Joe Biden vows to reopen schools after 100 days on job

Last week Biden said he would ask Americans to commit to 100 days of wearing masks as one of his first acts as president

(KYMA, KECY) - President-elect Joe Biden vows to bring the coronavirus pandemic under enough control to reopen schools during his 100 days as president.

Biden says the promise is dependent on Congress providing sufficient funds to protect returning students, teachers, and staff.

However, final decisions on reopening schools would fall to state and local officials but nonetheless promised to enlist federal agencies to establish “basic, objective criteria” for doing so. 

“It should be a national priority to get our kids back into school and keep them in school,” Biden said. “If Congress provides the funding, we need to protect students, educators and staff. If states and cities put strong public health measures in place that we all follow, then my team will work to see that the majority of our schools can be open by the end of my first 100 days.”

Last week, Biden said he would ask Americans to commit to 100 days of wearing masks as one of his first acts as president.

RELATED STORY: Biden urges America to mask up for 100 days

The first coronavirus vaccine from drugmaker Pfizer is expected to be endorsed by a panel of Food and Drug Administration advisers as soon as this week.

While still a candidate, Biden released a plan in July for resuming in-person classroom instruction during the pandemic that promised to send Congress an emergency funding package to help schools reopen with a price tag worth up to $30 billion.

Those included districts securing necessary funding to reconfigure classrooms for better social distancing, procuring protective equipment and devising plans to accommodate at-risk teachers and students.