Democrats Keep Acting Like They Know Better Than Parents What’s Best For Children

President Biden Recently Declared To Teachers, ‘They’re Not Somebody Else’s Children; They’re Like Yours When They’re In The Classroom’

PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN: “You’ve heard me say it many times about our children, but it’s true: They’re all our children…. They’re not somebody else’s children; they’re like yours when they’re in the classroom.” (“Remarks By President Biden At The 2022 National And State Teachers Of The Year Event,” Washington, DC, 4/27/2022)

The Biden Administration Issued A Rule Requiring Children In The Head Start Program As Young As 2 To Wear Masks, Even Outside

Biden Administration: ‘Being Outdoors With Children Inherently Includes Sustained Close Contact For The Purposes Of Caring For And Supervising Children’ And Therefore ‘The Masking Requirement Outdoors Applies To All Individuals Aged 2 And Older’

“Indoors: Everyone who is 2 years of age and older must wear a mask in indoor Head Start settings … Everyone 2 years of age and older must also wear a mask when two or more people are in a vehicle owned, leased, or arranged by a Head Start program.” (“Face Masks in Head Start Programs,” Head Start Early Childhood Learning & Knowledge Center Website, 2/22/2022)

“Outdoors: People who are not fully vaccinated must wear a mask outdoors in crowded settings or during activities that involve sustained close contact. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines close contact as being less than six feet away from other people for more than 15 minutes. Children younger than 5 are not yet eligible for COVID-19 vaccination. Developmentally appropriate care and safe supervision of young children requires close contact with adults.” (“Face Masks in Head Start Programs,” Head Start Early Childhood Learning & Knowledge Center Website, 2/22/2022)

“Q: Since children are not vaccinated, does this mean they will need to be masked outside?
A: Consistent with CDC guidance for operating early care and education (ECE) programs, the masking requirement outdoors applies to all individuals aged 2 and older who are not fully vaccinated, who are in crowded settings, or during activities that involve sustained close contact with other people. The Office of Head Start (OHS) notes that being outdoors with children inherently includes sustained close contact for the purposes of caring for and supervising children…. Even if there are periods of outdoor play that are unmasked, there would also very likely be periods of sustained close contact to care for and supervise young children, during which time children should be masked.” (“Universal Masking and COVID-19 Vaccine Requirement FAQs,” Head Start Early Childhood Learning & Knowledge Center Website, 3/16/2022)

Sen. Thune & Senate Republicans: ‘Washington Bureaucrats Are Slapping Mask Mandates On Toddlers [And] This Even Applies When These Young Children Are Outside On The Playground, Which Defies All Logic’

SENATE REPUBLICAN WHIP JOHN THUNE (R-SD) AND HOUSE REPUBLICAN WHIP STEVE SCALISE (R-LA): “We have dedicated much of our careers to fighting and overturning heavy-handed government mandates…. As parents ourselves, we are outraged that the federal government is using taxpayer money to make children as young as 2 years old have to wear face masks. Head Start facilities provide early education services to low-income children through 1,600 facilities across the country, including in South Dakota and Louisiana. The Biden administration is now requiring Head Start grant recipients to mask toddlers at all times – even if they’re outside on the playground. The decision to mask or not mask a toddler should be made by a parent or guardian, not Joe Biden. Not only is this decision to police schoolyard activities yet another affront to parents’ rights by the Biden administration, even worse is nothing about this nationwide policy is based on science or common sense.” (Sen. Thune & Rep. Scalise, Op-Ed, “Unmask America's Children – Federal Government Should Not Be Masking Toddlers,” 2/14/2022)

16 SENATE REPUBLICANS: “On November 30, 2021, an interim final rule (IFR) went into effect that established vaccine and mask mandates on all Head Start and Early Head Start programs across the nation. We write to raise concerns with this IFR, which U.S. district court judges have granted preliminary injunctions against. Under this IFR, Head Start staff and volunteers are mandated to be vaccinated by January 31, 2022, though there are a very limited set of exemptions. The IFR also requires these individuals wear masks, which extends to the students, including all children two years of age and older…. Beyond the federal overreach, another aspect of this IFR that is equally, if not more disturbing, is the fact that Washington bureaucrats are slapping mask mandates on toddlers. This even applies when these young children are outside on the playground, which defies all logic. For context, even the World Health Organization advises against mask mandates for children five years of age and younger.” (16 Senate Republicans’ Letter to Sec. Becerra, 1/20/2022)

