Teachers’ Union Chief Admits Offering Edits to CDC School Reopening Guidelines, Denies Making Substantive Changes

Did the American Federation of Teachers Influence CDC Policy on School Reopenings?

Members of the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic are investigating whether the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) unduly influenced the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) policy on school reopenings during the pandemic. The subcommittee closely questioned AFT President Randi Weingarten to determine whether the union suggested changes to the CDC’s February 2021 guideline document that resulted in prolonged school closures.

Chair Brad Wenstrup (R-Ohio) opened the hearing by stating that Americans are curious to know if the AFT’s access was in line with CDC past practice and if their influence had a positive or detrimental impact on America’s children. Wenstrup, a medical doctor, mentioned that schools could and should have reopened much earlier than they did but remained closed based on three faulty recommendations provided by the CDC.

What Were the Faulty Recommendations?

• Using community spread rates for the virus versus school spread rates in triggering school closures
• The requirement for routine screening and testing
• Using six-foot social distancing requirements rather than a three-foot standard

Wenstrup stated that none of these recommendations were based on sound science at the time, and the AFT directly supported all of them. He also 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?

During the hearing, Wenstrup asked Weingarten if the AFT consulted with the CDC on its February 2021 operational strategy for school reopening. 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. She also admitted that she suggested revisions to the CDC’s operational strategy, but insisted they mainly were “ideas” and that only two specific policy changes were recommended.

• The suggestion to include a work-from-home option for teachers with compromised immune systems
• 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 asked if the two proposals were accepted by the CDC, 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. 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 Direc