ICYMI: Senator Scott Out Front on Fight to Reopen Schools

CHARLESTON, S.C.—Today, U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.) was live on America’s Newsroom calling for the immediate reopening of our nation’s schools. He highlighted the science that supports the reopening of schools, the plight of poor children losing irreplaceable opportunities for life-changing education, and the psychological effects the lockdown is having on young Americans.   

  Click photo above to watch. Click here for full segment.

On the effects of school lockdowns on minority kids: “If we want to look at a way to destroy the economic potential of minority communities throughout this country, let’s keep kids out of school even longer.”

On the psychological effects on our nation’s children: “31% increase in kids going to the emergency room for emotional reasons and challenges. That’s black kids, brown kids, white kids… all kids. When you look at the suicide increase in our kids, we have to take seriously the importance of a child being back in school because it saves lives. It educates the future of America and improves the outcome of families who are literally at their wits’ end…”

On the future economic mobility of kids on school lockdowns: “11 months out of the classroom is devastating to their future earning potential and eliminates the ability to catch up in K-12.”

Earlier this month, Senator Scott released the following statement on his bill to withhold additional supplemental funding from schools that do not reopen for in-person learning after teachers have received a COVID-19 vaccine.

“Keeping our nation’s students out of the classroom for a year is permanently injuring the educational aspirations and opportunities of an entire generation. The children most negatively impacted are those who are growing up poor, just like I did.  While teacher unions and their allies continue to change the rules as we go, we must be clear: if you have been vaccinated, it’s time to get back into the classroom.” 

Senator Scott also recently wrote a piece on Fox News about how school choice matters more than ever before in light of the coronavirus pandemic. You can read his opinion piece HERE.

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