CBS Mornings They had as much fun with the Biden administration propaganda at 8:00 Eastern time, before their bizarre segment Feawning. Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson, the show brought in Education Secretary Miguel Cardona for just over six minutes of softballs from the left on reopened schools, student loans, Florida’s parental rights bill, and what’s needed to fill a dispiriting teacher shortage.
The first was mental health issues and poor learning caused by the coronavirus epidemic. Co-host and Democratic Party donor Gayle King lamented “the impact of this pandemic on the mental health and academic performance of students” with a study finding grade school students ended last school year “five months behind in math and four months behind on reading.”
King asked the question: “What needs to be done, what can be done, what should be done about students’ mental health? Parents are very concerned about this.”
Cardona used an extended runway to advertise a Education Department “guidance last year on how to support students as they come back in” and $130 million from the American Rescue Plan to bolster educators and make sure mental health of students is “the foundation” of post-COVID schools.
The second section involved the table hitting him from the left on student loans, including King wondering why President Biden can’t just “forgive” more debt and then co-host Tony Dokoupil citing pleas from Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA).
Fill-in co-host Vladimir Duthiers then brought up what liberals have (falsely) dubbed the “Don’t Say Gay” bill: “You called it hateful. Is the department of education planning to take action against this law. It’s something I have spoken with parents about. What did they tell you?”
Cardona spoke in a nauseating manner, saying that he “had a moving, very emotional conversation with students, parents, educators from Florida and I think the words of the students are most impactful.”
A high school senior called the bill. “pure hatred” and wished they had learned about sex when they were in preschool because that’s when “he knew he was different,”Cardona was paired that way with a parent, who claimed support for this bill means you support making “children…a pawn in…political games.”
Cardona approved the addition without any pushback “this is about protecting all students” For “bullies” (e.g. Republicans and Governor Ron DeSantis) who aren’t willing to let students “be who they are.”
Duthiers pressing on “what can you do,” Cardona stated that the federal government was and will continue to be “lifting up their voices”Ready to File Suitsuits “it’s unacceptable to — to bully, marginalize students”Who “need more mental health support.”
The final topic was genuinely important in that there’s a deficit in the profession, but what was comical and received no pushback on was Cardona’s insistence that teachers need a seat “at the table to talk about what schools should look like” (as if they didn’t currently) and that their “working conditions” need improved.
For anyone living under a rock, the Biden campaign and White House has been avowed supporters and beholden to teachers unions, so it’s a farce to claim schools — which were given billions in early 2021 — still need revamping to function.
Friday’s Team Biden PR campaign was brought to you by advertisers such as Dove and Tums. Follow the links to see their contact information at the MRC’s Conservatives Fight Back page.
To see the relevant CBS transcript from March 18, click “expand.”
CBS Mornings
March 18, 2022
Eastern, 7:52 AM[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Coming Up; Education Secretary Miguel Cardona]
GAYLE KING: Only onCBS Mornings, we’ll talk with Education Secretary Miguel Cardona.
(….)
Eastern, 8:01
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: The Pandemic’s Impact on Kids; Education Secretary Miguel Cardona on Schools Getting Back to Normal]
KING: This hour will begin with our ongoing concerns regarding the effects of the pandemic on mental health and academic performance for students. That is what we are all concerned about. A survey by McKinsey and Company found that by the end of the school year last year, students between kindergarten through 12th grade were on average — think about this — five months behind in math and four months behind on reading. Miguel Cardona is the Education Secretary. You’ll only see his interview on CBS Mornings. Thank you, Mr. Secretary. It’s nice to see you in person. You are the only one we see from this height.
MIGUEL CARDONA : Yes, it is. Good morning. We are so glad to be with you.
KING: I think you’re a good boy. It’s nice having you at the table. But let’s pick up that — pick up about students’ mental health. What can and should we do to improve students’ mental well-being? This is a concern for parents.
CARDONA – They are worried.
KING: The King of all Ages.
CARDONA : There is still much to do. You know, at the department, we — we put out a first of its kind guidance last year on how to support students as they come back in. The American Rescue Plan gave $130 million. We prioritize providing better mental health support for students and their families. This is what we’ve witnessed across the country. It’s no surprise that educators continue to amaze me. However, I believe it is crucial that schools remain open in the next stage of our recovery. When we talk about recovery, it is important to ensure that students have access to the necessary mental health support.
KING: What do you mean? I was struck by a story about a teacher, who takes each child one at a time and leads them through the school. Are student loans possible? We’ve had many — many older students reach out to us about forgiving student loan debt and I think the number — student loan debt — Americans owe nearly $1.6 trillion in student loans. There’s been talk about forgiving student loan debt. Is that where the Biden Administration stands now?
