the CDC’s recommendations say. What is really puzzling to me is why the Biden administration, which ran on a campaign promise of having the science go first, and the science lead, can’t just simply state what the science says on the topic while also stating their preference for what they hope to happen.”
“I mean, they have even been, you know, it has even been suggested by some experts that they could offer a sort of carrot stick to states to prioritize teachers,” she concluded. “Why haven’t they done that, too, if the prioritization of teachers is so important? So, it’s hard for me to understand this, but from a straight up communications perspective, keeping that promise of letting the science lead seems to be something that they ought to be trying to do even on this issue, which is complicated, and it’s difficult for teachers and for families all across the country.”