• Letter signed by Sens. John Thune (R-SD), John Barrasso (R-WY), Mike Braun (R-IN), John Cornyn (R-TX), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Josh Hawley (R-MO), John Hoeven (R-ND), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Jim Inhofe (R-OK), James Lankford (R-OK, Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Jim Risch (R-ID), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Marco Rubio (R-FL), and Roger Wicker (R-MS)

A Bipartisan Majority Of The Senate Voted To Eliminate The Biden Administration’s Mask Mandate For Toddlers, But 41 Democrats Voted To Keep It And The White House Threatened To Veto The Measure

SEN. JOHN THUNE (R-SD): “President Biden has apparently decided that COVID is over at our southern border. But not, apparently, for American toddlers. While a court injunction has barred enforcement in a number of states, the Department of Health and Human Services has still not repealed its mask and vaccine mandate for Head Start programs. A mandate that requires children as young as two years old to wear masks indoors, and, incredibly, outside. [T]he scientific evidence for masking toddlers is shaky at best. The World Health Organization does not recommend masking for children under five. And the concerns – about the effect on speech and children’s development – are real. But none of that seems to matter to the administration. Despite the low danger of serious illness in children, apparently the Biden administration believes that toddlers should be masked in perpetuity – a position Secretary Becerra doubled down on in front of the Senate Finance Committee last month. [I]f the Biden administration isn’t going to repeal its toddler mask mandate, it’s time for Congress to step in and do it for them. … It’s past time to call a halt to the Biden administration’s outdated and unscientific mandate and ensure that our toddlers can run around the playground mask-free.” (Sen. Thune, Remarks, 5/03/2022)

A bipartisan majority of Senators voted for Sen. Thune’s resolution to disapprove of the Department of Health and Human Services’ mask requirements in Head Start programs. (S.J.Res.39, Roll Call Vote 147: Joint Resolution Passed 55-41: R 48-0, D 7-39, I 0-2, 5/03/2022)

• But 41 Democrats voted keep masks on toddlers, including Sens. Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), and Patty Murray (D-WA). (S.J.Res.39, Roll Call Vote 147: Joint Resolution Passed 55-41: R 48-0, D 7-39, I 0-2, 5/03/2022; Warnock, Hassan, and Murray voted Nay)

The White House Said ‘The President Would Veto’ The Bipartisan Resolution Of Disapproval, Claiming Allowing Children To Go Unmasked Outside ‘Would Expose Children, Families, And Early Learning Professionals To Unnecessary Risk’

OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET: “Protecting vulnerable children across the country from COVID-19 remains a top priority for the Administration. Therefore, the Administration strongly opposes Senate Joint Resolution 39, which would expose children, families, and early learning professionals to unnecessary risk…. It makes no sense for Congress to reverse this much-needed protection for children and early education professionals. If Congress were to pass this resolution, the President would veto it.” (Statement of Administration Policy on S.J.Res.39, Office of Management and Budget, 5/03/2022)

The Biden Administration Sided With Teachers’ Unions Who Insisted On Keep Schools Closed, Leading To Serious Losses In Learning For Students

‘Remote Learning Was A Failure’: ‘Students Who Stayed Home For Most Of 2020-21 Fared Much Worse’

“When Covid-19 began to sweep across the country in March 2020, schools in every state closed their doors. Remote instruction effectively became a national policy for the rest of that spring. A few months later, however, school districts began to make different decisions about whether to reopen. Across much of the South and the Great Plains as well as some pockets of the Northeast, schools resumed in-person classes in the fall of 2020. Across much of the Northeast, Midwest and West Coast, school buildings stayed closed and classes remained online for months. These differences created a huge experiment, testing how well remote learning worked during the pandemic. Academic researchers have since been studying the subject, and they have come to a consistent conclusion: Remote learning was a failure.” (“‘Not Good for Learning,’” The Morning Newsletter, The New York Times, 5/05/2022)

