National Teachers Union Head Defends Resisting Return to Schools, Blames Trump and DeVos

People who are part of standout protest organized by the American Federation of Teachers chant, hold signs, and raise their fists outside of the Massachusetts State House in Boston, Mass., on Aug. 19, 2020. Scott Eisen/Getty Images

Randi Weingarten, the head of America’s largest teachers’ union, on Monday defended the public school teachers’ push back against calls to return to classrooms, blaming the Trump administration for not providing resources and guidance they need to safely resume in-person work.

“Every school teacher I know would rather be in person with their kids,” said Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), during an interview with the Washington Journal on C-SPAN. “We know what kids are missing right now. But everyone has a right to be safe.”