And for families across the country,
you know the school year.
Gosh, it always brings this sort
of mix of emotions for all of us.
You know all at once.
We feel the anticipation of
new classmates and teachers.
You know, the relief of not having to hear.
I'm bored again and again.
And the anxiety of juggling your
family's complicated schedule.
And that was all before
the uncertainties of COVID.
Now, like a single like,
a cough can start your heart racing
and you know because you know that
a quarantine could send your kids
home and up end your life once again.
Parents.
This is hard.
But you're doing your best and I
want you to know that you're not alone.
As a teacher for more than
30 years and a mom,
I've seen that classrooms are so
much more than places where our
children learn math and reading.
We've all seen it.
You know,
when our kids make friends that last
for years when they learn to settle
disagreements or find confidence
when they try out for sports teams.
And parents rely on schools too.
Heading to our own jobs
or pursuing our education.
Knowing that our kids are in an
environment that we can trust and
that's why I am so grateful for
the educators who helped us through
the last year, right, Miguel?
You know the cafeteria workers
who spent long hours making
sandwiches for hungry families?
Teachers who re taught lessons at night
for students who couldn't use their
family computer during the day because
maybe a sibling was on his or her
class bus drivers drove Wi-Fi hotspots
to neighborhoods with no connection.
Counselors took call after
call from parents in tears.
Just trying to juggle it all.
When families needed help the most.
Educators answered the
call with all of my heart.
Thank you for being the
heroes that we needed.
Today our administration is making
sure that schools like Brooklyn
have the resources and the support
they need to bring students back
to class where they belong.
And we are going to partner with you because
we can't always know what the future holds.
But we do know what we owe our children.
We owe them a promise to keep their
schools open as safe as possible.
We owe them a commitment
to follow the science.
We owe them unity so that we can
fight the virus, not each other.
As we move forward, it's going to
take all of us students and families,
educators and local leaders,
cities and states coming together to make
this school year the best it can be.
Joe puts students at their families.
The educators at the heart of everything
his administration is doing to defeat
and recover from this pandemic.
And as a teacher myself,
I couldn't be more proud to stand beside him.
We are committed to working as
hard for your children as you do.
What an impressive young man. You know?
When I was your age,
you're going to sit down,
baby, you understand yeah,
we're gonna sit down no,
you don't have to.
Why did you when I was your age in 8th grade?
It wasn't a bad student,
but I wasn't a bad athlete.
But I tell you what.
I could no more do with.
You just did then fly because
I used to talk to talk.
Talk like like that I stuttered.
And especially when I had
to do something in public.
Or read aloud. And.
And I am amazed when I see young
women and men like you and stand up
and speak with such grace and ease.
It's really impressive.
Really, really impressive.
Well folks. This is not
like the school I went to.
When they said we were going to speak
outside I've I wonder why the hell
are we going up the only stairs.
I thought we'd be out in the parking lot.
I mean for real.
That's what I thought were gonna be.
Elijah, thank you for the introduction.
Angela, along with Secretary
Cardona and Mayor Bowser here,
because we want you to know how
very proud of very proud of you
and your classmates, we all are.
I also want to thank Principal Richardson.
I was kidding him.
I'm saying I like this.
This school is really something else.
And the way we talked
about the interfacing of
all the students and the social educations
taking place and how things are changing.
And and Chancellor Ferebee I told you.
I think that's maybe the part of job
and about anything I can think of.
But thank you, you're doing a heckuva job.
We know the start of the school
year is an excellent time to mix
anticipation and nervousness,
and the pandemic adds that mix of emotions.
And I think I think about all
the parents I've talked to since
it started this pandemic.
Worried about the loss of learning that
their child with missed opportunities,
but child is having because so
many of them had to stay at home.
All had to stay at home,
but so many I'm didn't have access to
the Internet didn't have access to.
I mean, it just was.
They didn't have the equipment.
Worried about whether or not the
school lunch program was going to
still be available. So much anxiety.
And it's not just academics.
It's the friendship
and the socialization,
and maybe equally as consequential.
