Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms (D) raised concerns about President Donald Trump’s pandemic response as the coronavirus continues to spread throughout the United States.
During a call with reporters on Monday, Bottoms, who was joined by Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez and Rep. Katie Porter (D-Calif.), verbalized her concerns as both a politician and a mother.
“As a mother of four children I do not trust this president with their lives,” Bottoms said.
The Democratic mayor recalled her own family’s experience with the coronavirus, as she insisted they are a “prime example” of the type of situation families could be faced with if children are sent back to schools and the classrooms are “unsafe.” She noted one of her children was asymptomatic with COVID-19.
“As we contemplate sending our children back into school this is what our teachers, our custodians, our bus drivers and so many others in schools will face — children who are asymptomatic who may unintentionally infect those who don’t have the ability ward off this virus,” she said.
According to Bottoms, the Trump administration’s pressing for schools to reopen is “not a plan” but more of a “death sentence.” Bottoms’ remarks come as Georgia has seen an increase in coronavirus cases with 167,953.
Porter also weighed in to stress the importance of “what’s at stake” as children and teachers return to school.
“I want to be clear about what’s at stake here, children and teachers will get the virus. They will bring it home to their families, they will spread it to other community … some will get sick and some are going to die,” Porter said.
She also criticized the Trump administration for its pandemic response, deeming it “an absolute failure of leadership.”
“It’s an absolute failure of leadership to send kids and teachers back into a classroom without so much as a sticky note checklist on how to keep them safe, much less detailed plan,” Porter said.
According to Bottoms, the Trump administration’s pressing for schools to reopen is “not a plan” but more of a “death sentence.”
With more than 4.4 million coronavirus cases nationwide, the coronavirus continues to impact Americans as the death toll has topped 150,000.