CARDONA: Yeah. We’re — we’re definitely since day one making sure that we put borrowers and students at the center of conversations. Over $17 Billion has been forgiven by President Biden in just one year.
THE KING: However, he could not act now to forgive.
CARDONA (You know, those are the conversations we have now. It’s certainly something that — where we have the ability to address where colleges might have taken advantage or borrow — loan servicers have taken advantage of borrowers, we’re releasing and discharging those debts. And we’re going to continue the conversations about overall broad debt relief. But I don’t want to — I think the culture in our administration and in the department is one of putting students first. The public service loan forgiveness program was not successful ten years ago. We got it up and running within a year. This year, we were proud that over 700,000 more people received relief than before.
TONY DOKOUPIL : Yes. Senator Elizabeth Warren, who was present, said that the Biden administration can erase federal student loans with a stroke of a pencil. This sounds like something you would do, but it’s not what you are looking for.
CARDONA: No, I mean, the reality is it’s — we also want to make sure that our colleagues on the Hill continue to fight for — for that, as well. We know that the Administration has a responsibility for putting students first. The higher education system is in need of improvement. The loan process should be improved. To ensure that it doesn’t return to the same place we are, we’re working to improve it. We don’t wish to find ourselves in the same situation in five years. While loan forgiveness may be one thing, we have also been working to repair the system.
VLADIMIR DUTHIERS: And, Mr. Secretary, you’ve been very outspoken about Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill. It was called hateful by you. Is the department of education planning to act against this law in any way? You’ve probably spoken to parents about this. How did you hear it?
CARDONA – Yesterday I had an emotional, moving conversation with parents and educators from Florida. I believe the most powerful thing was the impact of their words. A 12th-grader shared with me that he had known he was different from his peers since he could remember when he was 5. It is pure hate, he stated. A parent told me, “Please don’t make my children pawns in your political games.” For me this means protecting all students. This frustrates me. You know, across the world we see — we know we don’t like bullies, right? Yet, it is happening right here in the USA. This legislation is being passed or attempted to be passed in over 12 states. Protecting our students is essential. We need to protect our students including our LGBTQ students —
DUTHIERS
CARDONA: — and educators.
DUTHIERS: How can you help?
CARDONA. What they are doing is raising their voices. We’re ensuring that the Office of Civil Rights is — is ready if complaints come forward in the implementation of this. But we’re sending the message that it’s unacceptable to — to bully, marginalize students already. Talk about mental health. Students who are gay or transgender are — need — need more mental health support and it’s really important that while we’re providing those supports, we’re also not sending them to an environment where they’re feeling marginalized or they can’t be who they are.
DOKOUPIL – Gayle mentioned teachers. We also need teachers. My mom’s a retired school teacher. My aunt’s a retired school teacher
KING: My sister’s a teacher.
DUTHIERS: My brother’s a teacher.
KING: Everybody —
DUTHIERS (teachers): Everyone here has one.
KING: — here has a teacher in the family.
DUTHIERS: And remembers teachers who’ve impacted their lives.
CARDONA: Right.
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” Bill; Education Secretary Cardona on the Controversial Bill]
DOKOUPIL. I know of teachers who left teaching because the salary is too high. They don’t like it and many teachers quit during the Pandemic. The public education system is in serious trouble. How can you help young people who are considering a career in this field? What can you do to get people who are good at the job?
CARDONA: You know, this is the most impactful — look, all of you said with smiles on your faces.
KING: Yeah.
CARDONA: This person — listen, we’re here because of a teacher. And —
KING: That’s right —
CARDONA: — it’s our responsibility to lift the profession. As secretary of education I take that seriously. It is necessary to improve teacher wages in order to keep it competitive. We need to make sure that the working conditions are conducive to — to growth, professional growth, personal growth. It is time for us to reexamine the practice of teachers spending three- to four hours a day correcting papers. The day of teachers paying out of their own pocket —
KING: With their own money.
CARDONA: — for basic supplies —
DUTHIERS: Supplies. Yes, supplies.
DOKOUPIL – Second job.
CARDONA: — but not only that, the working conditions, but voice. As we’re reopening and reimagining schools, let’s make sure teachers are at the table to talk about what schools should look like.
KING: Mmhmm.
CARDONA : I am really excited about the future of education. For the youth, I can answer your question: get into the profession. You are the right time to teach.
DOKOUPIL: Alright. You can smile too.
KING: I am so grateful. It was a pleasure to be with you.
CARDONA – Thank you. We are grateful.
KING: Be a friend.
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