‘Reckless’: Educators react to being declared as essential by White House

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) —  The White House is formally declaring teachers essential workers as part of their efforts to encourage schools around the country to reopen for in-person learning. The move is just the latest in the administration’s campaign to encourage districts into bringing back students this fall.

Under the designation, educators are considered critical to the infrastructure, meaning that they can continue to work even after exposure to a confirmed case of COVID-19, provided they remain asymptomatic.

Barbara Anderson, a former teacher and president of the NC Association of Retired Educators in New Hanover County, says she can’t imagine teachers would put others at risk that way.

She adds she could not live with herself if she were to transmit the virus to a student and they were to become very ill or even die.

“Comments like that and some of his other statements we find to be reckless,” Anderson said. “He dismisses the science, he dismisses the public health officials, he dismisses all of the facts and it puts all of our teachers and our children at risk.”