“Three times a year, millions of K-12 students in the U.S. take a test known as the MAP that measures their skills in math and reading. A team of researchers at Harvard’s Center for Education Policy Research have used the MAP’s results to study learning during a two-year period starting in the fall of 2019, before the pandemic began. The researchers broke the students into different groups based on how much time they had spent attending in-person school during 2020-21 — the academic year with the most variation in whether schools were open. On average, students who attended in-person school for nearly all of 2020-21 lost about 20 percent worth of a typical school year’s math learning during the study’s two-year window. Some of those losses stemmed from the time the students had spent learning remotely during the spring of 2020, when school buildings were almost universally closed. And some of the losses stemmed from the difficulties of in-person schooling during the pandemic, as families coped with disruption and illness. But students who stayed home for most of 2020-21 fared much worse. On average, they lost the equivalent of about 50 percent of a typical school year’s math learning during the study’s two-year window. ‘We have seen from this recent study just how large the gaps are,’ Roberto Rodríguez, an assistant secretary in President Biden’s Education Department, told me.” (“‘Not Good for Learning,’” The Morning Newsletter, The New York Times, 5/05/2022)

• “The findings are consistent with other studies. ‘It’s pretty clear that remote school was not good for learning,’ said Emily Oster, a Brown University economist and the co-author of another such study. As Matthew Chingos, an Urban Institute expert, puts it: ‘Students learned less if their school was remote than they would have in person.’” (“‘Not Good for Learning,’” The Morning Newsletter, The New York Times, 5/05/2022)

‘One Of The Most Alarming Findings Is That School Closures Widened Both Economic And Racial Inequality In Learning’

‘Many Of These Schools Are In Major Cities, Which Tend To Be Run By Democratic Officials, And Republicans Were Generally Quicker To Reopen Schools [Plus] High-Poverty Schools Are Also More Likely To Have Unionized Teachers, And Some Unions Lobbied For Remote Schooling’

“One of the most alarming findings is that school closures widened both economic and racial inequality in learning. In Monday’s newsletter, I told you about how much progress K-12 education had made in the U.S. during the 1990s and early 2000s: Math and reading skills improved, especially for Black and Latino students. The Covid closures have reversed much of that progress, at least for now. Low-income students, as well as Black and Latino students, fell further behind over the past two years, relative to students who are high-income, white or Asian. ‘This will probably be the largest increase in educational inequity in a generation,’ Thomas Kane, an author of the Harvard study, told me.” (“‘Not Good for Learning,’” The Morning Newsletter, The New York Times, 5/05/2022)

• “There are two main reasons. First, schools with large numbers of poor students were more likely to go remote. Why? Many of these schools are in major cities, which tend to be run by Democratic officials, and Republicans were generally quicker to reopen schools. High-poverty schools are also more likely to have unionized teachers, and some unions lobbied for remote schooling. Second, low-income students tended to fare even worse when schools went remote. They may not have had reliable internet access, a quiet room in which to work or a parent who could take time off from work to help solve problems. Together, these factors mean that school closures were what economists call a regressive policy, widening inequality by doing the most harm to groups that were already vulnerable.” (“‘Not Good for Learning,’” The Morning Newsletter, The New York Times, 5/05/2022)

‘Were Many Of These Problems Avoidable? The Evidence Suggests That They Were’

“Were many of these problems avoidable? The evidence suggests that they were. Extended school closures appear to have done much more harm than good, and many school administrators probably could have recognized as much by the fall of 2020. In places where schools reopened that summer and fall, the spread of Covid was not noticeably worse than in places where schools remained closed. Schools also reopened in parts of Europe without seeming to spark outbreaks…. The Washington Post recently profiled a district in Colorado where schools reopened quickly, noting that no children were hospitalized and many thrived. ‘We wanted it to be as normal as possible,’ Chris Taylor, the president of the school board, said. Hundreds of other districts, especially in liberal communities, instead kept schools closed for a year or more. Officials said they were doing so to protect children and especially the most vulnerable children. The effect, however, was often the opposite.” (“‘Not Good for Learning,’” The Morning Newsletter, The New York Times, 5/05/2022)

Last Year, The Biden Administration Refused To Take On The Teachers’ Unions To Get Schools Open Sooner

