Beth Ann Rosica: U.S. House report vindicates parents who fought to keep schools open
“Truth is usually the best vindication against slander,” wrote Abraham Lincoln in 1864 in the midst of the Civil War. Some 160 years later, those words still hold relevance.
As a parent who fiercely advocated to open schools and eliminate masking, social distancing, and quarantine requirements, I feel partially vindicated by the 500+ page report issued by the U.S. House Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic.
In 2020, I pushed back on Governor Tom Wolf’s orders to close schools for two weeks, then six weeks, and eventually the rest of the school year. Despite my predictions of academic decline, deterioration of mental and physical health, and exponential child abuse, Wolf and every elected Democrat in the state of Pennsylvania ignored me.
I was called a “traitor,” “murderer,” “Q-Anon conspiracy theorist,” “right-wing Christian nationalist,” “racist,” and “transphobe.” My children were bullied at school and in the community because I spoke out and refused to be silenced. Friends and neighbors stopped speaking to me and labeled me as “selfish” because I wanted my kids and other kids to have access to full-time in-person instruction.
We organized rallies to implore our school board to open schools and to compel the Chester County Health Department to lift their ridiculous guidance requiring six feet of social distancing. I deleted my Facebook account because the woke mob kept coming after me and I would not back down.
And finally, this month, almost four years after these tragic events, the subcommittee released the “After Action Review of the Covid-19 Pandemic: the lessons learned and a path forward” report. While there were no surprises in that report for me personally, I finally received some much awaited vindication.
This is not about being right. I sincerely wish that my predictions had been wrong, but sadly they were gross underrepresentations. The current generation of children may never recover from the damage done during extended school closures, masking and social distancing. And that is why it is not enough to simply document what happened — we need to hold individuals accountable for their actions.
The subcommittee report is comprehensive, as they “sent 100 investigative letters, conducted 38 transcribed interviews or depositions, held 25 hearings or meetings, and reviewed more than one million pages of documents from dozens of custodians” as a part of the process.
Their findings span many topics, including confirmation that the virus originated in a lab in China, gross mismanagement of Covid-relief funds, a coordinated effort by public health officials to ignore natural immunity, and the lack of science to support vaccine mandates.
While those are all important findings, the ones of most interest to me are about the extended school closures, masking, social distancing, and the undue influence of the national teachers’ union in these policy areas.
The report confirms there was no “science” to support extended school closures, masking, or social distancing. Furthermore, Dr. Anthony Fauci lied to the American public, and state and local health departments blindly followed his guidance. I hope that he is held accountable for his actions.
The press release issued on December 2, 2024, regarding the report summarizes the findings.
Regarding school closures, “the ‘science’ never justified prolonged school closures. Children were unlikely to contribute to the spread of Covid-19 or suffer severe illness or mortality. Instead, as a result of school closures, children experienced historic learning loss, higher rates of psychological distress, and decreased physical well-being.”
Regarding social distancing, “the ‘6 feet apart’ social distancing recommendation — which shut down schools and small business across the country — was arbitrary and not based on science. During closed door testimony, Dr. Fauci testified that the guidance, ‘sort of just appeared.’”
Pertaining to social distancing, “there was no conclusive evidence that masks effectively protected Americans from Covid-19. Public health officials flipped-flopped on the efficacy of masks without providing Americans scientific data — causing a massive uptick in public distrust.”
These findings reveal that the majority of school districts in Pennsylvania followed not only poor but misguided recommendations — which were not rooted in science — from their local, state, and federal health departments. It also questions whether school districts may be liable for the consequences of extended school closures and forcibly masking children against their parent’s wishes.
Furthermore, the report shows that the Center for Disease Control (CDC) colluded with the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), a national political labor union, to keep schools closed.
“Schools remained closed longer than necessary because of AFT’s political interference in the CDC’s school reopening guidance. AFT is a political union, not a scientific organization, that advocated for mitigation efforts that prolonged school closures — including an automatic closure ‘trigger,’” the report said.
The full report contains 27 pages (pages 411 to 437) documenting the AFT’s unique undue influence with the CDC. No other agency had as much influence on the school re-opening guidance than this politically-motivated labor union. “Testimony revealed that AFT President Weingarten had a direct telephone line to contact former CDC Director Walensky.”
