White House will be 'respectful' of states that can't reopen schools - Pence
"We’ll be very respectful of that," he said
The White House will be "very respectful" of states and local communities who determine they cannot fully reopen schools, Vice President Mike Pence said Wednesday.
Despite President Trump's insistence that all schools reopen, and his vow to pressure governors to do that, Pence acknowledged there could be places where case counts prevent a full return to classrooms, reports the CNN.
"I think we would account for the fact that while we hope every school in America is able to open this fall, there may be some states and local communities that given cases or positivity in that community may adjust to either a certain set of days or certain limitations," Pence said.
"We'll be very respectful of that," he said, adding it was "imperative" that states "take steps to get kids back into the classroom to the fullest extent possible."
He said the federal government would work with localities where outbreaks prevent a full return to in-person schooling.
Asked about Trump's threat earlier Wednesday to withhold funding to schools that do not reopen, Pence noted that most education funding comes from states but said that in discussions with Congress about new funding, "we're going to be looking for a way to give states a strong incentive and encouragement to get kids back to school."