By Lily Altavena | Arizona Republic
President Donald Trump on Tuesday said he would pressure governors to reopen schools in the fall, but Arizona’s school superintendent issued a statement afterward saying the state first will need to “get COVID-19 under control.”
Kathy Hoffman tweeted a statement on Tuesday in response to a White House event on school reopening where Trump made his remarks. While the president is pushing for schools to reopen, Hoffman expressed skepticism over the idea that Arizona schools are ready.
“Today’s discussion at the White House Summit on Safely Reopening America’s Schools did not reflect the magnitude or severity of Arizona’s growing public health crisis,” she wrote.
Hoffman wrote that she would welcome “more aggressive action” from Gov. Doug Ducey to help curb the spread of COVID-19. The governor most recently ordered a delay to the start of in-person classes, until at least Aug. 17. He also ordered the closing of several types of businesses that had reopened, including bars, gyms and movie theaters, until July 27.