“President Biden made it clear… that he is not blaming teachers and their unions for schools remaining closed during the coronavirus pandemic, telling reporters at the White House that reopening is ‘complicated’ and that all the teachers he knows want to get back to their classrooms. At a time when the Chicago Teachers Union is refusing an order by district and city officials for educators to return to their classrooms, Biden said that districts should prioritize fixing ventilation systems, securing sufficient personal protective equipment and establishing coronavirus testing systems. … Asked by one reporter how the president defines his message of ‘unity,’ Biden talked about Americans coming together to solve problems, including reopening schools. He said people know ‘we have to do something about figuring out how to get children back in school,’ and he rejected blaming teachers and their unions.” (“Biden: I Don’t Blame Teachers Or Their Unions For Schools Staying Closed,” The Washington Post, 1/25/2021)

“Following weeks of standoff in some cities and states where teachers unions are demanding vaccines as a condition of reopening, the issue came to a head Wednesday when Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said vaccination of teachers ‘is not a prerequisite for safe reopening of schools.’ But in a juggling of positions, the White House declined to back Walensky, saying she was speaking ‘in her personal capacity.’ Asked [February 5^th] about her earlier comments, Walensky punted.” (“School Reopening Debate Tests Biden’s Ties With Teachers Unions,” The Associated Press, 2/05/2021)

THE WALL STREET JOURNAL EDITORIAL BOARD: “Mr. Biden figured that his support for the teachers union agenda, along with more money, would get the unions to reopen the schools. Instead he’s discovering what America’s parents have learned in the last year: Unions run the schools, and no one—not parents, not school districts, not mayors, and not even a new Democratic President—will tell them what to do…. This really is one of the great scandals of the pandemic…. If Mr. Biden really wants to lead, he’d use his bully pulpit to say school districts that don’t reopen classrooms won’t get the money.” (Editorial, “The Teachers Unions Roll Over Biden,” The Wall Street Journal, 2/10/2021)

In City After City Last Year Powerful Teachers’ Unions Resisted Reopening Classrooms

CHICAGO, IL: “Chicago Public Schools’ decision to cancel classes for at least three days so far after the powerful teachers union voted to work remotely because of concerns over spiking COVID-19 cases marks the latest disruption to public education in the city under Mayor Lori Lightfoot…. But the latest standoff highlights a defining feature of Lightfoot’s time as mayor: contentious conflict with the Chicago Teachers Union, including the 2019 strike that put students out for more than two weeks of classes and a bitter, monthslong standoff over the reopening of schools after the pandemic’s arrival.” (“Friction With The Chicago Teachers Union Has Been A Hallmark Of Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s Term — Often At The Expense Of Put-Out Parents,” Chicago Tribune, 1/06/2022)

• “As CPS prepared for the new school year [in fall 2020], Lightfoot signaled she wanted a hybrid model with remote and in-person classes, but the union objected and threatened a strike vote if the new term didn’t start remotely…. [A]s Lightfoot officials planned to reopen schools to start 2021, Lightfoot and CPS officials initially insisted they did not have to negotiate a reopening plan. But the union threatened further work actions and declined to return without a deal, forcing Lightfoot back to the table. The negotiations over reopening schools were marked by tense exchanges, often at news conferences…. [S]ome union members refused to show up for in-person classes, which led to administrators cutting off computer access and pay to some union members. It also led to a series of delays in schools reopening, part time, for families who chose to send their children back.” (“Friction With The Chicago Teachers Union Has Been A Hallmark Of Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s Term — Often At The Expense Of Put-Out Parents,” Chicago Tribune, 1/06/2022)

OAKLAND, CA: “A group of Oakland teachers protested a plan to bring students back to classrooms starting at the end of the month, calling an agreement between the district and their union ‘reckless and foolish’ unless staff, students and families are vaccinated. The organizers of the Wednesday protest, which included the union reps from individual schools … urged district teachers to vote against the deal, which would have the first students — in preschool through second grade — back in classrooms on March 30 …” (“Defying Union Leaders, Oakland Teachers Group Protests April Schools Reopening,” San Francisco Chronicle, 3/17/2021)

• “Any return in April ‘is a betrayal of the right of black, Latina/o, and poor and working class parents to keep their families safe,’ the organizers said in the announcement of the event, which included a car caravan and speakers.” (“Defying Union Leaders, Oakland Teachers Group Protests April Schools Reopening,” San Francisco Chronicle, 3/17/2021)

