CDC to Revise Guidelines on Reopening Schools After Trump Said They Were 'Too Tough and Expensive'

After United States President Donald Trump criticized the guidelines that were to be followed when reopening schools as tough and expensive, Vice President Mike Pence said on Wednesday the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are revising the provisions to conform to the president's wishes.

Too tough and expensive

According to USA Today, Pence cited the president wanted to ease on the restrictions placed on schools that were planning on reopening.

In a news conference held at the US Department of Education, the vice president revealed the CDC planned to release a set of new rules written in five different documents that will clarify the necessary steps that schools need to take in reopening their establishments.

On Wednesday, Trump posted on Twitter expressing his disagreement with the CDC's apparent "tough and expensive" amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

The US president added that the CDC was making it challenging for schools to reopen with impractical guidelines and announced that he would take measures to meet with officials of the agency.

Trump also issued a threat to schools saying he would consider withholding funding from the establishment who do not share his vision of reopening schools this fall, as reported by CBS News.

Also Read: Trump Pushes Local Officials to Reopen Schools This Fall

Pence, when asked about the threat Trump made to schools, said the administration is looking into incentives they could give to urge states to continue moving forward that would be included in the next stimulus package.

The vice president stated that the government would be working with Congress to design the next round of state support, adding they will plan on how to motivate schools and students to start classes once again.

Lack of funding

Most of the funding that educational establishments receive come from state and local levels but low-income schools and special education programs rely on the federal government to provide them with billions of funding given through grants.

State and local governments, along with several districts, have announced their plans of offering in-person learning and remote learning. New York City announced their preliminary plans on Wednesday of how they would begin reopening schools this fall with a combination of personal and remote education, as reported by the Wall Street Journal.

Several states and cities have requested Congress to authorize billions of dollars to be given as an aid to schools so they could ensure the safety of their personnel and students amid the threat of the coronavirus rising with cases piling up in recent days.

CDC officials, on the other hand, replied to the president's criticism by saying their guidelines were not designed to restrict schools or stop them from reopening. They also noted that the new set of guidelines they plan on releasing next week should provide clarity on the issues.

Robert Redfield, the CDC director, stated the next set of guidelines would consist of documents meant for parents and caregivers as well as outline system surveillance that schools could utilize and advise on the use of face masks.