Fauci Took The Fifth. America’s Kids Never Got That Option.

Anthony Fauci appeared before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on July 29 and refused to answer more than 100 questions. He invoked the Fifth Amendment, citing his right against self-incrimination. The committee voted 8-5 to hold him in contempt of Congress, preparing to refer the case to the Justice Department. Millions of American schoolchildren received no hearing, no appeal, and no legal recourse during prolonged school closures, which were largely dictated by public health officials and unions. School closures began in March 2020 and extended well into 2021, with many districts remaining closed for months. The decision to keep schools shut was influenced by guidance issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and supported by the American Federation of Teachers (AFT). In December 2024, the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic released its final report following a two-year investigation. The report revealed that the CDC granted the AFT privileged access to its reopening guidelines, allowing the union to contribute directly to shaping policy. This unprecedented collaboration raised concerns about the influence of political interests on public health decisions. The AFT, led by Randi Weingarten, opposed reopening and imposed conditions on its cooperation. These included a controversial “automatic closure trigger” that could close schools based on unspecified criteria. The subcommittee found that these interventions contributed to the prolonged closure of schools, which lasted far beyond what public health data suggested was necessary. Parents and educators alike had long argued that the risks to children were minimal and that the closures disrupted education unnecessarily. The consequences of these policies are evident in academic performance metrics. The 2024 Nation’s Report Card showed a decline in reading scores for fourth- and eighth-grade students, with scores falling five points below 2019 levels. A third of eighth graders performed below the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Basic level, marking the highest proportion ever recorded. High school seniors also saw a drop in reading scores, averaging 10 points lower than the initial assessment in 1992. In mathematics, 45% of high school seniors scored below the Basic level just weeks before graduation. Congress allocated $189.5 billion for school relief, yet academic achievement continued to decline. The human toll extends beyond test scores. Emergency room visits for suspected suicide attempts among girls aged 12 to 17 increased by 50.6% during a four-week period in early 2021 compared to the same timeframe in 2019. Economist Eric Hanushek estimated that pandemic-era learning loss could result in a $31 trillion loss in lifetime earnings across the nation, with individual students potentially losing between 2 and 9% of their future income. The impact of remote learning persists. Students who relied on virtual instruction may continue to face long-term economic disadvantages. Despite the scale of harm, none of the individuals or organizations responsible have faced meaningful consequences. Randi Weingarten, who led the AFT during the height of the crisis, was recently re-elected as president of the union, which boasts 1.875 million members. Her leadership continues to promote a narrative that positions teachers as defenders of democracy, despite her role in shaping policies that affected millions of children. The situation underscores a broader issue: the intersection of public health guidance, political influence, and educational outcomes. Parents who challenged school closures were often dismissed as opponents of science, while school board meetings became battlegrounds for families seeking to return their children to classrooms. The National School Boards Association even advised the White House that conflicts with parents could be considered domestic terrorism. This environment of resistance and defiance highlights the deep divisions surrounding the handling of the pandemic's educational impact.