White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki is being pressed on why President Joe Biden’s plan to reopen schools only includes a goal of one day per week of in-person instruction.
During her press briefing on Wednesday, Psaki was asked why Biden did not previously mention the goal would be one day per week of in-person classes.
“The president set a goal of re-opening the majority of schools within 100 days and when you asked what that meant, I answered the question,” she replied.
Psaki continued, “That is not the ceiling. That is the bar we’re trying to leap over and exceed.”
Watch her response below:
.@PressSec is asked about why "re-opening" schools turned into "one day a week":
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) February 10, 2021
"The president set a goal of re-opening the majority of schools within 100 days and when you asked what that meant, I answered the question." pic.twitter.com/hAWGYJhKkA
She stressed the president wants schools to stay reopened, students to be in the classroom five days a week, and parents and teachers to feel safe.
Another reporter asked Psaki why the administration set the bar at only 50% of schools open for one day per week.
“Certainly we are not planning to celebrate at a hundred days if we reach that goal. That is our own effort to set our own markings… set a bold and ambitious agenda for how we’re going to measure ourselves and progress,” she explained.
Psaki continued, “We certainly hope to build from that even at a hundred days.”
Watch more of her comments below:
.@PressSec: Having 50% of schools open one day a week is part of a "bold and ambitious agenda." pic.twitter.com/fYLHJKHaeu
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) February 10, 2021
The reporter noted for working parents one day per week is not enough.
Psaki reiterated it is where the administration would like to see a majority of schools be.
She noted it is different across school districts.
“Part of the reason that there’s funding in the American Rescue Plan is to ensure that school districts that don’t have the funding they need to ensure they are equipped to reopen, to meet that bar and exceed it are able to do exactly that,” Psaki said.
White House Communications Director Kate Bedingfield said during an interview on MSNBC Biden believes “teachers should be a priority on the vaccination list.”
“He believes that teachers should get their vaccines, but he’s listening to the science, and there are a number of important steps that we need to take to ensure that schools can open and open safely,” she said, adding, “Vaccines are one piece of it.”