Dems, union leaders responsible for school lockdowns face few repercussions, despite evidence that kids harmed

The Democrats responsible for keeping public schools closed during the COVID-19 pandemic have faced zero repercussions more than two years after the lockdowns that left millions of children behind and in crisis.

School closures in the U.S. have had a devastating impact on children’s mental health, development, and future earnings potential. According to data released last month by the National Center for Education Statistics, 70% of U.S. public schools have reported an increase in students seeking mental health services since the start of the pandemic. A study published by the conservative think tank Just Facts reported that the mental stressors brought about by school closures will destroy seven times more years of life than lockdowns saved. 

A study by the American Enterprise Institute also found that nearly 1.3 million students have left public schools since the pandemic began, and schools that stayed remote longer saw even more students leave. The World Bank reported last month that the school closures will cost this generation of students $21 trillion in earnings over their lifetimes, which is far more than the $17 trillion estimated in 2021.

A working paper first released in October 2020, which examined over 10,000 school districts across the country and their reopening plans, found that partisan politics and teachers union strength in a particular area had far more influence on schools reopening than science or local health guidance. 

“Altogether, we find little evidence that the reopening plans adopted by the nation’s 13,000+ school boards were linked to the public health conditions on the ground in their local community,” the study found. 

Evidence shows the main drivers behind the…