The leader of a major teachers’ union is under fire for claiming she pushed to reopen schools quickly during COVID. Critics say this is a total rewrite of history. Republican leaders say her actions hurt kids and families during the pandemic.
Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin slammed Randi Weingarten, head of the American Federation of Teachers, for trying to act like she supported reopening schools. “She was my best supporter in getting elected because they kept schools shut,” Youngkin said. He pointed out that Virginia’s schools stayed closed for over a year, leading to some of the worst learning losses in the country. Kids struggled with math and reading after being stuck with online classes, and many parents lost trust in public schools.
Lawmakers accused Weingarten of working with the CDC to change school reopening rules. Emails showed her union got to edit the CDC’s guidelines before they were released. The changes included strict safety rules that made it harder for schools to reopen. Critics say this was about politics, not science. Weingarten denied any conspiracy, claiming her goal was to reopen schools safely. But Republicans called her claims “preposterous” and blamed her for keeping kids out of classrooms.
The fallout from school closures has sparked a parent revolt. Many families switched to homeschooling or private schools during the pandemic. States like Tennessee and Florida now let parents use taxpayer money for school choice programs. Support for school choice hit 71% in recent polls, with Democrats and Republicans backing it.
At the same time, President Donald Trump is moving to eliminate the Department of Education. Weingarten called this a “disaster,” saying it would hurt programs for poor and disabled kids. But conservatives argue the department is bloated and pushes political agendas instead of focusing on education. Youngkin praised Trump’s plan, saying cutting bureaucracy will let parents “decide what’s best for their children”.
The fight over schools has become a symbol of the culture wars. Critics say unions like Weingarten’s care more about power than kids. With test scores plunging and parents demanding change, the push for school choice keeps growing. As one expert put it, unions “overplayed their hand” and woke up a movement that could reshape American education.