• “The protesters’ demands exceed county, state and federal guidelines for reopening schools. Neither state officials nor the Center for Disease Control recommends vaccinations of staff or families be required before students and teachers return to in-person learning. Teachers and parents also oppose reopening until every ZIP code in Oakland reaches a low transmission rate, which is also not required either by ZIP code or for the city and county as a whole.” (“Defying Union Leaders, Oakland Teachers Group Protests April Schools Reopening,” San Francisco Chronicle, 3/17/2021)

MASSACHUSETTS: “The leaders of three Massachusetts teachers unions are supporting emergency legislation filed by state lawmakers that would require the state’s education commissioner to give school districts more time to prepare for the return of elementary school students to full-time, in-person lessons. The Massachusetts Teachers Association, the American Federation of Teachers Massachusetts, and the Boston Teachers Union said the legislation would allow more school workers to get a vaccine before returning, The Boston Globe reported.” (“Teachers Unions Back Proposed Delay Of Return To Classroom,” The Associated Press, 3/15/2021)

NORTH CAROLINA: “Even as a bill to reopen schools across North Carolina garnered unanimous bipartisan support and was fast-tracked through the legislature, North Carolina’s teacher’s union released a statement blasting Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper and lawmakers from both political parties for the compromise. In a rare instance of bipartisan agreement, Cooper joined with both Republican and Democratic leaders in the N.C. House and Senate at a news conference Wednesday, March 10, to unveil a new school reopening plan for the entire state. Fewer than 24 hours later, Senate Bill 220 has won unanimous support from both chambers of the General Assembly—a 49-0 vote in the Senate on Wednesday and a 119-0 vote in the House on Thursday. Cooper signed the bill into law later that day.” (“Teacher’s Union Continues Opposition Over School Reopening Law,” Carolina Journal, 3/12/2021)

• “Even so, the left-wing N.C. Association of Educators remains opposed to the measure, putting the teacher’s union in rare opposition to Cooper, who has remained a staunch ally. ‘This agreement between the governor and leaders in the state legislature will needlessly encourage school boards to push students, educators, and staff into school buildings that do not comply with [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] guidance during a pandemic, which has already claimed the lives of 11,000 North Carolinians,’ NCAE president Tamika Kelly said in a statement.” (“Teacher’s Union Continues Opposition Over School Reopening Law,” Carolina Journal, 3/12/2021)

SAN FRANCISCO, CA: “[T]he [SFUSD] school board approved plans to begin bringing back in-person learning for preschool through fifth-graders, special education students and vulnerable older groups starting April 12, following months of bitter debate with the teachers union…. [S]ome teachers have been critical of the plan, expressing concerns about proposed schedules that leave little time for planning lessons or bathrooms breaks. The union is organizing a car caravan for Sunday to demand changes to the daily schedule, which is separate from the formal agreement.” (“SFUSD Families And Breed To Protest, Demanding Full Reopening Of Schools For All Students,” San Francisco Chronicle, 3/12/2021)

• “San Francisco’s school reopening deliberations have become among the most contentious of those roiling school districts across the country. Last month, the city sued the school district, arguing preparations were so slow it was violating state law. A spokesman for the city attorney said the case was moving forward because the district had no plans to reopen middle and high schools. A hearing is scheduled March 22. Parents have also mobilized against local school board members here, saying they have given too much priority to social justice matters, such as renaming school campuses, compared with resuming in-person instruction.” (“San Francisco Runs Public School Pods Amid Covid-19 Lockdown Frustrations,” The Wall Street Journal, 3/18/2021)

LOS ANGELES, CA: “A screenshot obtained by FOX 11 shows UTLA teachers being warned to not share spring break vacation photos to social media as the union continues to push for a safe return to in-person classes. The screenshot appears to be from a private Facebook group titled, ‘UTLA FB GROUP- Members Only,’ and it has about 5,700 members. In one of the posts from the private group, teachers from the union are being asked to not share vacation photos or show that they're traveling outside of the country. The post, obtained by FOX 11's Bill Melugin, reads: ‘Friendly reminder: If you are planning any trips for Spring Break, please keep that off of Social Media. It is hard to argue that it is unsafe for in-person instruction, if parents and the public see vacation photos and international travel.’” (“Private 'UTLA FB' Group Warns Teachers To Not Post Vacation Pics Amid Union's Push For Safe Return To Class,” Fox 11, 3/08/2021)

