Pediatricians walk back school-reopening stance as WHO gives dire warning

Enlarge / American Academy of Pediatrics President Dr. Sally Goza (center) attends a meeting with US President Donald Trump, students, teachers, and administrators about how to safely reopen schools during the novel coronavirus pandemic in the East Room at the White House July 07, 2020, in Washington, DC. (credit: Getty | Chip Somodevilla )

The American Academy of Pediatrics has clarified its stance on school reopening amid the COVID-19 pandemic after the Trump administration repeatedly used the academy's previous statement to pressure school systems to resume in-person learning in the fall.

The AAP, in a joint statement with three large education organizations, emphasized that school reopening should be driven by science and safety-not politics." It also directly responded to President Trump's threat of withholding funding from schools that did not reopen, calling the move a misguided approach."

The point was echoed Monday by Michael Ryan, an infectious disease expert with the World Health Organization, who implored countries not to let school reopening become yet another political football."

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