Biden Adviser Richmond: We Can Reopen Schools with ‘Basically No Transmission,’ CDC ‘Still Showed Transmission’

On Tuesday’s broadcast of CNN’s “The Lead,” Biden Senior Adviser Cedric Richmond commented on a CDC study that shows “little evidence that schools have contributed meaningfully to increased community transmission” by stating that the administration “isn’t about pushing against” opposition to reopening schools by teachers’ unions, but is really about just pushing for safe reopening, “We can reopen schools and we can do it in a manner where there’s basically no transmission,” and that the CDC study “still showed transmission.”

Host Jake Tapper asked, “Is this evidence enough for the Biden administration to start pushing schools to reopen, even if that means pushing against the teachers’ unions that have been resisting opening schools even when health advisers say, no, it’s safe to reopen schools?”

Richmond responded, “Well, this isn’t about pushing against anyone. This is all about pushing for reopening the schools in a safe and effective manner. And, remember, what we did was put in the American Recovery Plan, money so that we could safely reopen schools according to the CDC guidance. And I’m not sure what exactly everything in this report, but it still showed transmission. And here’s the real answer, we can do both in this country. We can reopen schools and we can do it in a manner where there’s basically no transmission, and we don’t have to settle. So, we’re going to keep laying out our plans. And we’re going to keep pushing to pass the American Recovery Plan so that we can get schools reopened in a safe way and get people back to work, get kids back in the classrooms, and help the American families that are struggling.”

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