CDC Releases Guidelines on Schools Reopening, Trump Threatens to Withhold Aid From Schools Staying Closed

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released guidelines Thursday meant to help schools with reopening for the 2020-21 year. In ranking the level of risk various modes of instruction pose, the guidance places virtual instruction lowest, small in-person classes mid-tier, and full-size in-person instruction highest. The public health agency advises staying home when exhibiting any symptoms, wearing face masks, frequent hand washing, social distancing between students and faculty, regular deep cleanings, discouraging the sharing of supplies, increasing indoor ventilation, installing sneeze guards, closing communal spaces like playgrounds and dining halls, shuttering cafeterias in favor of students bringing their own meals, conducting field trips virtually, staggering scheduling to avoid crowds, designating one staff member as a COVID-19 concerns coordinator, drawing up backup staffing plans, and posting signs encouraging these behaviors. That said, the CDC concedes, “Face coverings may be challenging for students (especially younger students) to wear in all-day settings such as school.” President Donald Trump has advocated for schools to reopen at a full capacity for in-person instruction. “We’re asking Congress to provide $105 billion to schools,” he announced at the White House coronavirus briefing, funding meant to help schools prepare for the new reality of COVID-19 classes. For schools that do not reopen at all—and many across the country have announced they will not—Trump threatened to withhold aid money.