The Biden Administration Approved Tens Of Billions Of Dollars In Stimulus Money For School Systems In California, New York, And Illinois Used To Implement Aspects Of Critical Race Theory

“Blue states across the country are using billions of taxpayer dollars from President Biden’s $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package to push core tenets of critical race theory (CRT) in public schools. The American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act, which the Democrats passed in March 2021 without any Republican support, was billed by the Democratic Party as a necessity for reopening schools during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the law provided over $122 billion for the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER), which helped multiple states implement ‘implicit bias’ and ‘anti-racism’ training, among other programs, according to research from One Nation shared with and verified by Fox News Digital.” (“California, New York, Illinois Used COVID-19 Relief Funds To Push CRT In Schools,” Fox News, 4/28/2022)

• “In August 2021, the U.S. Department of Education published a report offering strategies for how states should use ARP funds to support families and reengage students for the return of in-person learning. The DoE report said, ‘Rebuilding from COVID-19 is an opportunity to reexamine and strengthen school policies,’ and that some school systems may see a need for a ‘culture shift’ to ensure schools ‘reopen equitably for all students.’ … The DoE report said school districts should ‘implement strategies designed for systemic change at the local and school level.’ ‘Educators should evaluate and reflect on their school culture, climate, and policies and can use well-designed survey tools to learn what practices may be keeping all students from feeling safe, included, and academically challenged and supported,’ the report said. ‘Based on this information, they should commit to making improvements to achieve the goal of safe, inclusive, and supportive learning environments.’” (“California, New York, Illinois Used COVID-19 Relief Funds To Push CRT In Schools,” Fox News, 4/28/2022)

“Applications were due on June 7, 2021, and at least $46.5 billion from the ARP ESSER fund has been allocated to 13 states, including California, New York and Illinois, that are planning to use the funds to implement CRT in their schools.” (“California, New York, Illinois Used COVID-19 Relief Funds To Push CRT In Schools,” Fox News, 4/28/2022)

• “The California Department of Education was awarded $15.1 billion in ARP ESSER funding to implement its schools reopening plan, which included $1.5 billion for training resources for school staff regarding ‘high-need topics,’ like ‘implicit bias training.’ The California DoE used funds to ‘increase educator training and resources’ in subjects such as ‘anti-bias strategies,’ ‘environmental literacy,’ ‘ethnic studies,’ and ‘LGBTQ+ cultural competency,’ according to the plan.” (“California, New York, Illinois Used COVID-19 Relief Funds To Push CRT In Schools,” Fox News, 4/28/2022)

• “The New York State Education Department (NYSED) was awarded $9 billion in ARP ESSER funding to implement its reopening plan, which supported ‘putting DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) at the heart of NYSED’s work with’ all local education agencies. The funds helped NYSED’s Civic Readiness Taskforce build a DEI plan to provide ‘staff development on topics such as culturally responsive sustaining instruction and student support practices, privilege, implicit bias, and reactions in times of stress.’ The approved plan also recommended that schools use social-emotional learning [SEL] to ‘support the work of anti-racism and anti-bias.’ … The plan, quoting the [NY State Board of Regents’] DEI framework, said ’equity warriors’ were currently working to create ‘more diverse, more equitable, and more inclusive’ school communities across the state, and that their efforts should be ‘recognized and applauded.’” (“California, New York, Illinois Used COVID-19 Relief Funds To Push CRT In Schools,” Fox News, 4/28/2022)

• “In Illinois, $5.1 billion in ARP ESSER funding was awarded to the state Board of Education for its reopening plan that implemented strategies with ‘an emphasis on equity and diversity.’ The plan provided school districts with training on topics like ‘anti-racism’ and equity, and allocated a percentage of funds to create a statewide coalition to help school districts offer grants for projects addressing ‘issues pertaining to interrupted learning and support groups that were disproportionately impacted by the pandemic (e.g., homeless, LGBQT [sic], marginalized communities).’” (“California, New York, Illinois Used COVID-19 Relief Funds To Push CRT In Schools,” Fox News, 4/28/2022)