Trump Tightens the Screws, Makes Louder Threat to Cut Government Funding to Schools if They Don’t Open in the Fall
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President Donald Trump escalated his threat to to pull government funding from schools unless they open in the Fall.
“Now that we have witnessed it on a large scale basis, and firsthand, Virtual Learning has proven to be TERRIBLE compared to In School, or On Campus, Learning. Not even close!” declared Trump in a Twitter post Friday morning. “Schools must be open in the Fall. If not open, why would the Federal Government give Funding? It won’t!!!”
Now that we have witnessed it on a large scale basis, and firsthand, Virtual Learning has proven to be TERRIBLE compared to In School, or On Campus, Learning. Not even close! Schools must be open in the Fall. If not open, why would the Federal Government give Funding? It won’t!!!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 10, 2020
The tweet prompted criticism, with social media users both pointing out that schools are largely locally funded and that a reopening could be possible if the Trump administration did more to ensure safety.
92% of school budget funding comes from state & local government.
8% from federal sources.https://t.co/iojEKiztAl https://t.co/RGMZIPAnce
— Michael Cappetta (@MCappetta) July 10, 2020
CONTEXT ALERT: Most public schools are funded through property taxes.
A significant portion of the federal funds he’s threatening to (illegally) withhold are for programs meant to serve students w/ disabilities.
He’s threatening disabled kids to force schools to open faster. https://t.co/U37il2JKDO
— Andrew Feinberg (@AndrewFeinberg) July 10, 2020
An alternative leadership approach would be to commit federal resources to solve the safety and public health challenges of reopening schools. https://t.co/kaunntyGRg
— David Jolly (@DavidJollyFL) July 10, 2020
The federal government could provide resources to help schools open safely, but Trump doesn’t want to, out of either sheer laziness or cheapness or most likely some combination of the two. https://t.co/Yw7FpuMomv
— Gary Legum (@GaryLegum) July 10, 2020
Even at this late stage, Trump still hasn’t understood that forcing things to open without actually, you know, doing anything about the pandemic won’t magically make the problem go away.
He probably thinks this would help his chances in November; but it very likely won’t. https://t.co/BRr6nCTlMY
— Yascha Mounk (@Yascha_Mounk) July 10, 2020
President Trump has repeatedly called for schools to be reopened amid the coronavirus pandemic, and on Tuesday he said, “We’re very much going to put pressure on governors and everybody else to open the schools.”
SCHOOLS MUST OPEN IN THE FALL!!!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 6, 2020
In Germany, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and many other countries, SCHOOLS ARE OPEN WITH NO PROBLEMS. 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. May cut off funding if not open!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 8, 2020
Corrupt Joe Biden and the Democrats don’t want to open schools in the Fall for political reasons, not for health reasons! They think it will help them in November. Wrong, the people get it!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 6, 2020
In May, on the same week that the United States surpassed 100,000 deaths, President Trump tweeted, “Schools in our country should be opened ASAP.”
Schools in our country should be opened ASAP. Much very good information now available. @SteveHiltonx @FoxNews
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 25, 2020
