The CDC Director admitted that lobbying groups changed recommendations in the recent CDC School Guidelines. From a Friday press conference, the CDC Director stated that they “based their school recommendations on what the science says AND input from teachers groups with direct changes in the guidance made as a result.” (https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2021/t0212-cdc-update-covid-19.html)
Who else helped draft the recommendations? Donna Harris-Aikens, who came to Department of Education under Biden after 14 years as a Senior Policy Director at the NEA.
In addition, the CDC sought input from other “stakeholders,” i.e., lobbying groups, with no mention of meeting with any open schools or parents.
One last unbelievable note from this press conference: the CDC Director said that even after everyone is vaccinated, the CDC still might not recommend school open normally. According to her, even then, we might need “some combination of mitigation strategies.”
So full-time school… never?
Governor Desantis had such a great response to the CDC that I am thinking some families might be moving to Florida soon: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/schools-and-covid/desantis-blasts-cdc-school-reopening-guidelines-as-fiu-brings-staff-back-to-campus/2383644/%3famp