You know, it's access to
critical services like meals,
school counseling and that
helps these students stay
physically and mentally alert.
But I wanna I want folks to
know that we're going to be OK.
We're going to be OK. We
know what it takes to keep our
children safe and our schools open
and we have the tools to do it.
Last night I laid out a plan for
the fall to beat this pandemic and
basically as six parts vaccinate the
unvaccinated and thank you for getting
the vaccination and thank your parents
for doing that and protect them. Two
is to protect the vaccinated three
is increased testing and masking
forward to take care of people with
COVID 5 is that keep our economy
going in six is keep our children
safe and in school or schools open.
Now any parent.
Now for any parent, it doesn't matter
how low the risk of any illness is,
when it could happen to your child.
But we all know if schools follow the
science and they are here and implement
safety measures like vaccinations, testing,
masking then children can be safe in schools,
safe from COVID-19.
My plan does all these things.
On vaccinations it comes down to
two separate categories,
children ages 12 and older,
like Elijah who are eligible for
vaccines and he got his children ages
11 and under who are not yet eligible.
The safest thing you can do for your child
traveling over is get them vaccinated.
That's it. Simple, plain straightforward.
Get them vaccinated so parents
get your teenagers vaccinated.
You've got them vaccinated for
all kinds of other things.
Measles, mumps, rubella.
For them to go to school
to be able to play sports,
they've had to have those vaccinations,
get them vaccinated.
COVID-19 vaccine is easy,
it is safe, and it's convenient,
and we work to bring the vaccine clinics.
Still our schools as well,
Mayor Bowser's done one heck
of a job setting.
You know,
you really have in there.
Going to heck of a job across the board.
I really mean that,
but you set up vaccination clinics
about in about 20 school sites,
including here in Brooklyn.
Where the kids are going to continue
through the month of September.
So there's really no excuse to not be able.
You can get vaccinated.
It's not like it's so distant to do.
You know, we're given prizes,
incentives encourage children
and families to get the shots.
And look, their efforts are working.
65% of the children ages 12
to 17 here in DC have gotten
at least one shot like Elijah.
That's incredible.
That's one of the highest rates in
the nation for children between
the ages of 12 and 17.
And for students here at Brooklyn,
once you all get vaccinated,
you're invited to a special
visit at the White House.
I know I'm gonna get in trouble with
the Secret Service and everybody else.
I'm not sure how we're going to
mechanically do it, but I assume the
buses can get you the White House.
And if we can't get you all in one
room will be out in the Rose Garden
or out in the back there and maybe
let you fly the helicopters or not.
I'm only joking about that.
I was just downstairs in the science class.
It's amazing that you saw it mayor.
It's amazing these kids are excited about
building a vehicle that can land on the moon.
I really mean it and I asked him, I said.
How many you want to go to the moon?
Everybody but one said they
wanted to go to the moon.
I asked how many want to go to Mars and I
think they all raised their hand as well,
but it's really and they're excited about it.
Now the best way for parents to predict
a child under 12 starts at home,
every parent, every teen sibling,
every caregiver around them
should be vaccinated.
Children have four times higher chance
of getting hospitalized if they live
in an area with low vaccination rates
rather than high vaccination rates.
It goes through the home as well.
There's a live action racing vaccination
rate in the home is submitting
significantly diminishes the possibilities.
Now,
if you're a parent of a young child,
you're wondering when will the
vaccine be available for them?
I strongly support independent
scientific review of vaccine
usage for children under 12.
But I've told them I will do
everything within my power to support
the Food and Drug Administration.
The FDA on its ongoing efforts to do the
science as safely and as quickly as possible,
and our nation's doctors will keep
the public updated on the process so
parents can have a plan to give them the
sense of what progress is being made.
The vaccinations of our educators
today about 90% of school staff
and teachers are vaccinated.
We should have that at 100%.
We're requiring vaccinations for
teachers where I have authority
to required who work in U.S.
government and and educators and head start,
which is a federal program because
it's funded by the federal government.
But I'm calling on all governors
to require vaccination for all
teachers and staff.