Miguel Cardona was confirmed as President Joe Biden’s secretary of education Monday, having called for the return students to the classroom as a top priority, despite threats of some teachers unions to ignore court orders to go back to in-person instruction.
The U.S. Senate voted 64-33 to confirm the 45-year-old Cardona, who has been Connecticut’s education commissioner for the past year and a half.
Cardona is expected to have a major influence on Biden of achieving his stated goal of reopening the majority of elementary schools in his first 100 days. The CDC on Friday released a 33-page color-coded guidance for reopening schools, requiring masks, distancing and other protocols, but did not make vaccinations for teachers a prerequisite.
During his Senate testimony, Cardona praised “great examples throughout our country of schools that have been able to reopen safely.”
His confirmation comes as more and more parents advocacy groups demand the reopening of schools while teachers unions continue to resist.
Cardona will have little authority to force schools to reopen. He likely will have the responsibility for devising protocols and using his position to achieve the goal.
He also will likely have to face a growing number of mental health issues among students, which studies have shown have increased in the past year.
Source: Newmax
