Teachers’ Union Chief Admits Offering Edits to CDC School Reopening Guidelines, Denies Making Substantive Changes
Members of the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic closely questioned the president of the nation’s second-largest teacher’s union to determine whether it unduly influenced the Centers for Disease Control’s (CDC) policy on school reopenings during the pandemic.
“Americans are curious to know if the AFT [American Federation of Teachers] access was in line with CDC past practice and if their influence had a positive or detrimental impact on America’s children. While it’s reasonable for the CDC to seek outside opinions, or some opinions accepted and others not considered, and why or why not,” Chair Brad Wenstrup (R-Ohio) said when opening the hearing.
Randi Weingarten, president of the AFT, was the subcommittee’s sole witness.
At issue was whether or not the AFT or Weingarten herself had suggested changes to the CDC’s February 2021 guideline document, “Operational Strategy for K-12 Schools Through Phased Prevention,” that resulted in prolonged school closures.
Changes to CDC Guidance
Schools could and should have re-opened much earlier than they did but remained closed based on three faulty recommendations provided by the CDC, according to Wenstrup.
The recommendations cited included using community spread rates for the virus versus school spread rates in triggering school closures, the requirement for routine screening and testing, and using six-foot social distancing requirements rather than a three-foot standard.
“None of these [recommendations] were based on sound science at the time,” and the AFT directly supported all, Wenstrup said.
Wenstrup, a medical doctor, mentioned that transmission rates among children were known to be much lower than for adults, that children were less likely to become ill from the coronavirus, and that deaths were exceedingly rare, occurring in about one in one million cases.
“Did the AFT consult with the CDC on its February 2021 operational strategy for school reopening?” Wenstrup asked.
Weingarten admitted that there had been consultation with the CDC beginning with a conference call on Jan. 29, 2021, and “two or three” subsequent phone calls with CDC director Rochelle Walensky.
“Did you suggest revisions to their operational strategy?” Wenstrup asked.
Weingarten said she had done so but insisted they mainly were “ideas” and that only two specific policy changes were recommended.
Those were the suggestion to include a work-from-home option for teachers with compromised immune systems and to revise the guidelines if a new variant of the virus emerged.
Weingarten said she had also asked the CDC to create a “trigger” that would serve as a guideline for knowing when to close schools, though that was not a suggested revision to the draft policy.
“When you made these proposals, the two you suggested, were they accepted by the CDC? Wenstrup asked.
Weingarten admitted that they were.
Clear Denial
Throughout questioning, Weingarten appeared to ramble and change the topic frequently, twice pleading her age and failing memory as a reason for lacking clarity.
“Look, I’m 65 years old. I don’t remember anything anymore. I’m sorry,” she said. When admonished for not responding directly to a question, she said, “Sorry, I’m just slow.”
However, when Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.) asked about making direct changes to the draft CDC document, the president of the 1.7 million member union answered directly and clearly.
“Documents and testimony gathered by this committee show the CDC and AFT worked closely on this guidance; some of the AFT suggestions were included nearly word-for-word by Director Welensky herself. In a transcribed interview, a career CDC official testified this level of coordination was ‘uncommon,’” Comer said.
“To summarize, AFT was provided with a full draft copy of the guidance two weeks before publication and suggested line-by-line edits … .”
“No, we did not,” Weingarten said, interrupting Comer. She insisted that the AFT had offered only the two previously stated comments on policy and outlined them clearly.
Defended as Reasonable Steps
Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.) defended both suggestions as common sense safety measures.
Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) wondered aloud at the purpose of the hearing. “It’s convened to accuse a federal agency of the crime of consulting with American citizens,” he said.
Weingarten insisted that she and the AFT placed a high value on in-person education, understood the harmful effects of prolonged school closure on students, and felt “terrified” as they fended for themselves to define safety and operational policies in the absence of guidance from the Trump administration.
“What we were simply looking for was clear, scientific guidance. And when we couldn’t get it, we did it ourselves,” she said.
The Epoch Times reached out to the CEC for comment but had yet to receive a response before this article was published.
