New texts reveal how Randi Weingarten worked behind the scenes to keep schools closed
Jack Elbaum
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In May 2021, it was revealed that Randi Weingarten, the leader of the nation’s second-largest teachers union, significantly influenced Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines on reopening schools earlier that year. In the lead-up to the “highly anticipated” Feb. 12, 2021 guidelines, the union president and another top union official were in regular contact with CDC Director Rochelle Walensky, providing their input in an effort to influence final recommendations. The New York Post reported that “the lobbying paid off. In at least two instances, language ‘suggestions’ offered by the union were adopted nearly verbatim into the final text of the CDC document.”
However, what we did not know at the time was that outside of emails, Weingarten and Walensky were chumming it up over text as well.
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New texts, released as the result of a Freedom of Information Act request by the Fairfax County Parents Association, tell a remarkable story of the impact a mere word from Weingarten could have on supposedly scientific and evidence-based CDC guidelines.
Here’s the story: The CDC was prepared to release new school reopening guidelines on Feb. 12, 2021, that said, “At any level of transmission, all schools can provide in-person instruction (either full or hybrid) through strict adherence to mitigation strategies.”
Someone at the New York Times leaked this information to Weingarten. And because she was angry about this, and it was apparently “at odds” with what they had previously discussed, she proceeded to text Walensky and ask to get on a call to discuss.
Fast forward one day and the CDC guidelines were released. Miraculously, they contained different language than the New York Times had leaked to Weingarten. Instead of saying all schools “can” provide in-person instruction, they said all schools have the “option” to. In other words, rather than making reopening an expectation, the final guidelines ensured it was a mere “option” among many.
Thanks, Randi.
When Weingarten saw this, she was understandably happy. She texted Walensky an attachment to the final, released guidelines with a short message just reading “Thank you.” Walensky responded, “This gave me the biggest smile of the week. Thank YOU, Friend!”
The change Weingarten prompted likely kept millions of children out of school for longer than they otherwise would have been. Even into mid-April of 2021, there were some states — including the biggest in the country, California — that had very few children learning in person.
This episode raises several questions, the first being why should a teachers union head, a person who clearly has a certain set of personal interests, be able to influence guidelines supposedly based on evidence and science so significantly? Weingarten does not have an interest in working in the best interest of children, and she doesn’t do so. She also doesn’t have an interest in pushing guidelines to be aligned with whatever the data say, and she doesn’t. Rather, Weingarten has an interest in doing what is most beneficial, or cushiest, for her union members and for herself — which often directly conflicts with what is best for students and the country as a whole. This should exclude her from having a real say over CDC guidelines.
Moreover, this episode should lead us to question what exactly the CDC was basing its school reopening guidelines on. Was it based on the latest evidence, or was it based on political considerations? Over time, it has become clear that the guidelines were often based on the latter, but this latest revelation hammers that fact home.
We now know how harmful school closures were. They were a major contributor to the rise in anxiety and depression among children during the pandemic, as well as the months of learning loss that children are still struggling, and ultimately failing, to make up for.
It would be one thing if schools were closed due to unfortunate necessity; however, it is a scandal that they were closed because of pure politics.
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Jack Elbaum is a summer 2023 Washington Examiner fellow.