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The school attended by Barron Trump, Trump’s youngest son, will not fully reopen in September. This is because of concerns of the coronavirus outbreak, despite the Trump administration insisting that students be in the classrooms.
St. Andrew’s Episcopal School sent a letter home to parents saying they are still deciding how to handle school this fall. Options include a hybrid model that would limit in-person education or holding all classes online.
“We are hopeful that public health conditions will support our implementation of the hybrid model in the fall,” said the letter. “As we prepare to make a decision the week of Aug. 10 about how to best begin the school year,” they added, “we will continue to follow the guidance of appropriate health officials and refine both our hybrid and distance learning plans.”
If the hybrid model isn’t accepted, then students in grades 7 through 12 would rotate between distance learning and being on-campus. 14-year-old Barron Trump has spent three years at St. Andrew’s.
President Trump has repeatedly pushed for schools to reopen. Additionally, he has threatened to withhold federal money from districts that refuse to comply. However, more and more states, schools and localities are increasingly defying him.
Related: Fauci Warns About Reopening Schools, Trump Replies, ‘Not an acceptable answer’
Teachers’ union leaders, such as Randi Weingarten, the president of the American Federation of Teachers, is hoping St. Andrew’s decision will help show Trump how complicated it is to reopen schools in the fall. The schools are trying to balance the health concerns of the students, staff, and community along with meeting educational needs. And no, we’re not talking hip arthritis.
“The president now has to face what every other parent in America and every other teacher in America is grappling with right now, which is: In the midst of a pandemic, how do schools keep their kids and their faculty safe?” said Weingarten. “It’s about safety, not bluster. It’s about a plan and resources, not threats.”
Weingarten made it clear that she believes Trump’s confrontational approach has made it harder for schools to focus on what really matters. “Hopefully, Donald Trump will have a scintilla of empathy and consideration for what Americans are going through now that he is experiencing it himself,” she said.
Related: Reopened Schools Forced to Close After 70 New COVID-19 Cases Appear
