Pa. attorney general says he’ll back schools threatened with loss of funding for not reopening in-person classes

Pennsylvania’s attorney general said Tuesday that he will get involved if the federal government withholds funding from your child’s school if that school doesn’t reopen for in-person instruction.

Attorney General Josh Shapiro made those comments in a letter to school superintendents across the state, following comments from the U.S. Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos.

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DeVos suggested schools that remain closed to in-person classes this fall could face a loss of federal funding.

Shapiro said that he decided to speak out after hearing from several school districts about what DeVos said.

“While Secretary DeVos’ threats have been vague, the Trump Administration has limited authority to withhold properly appropriated federal funding to schools in the Commonwealth,” Shapiro wrote to the superintendents. “The Constitution makes clear that Congress, not the Executive Branch, has the power to appropriate federal funds and to attach conditions to those funds.”

Shapiro urged school leaders to keep student safety and public health as the highest priority as they consider plans to reopen and promised to take “appropriate action,” should the federal government move to withhold funds.

Most local schools that have announced their plans have opted for programs that include in-person instruction and online options for those hesitant to return to school. Some plans call for certain groups of students to attend on alternate days to keep class size down and allow for social distancing.

School reopening plans issued for some local school districts School reopening plans issued for some local school districts

Cox Media Group