The report also properly confirms that the union attempted to rewrite history and pretend that they were focused on re-opening schools when the evidence clearly shows otherwise. “While AFT and Ms. Weingarten have attempted to rewrite history by arguing that they were always trying to reopen the schools, this simply is not true. AFT continually pushed for school closures throughout the pandemic.”
I am thankful for this report and those who produced it for exposing to the American people what I knew all along — school closures and bogus mitigation measures, like masking and distancing, were never based on science, rather it was all based on politics. And while I feel partially vindicated personally, this does nothing to address the magnitude of dire consequences facing our children who were forced to suffer under these illegal and immoral policies.
Unlike Randi Weingarten, I will not allow those who not only supported but implemented and pushed these policies on the rest of us to rewrite history. Rather, every elected official and every appointed bureaucrat who backed these mandates should be held accountable.
Every elected school director who voted to keep schools closed or illegally mask children should step down now. Every county and state health director who blindly followed the CDC and Fauci’s guidance should step down now. And if these people do not step down, parents and citizens should take steps to have them removed from their positions.
We owe it to our children to hold accountable the elected officials and appointed bureaucrats who created this potentially unrecoverable crisis. Actions have consequences, and it is time for those responsible to face the ramifications of their decisions.
Beth Ann Rosica resides in West Chester, has a Ph.D. in Education, and has dedicated her career to advocating on behalf of at-risk children and families. She covers education issues for Broad + Liberty. Contact her at barosica@broadandliberty.com.
I suspect the “we didn’t know” “we were bamboozled,” defenses will now come into play to justify shedding any responsibility for the catastrophe foisted on our children. I am firmly convinced the health “professionals” and the “expert educators” and the teachers unions all knew or suspected that all of the recommendations/mandates were bogus, but self-interest and greed (and in certain instances, “progressive ideology”) won out and the children just shoved into some dark hole to exist like Dicken’s “Oliver Twist.” This is why I will always support school choice and full parental control. Kudos to you Beth Ann.
Amen Dr. Rosica! As a college professor, I witness first hand the decline in students’ abilities to read, write, and think. I sincerely hope that the entire US Department of Education gets eliminated under this new administration so that finally, we can begin to put children first again.
So once again Miss Rosica is presenting snake oil as credible science.
Schools should have been kept open – Because according to Dr. Oz, who may be the head of Medicaid and Medicare, only 2% to 3% of students would have died. I have no doubt that Miss. Rosica would have no problem telling the parents of those students that schools should remain open and fatalities were an acceptable.
Natural immunity works and vaccines do not – Even though vaccines in the Western nations have been in use since the 1800’s and to this day they prevent death from Cholera, Tetanus, Scarlett Fever, Mumps, Rubella, and Polio. To name a few. natural immunity only works if the disease kill you and could maim you.
“We owe it to our children to hold accountable the elected officials and appointed bureaucrats who created this potentially unrecoverable crisis. Actions have consequences, and it is time for those responsible to face the ramifications of their decisions.” – Does that include Trump? As the President he makes the final decision. It was Trump he ordered the shutdown, it was Trump who said no Americans would die from Covid, it was Trump who said it would disappear like magic, and it was Trump who told people that Ivermectin would cure Covid.
“I deleted my Facebook account because the woke mob kept coming after me and I would not back down. – You are not the victim, you are the instigator who spread lies.
Judah, this is based on an extensive Congressional Report. Not Dr. Oz. Trump didn’t shut down the states, in fact by Easter 2020 he was requesting that the Democrat Governors reopen and they refused, which is why we needed a ballot initiative in May 2021 to strip Wolf of the powers he was abusing.
I’m sure it’s hard to reconcile how poorly you treated people who ended up being right, but we can all read the report for ourselves to see the truth that you seem desperate to deny.
Congressional reports are biased based on the beliefs of the members of the committee. In this case the members were looking for a way to prove that Covid was mishandled. Dr Oz did not shut down the states, he did state that a mortality rate of 2% to 3% for children was acceptable to keep the schools open. Would you have been willing to let one of your children to be part of that group in the name of junk science
1,219,487 Americans died from Covid, if we had failed to take the actions during this time that number would have been higher. When Trump pushed for Churches to reopen during Easter 2020 it was to placate his Christian base.
Everything is biased that you disagree with. We get it and clearly no amount of evidence will change your mind. For a small portion of the population, the illusion has been quite effective. Fortunately, as evidenced by the election results, most Americans have woken up from the delusions and realize what happened and how we avoid repeating the same masks. A small minority will forever mask, alone, in their cars. We can’t save everyone.
