On Sunday, July 12th, US Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos downplayed any danger in sending children back to school amid the COVID-19 pandemic while threatening to withhold federal funds from schools that do not resume in-person classes.  DeVos’s threat comes on the heels of President Trump averring that the CDC guidelines on re-opening schools are “very tough,” “expensive” and “impractical” and should be revised.
However, CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield nixed the notion that the CDC would be revising guidelines on reopening schools, instead stating that the CDC would be providing additional reference documents that are not a revision of the guidelines. The additional documents will instead be a resource to parents/guardians, caregivers and schools on both how to “better monitor for symptoms” and how to use face masks.
For access from USA Today to a Q&A on federal funding, click here.