Message to America’s Parents - Sept. 1, 2020

It’s back to school season, but it sure feels different than any other year. So, let me talk directly to you moms and dads across America about something that’s weighing heavily on your minds, and on mine.

How can your daughter, your son safely continue to learn and grow this fall? You were disappointed last spring when your kids couldn’t finish the school year with their friends. You tried your best to step up to the plate and become a full-time teacher yourself. In addition to keeping your day job, all the while worrying about your family’s health and safety. Now, as we approach fall, you're told you may have to go it alone- again. It’s a lot. But it doesn’t have to be this way. President Donald Trump and I are fighting every day for more options for every student and every family. And let me clear up at least one thing right now: no one is suggesting that every single child must be behind a desk in a classroom full-time, or that health realities on the ground won’t cause temporary disruptions.

We do, however, believe that, as a rule, schools must be open for in-person learning as an option for the families who want or need it. More broadly, we believe families need more options than ever to find the right fit. If you want or need to send your child to school in-person, we support you.

If virtual learning is the best for your family, we support you. If you want to attend a school other than your government assigned public school, we support you.

President Trump and I support Senator Tim Scott’s bipartisan School Choice Now Act, which would provide scholarships to families to choose the best educational setting for their child. And teachers, if you want to teach in-person we support you too. If your health requires you to teach virtually we support you. At the end of the day we want everyone to have the choice to make the best decision for themselves.

Each of you needs to be able to choose what's best for your own families because you know your children and their circumstance better than anyone. Your child. Your school. Your way. No matter what you choose for your children, we all want it to be effective and safe. My husband, Dick, and I are parents too. I’m a mom. I’m a grandmother. I want each and every child in America to have the same opportunities-and more-that my own kids had.

None of us asked for this pandemic, but generally no challenge is invited. We meet this head on because we’re parents. It’s what we do. Before we know it, our children will be grown, but today is their only chance to be 5 or 9 or 15 or 18. Let’s not deprive them of all the wonderful things that can only come from a full-time, challenging, world-class education. I know we can do this.