Do you know why people mask in their cars? Because when you are running multiple errands its easier to eave the mask on than constantly take it on and off. 1,219,487 Americans died from Covid, why don’t you go ask their friends and family if their deaths were worth it.
Two of the committee members were Marjorie Taylor Greene who has claimed that the Rothchild Family, who are Jewish, were firing lasers from space to start forest fires in California and Ronny Jackson, who was the White House M.D. under Trump and got caught running a pill mill. That tells me the level of bias that was involved.
Hindsight is always 20/20, but to use it to attack pasy years’ policies is intellectually dishonesty.
Moreover, many of us went along with school closings and social distancing because we had elderly parents living in our homes and we feared our school-aged children bringing the virus home and infecting their grandparents. We also knew that the country was facing a new and utterly unprecedented situation, so it school boards and such wanted to err on the side of caution, we were OK with that, since it would be more likely to keep our parents and grandparents alive.
I’m sure it’s very gratifying to have a report that appears to vindicate your opinions, but it’s of very limited usefulness now. Fighting old battles accomplishes nothing, and it’s not convincing us that we should listen to you more often.
Enough already. I
You have indeed been a warrior. Myself, I took a different approach. The retaliation you received, I’m right there with you sister! I got pushed to the line that I stood in front of Pennsylvania State Police on my constitutional rights. Telling them their actions were unlawful and being done in their private person capacity. I turned around, hands behind my back and said “I will submit to your UNLAWFUL arrest”. I didn’t make them do anything. Everything they did after that pronouncement (witnessed by many, videoed by myself and others), was their premeditated choice. Following orders? Nuermberg has something to say about that. I digress. My journey has been going on for (2) years and still no trial, no spectators, no patriots (except one who is a champion willing to step into the courthouse of depravity). Did you know that the Constitution is eviscerated once you enter that building? Not even those with disabilities can obtain equal access. I love that you fought as hard and long as you have, and continue to flame the fire of freedom and liberty. Our rights are our own to claim, we can’t claim them for anyone else. Stand tall, proud knowing who the real KING is, not the faux image or idol which instills fear on most of Americans.
Read the report. And please, try to put your political hat away. By now, most of us know and understand what happened before, during, and after covid. It’s not pretty, it was intentional, and 2 generations of kids will be forever affected by the corruption of the democrat party and their beneficiaries. Americans cannot allow this to go without accountability! The lawyers and the new administration need to find a way to hold the heads of state, local, teachers unions, school boards, Healthcare participants, to some form of punitive and financial restitution to our children. It’s just a shame they held the report for so long, and I’m guessing it wouldn’t of seen the light of day if Trump hadn’t won the election.
Did you put your political beliefs when Trump had impeachment charges filed against him twice, the results of the January 6th Committee, or when Trump was convicted of sexually assaulting E. Jean Carroll? Or did you claim it was lawfare.
The committee behind this report had 8 Republicans and 6 Democrats, not including the two committee heads was biased from the outset. Given the fact that a known conspiracy theorist and a former White House MD who ran a pill mill while serving under Trump were part of the committee.
Hindsight is always 20/20, but to use it to attack pasy years’ policies is intellectually dishonest.
Moreover, many of us went along with school closings and social distancing because we had elderly parents living in our homes and we feared our school-aged children bringing the virus home and infecting their grandparents. We also knew that the country was facing a new and utterly unprecedented situation, so it school boards and such wanted to err on the side of caution, we were OK with that, since it would be more likely to keep our parents and grandparents alive.
I’m sure it’s very gratifying to have a report that appears to vindicate your opinions, but it’s of very limited usefulness now. Fighting old battles accomplishes nothing, and it’s not convincing us that we should listen to you more often.
Enough already. I
“Nil terribile nisi ipse timor”, or “Nothing is terrible except fear itself.” – Francis Bacon, 1623. It is wise to study history.
The few reasonable people, like Beth Ann Roscia, willing to use the system, instead of violence to stand up to these tyrants are the very people that prevented others, not as smart nor reasonable, from being violent. You should thank Beth Ann Roscia more than you realize.
The United States Government used your tax money to fund reckless and dangerous lab research to develop weapons. People abused their power. And those elected officials and every appointed bureaucrat that abused their power should be held accountable by every legal avenue.