Republican South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace said Monday that President Joe Biden’s administration wants to “ignore the science” on reopening schools and that teachers unions should not come before parents and kids when decisions are being made.
Mace appeared on Fox News’ “America Reports” and was asked by host Sandra Smith what effects she sees on children as a result of not participating in in-person learning. (RELATED: ‘It’s A Disgrace’: Chris Christie Hammers Teachers Unions For Refusing To Go Back To Work)
“Well, it is staggering … I’m a single working mom of two kids, and I know how tough it is to have virtual learning for literally the last year of school. It’s extremely difficult. And we have the CDC, we have science, we have Dr. Fauci, everyone telling the Biden administration that with precautions in place, it’s a safe learning environment for our children,” Mace answered.
“But the Biden administration wants to ignore the science, wants to ignore the CDC. We should be listening to our parents, the CDC, the science, and not teachers unions at this point. We need to get our kids back in school. We need to give parents the option of educating their children,” she continued.
The Biden administration made reopening schools a priority for his first 100 days in office. However, when the Director of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Rochelle Walensky, said Feb. 3 that schools can safely reopen without teachers being required to take the coronavirus vaccine, White House press secretary Jen Psaki claimed she was speaking in a “personal capacity.”
Psaki later clarified that the administration wants “most” schools open “at least” one day a week by Biden’s 100th day in office.
Teachers Unions across the country have resisted returning to in-person learning, including one county in Virginia that decided to hire “classroom monitors” to watch children in place of teachers, and the Chicago Teachers Union that refused to go back to school unless teachers received the coronavirus vaccine.
Host John Roberts pointed out that on Friday the CDC released updated guidelines on reopening schools and that “90% of the school districts across the country don’t meet that criteria” and some that are already back to in-person learning may have to shut down again.
“We really need to look at the data and the science. Congress has allotted $68 billion towards the expedited reopening of schools, and only $4 billion has been sent. Meanwhile, you’ve got 31% of teenagers and kids heading to the E.R. with mental health issues right now,” Mace said.
In one Nevada county student suicide rates have doubled, highlighting the negative effect that long-term school closures are having on students’ mental health.
“We know when there are precautions in place, when you’re washing your hands, you’re 6 feet apart, the CDC says teachers don’t even need to be vaccinated, but I’m willing to say hey, let teachers have the option of being vaccinated to do the right thing for our children. They’re really suffering and we should put parents and kids first, not teachers unions,” she continued.