By: April Feng
Dear Editor,
Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, there has been an ongoing debate regarding the reopening of schools, and it has deeply affected students and educators all across the nation. However, President Trump’s rash way of dealing with the situation and conveying his support for school reopenings has not helped, but in fact worsened the situation.
With the panic that the quickly spreading pandemic has caused, the United States is in need of organization and a united front. However, the government has quickly proven to be ineffective in providing those. As stated by The New York Times, “ Mr. Trump’s aggressive, often bellicose demands for reopening classrooms helped to harden the views of many educators that it would be unsafe.” His tweet, “SCHOOLS MUST OPEN IN THE FALL!!!” did not help to ease tensions either. According to a new poll by Gallup, “Parents’ preferences for school attendance this year have shifted.” While 56% of parents wished for full-time in-person schooling in June, only 36% now prefer this option, possibly due to Trump’s focus on the economy rather than safety of students and educators. Trump’s approval ratings have also taken a hit. According to a July poll by Education Week, “More than 60 percent of educators said their opinion of Trump had grown worse due to his approach to the coronavirus.” Although the American economy may rely heavily upon the reopening of schools, the president has been a “poor spokesman for the cause.”
If Trump wishes to gain support in reopening schools, he must change his approach in doing so. Rather than focusing heavily on the economic benefits, appealing to the safety of teachers and students and utilizing his impact in a more prudent manner will make his argument orderly and rational. Thus, schools will be able to safely reopen, and the gears of the American economy will begin turning again.
Best,
April Feng
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