Fauci claimed he had ‘nothing to do with’ school closures—diary shows he was proud to get CA, NY to send kids home

Publicly, he said, "They always come back and say, Fauci was responsible for closing schools. I had nothing to do—I mean, let's get down to the facts." Many American children spent the second semester of the 2019/20 school year sitting at home watching their lives go by from behind windows and computer screens because Fauci urged "caution" and school closures.

https://twitter.com/TPostMillennial/status/1581748032840019968

In 1,141 pages of diary entries that were released this week by Senator Rand Paul ahead of Fauci's testimony before the Senate, it turns out Fauci not only had a hand in school closures but was proud of it.

On March 9, 2020, per his own diary, Fauci wrote, "Gov. Cuomo calls me up and asks my advice on whether to close schools in the orthodox Jewish section of Westchester where they have 90 cases (more than the rest of NYC). I tell him yes. He also asks about closing subways. I tell him not yet, but let us stay tuned."

A March 15, 2020 entry touted his press appearances, then said, "I spoke with Bill de Blasio (Mayor — NYC) and convinced him based on what I was saying publicly and my conversation saying to close the NYC schools (he had already decided based on what I was saying on TV.) I went on to tell him he should close the bars and restaurants in NYC. He said that he would base this on my recommendation."

Fauci went on, saying, "I had a similar call with Ann O'Leary, the COS of Gov. Gavin Newsom of California. Ann said that based on my TV appearances today and yesterday, the Governor has decided to close the schools in California as well as the bars and restaurants."

By March 16, the New York City Public School system was closed and students were all sent home. Fauci issued guidelines that he said reflected his "pushing for a more aggressive mitigation 15 day strategy." This encouraged the elderly to self-isolate, for people to not congregate in groups of more than 10, to "stay away from bars, restaurants, theaters, sporting events." That guidance said that if there is community spread, to "CLOSE the bars, restaurants and places of congregation; close schools where there is community spread; no visitors to nursing homes; if family member is sick, others in family should take extra precautions; only necessary travel, telework as much as possible."

April 10, 2020 saw the nation's leaders wanting to get back to basics with school openings and a return to work. Business leaders and elected officials all pressed for reopening. He mocked President Trump, saying "POTUS was again rambling at the press conference with stream of consciousness not really answering questions and spouting how well we are doing." Trump, he said, had begun to form a reopening task force. "Deb [Birx] is worried about this," he wrote. "I am not surprised."

When Fauci was asked about Florida Governor Ron DeSantis' decision to reopen schools, Fauci blasted him from the White House briefing room, saying that children could spread the virus. This led, Fauci noted, to DeSantis reaching out to him directly. "That afternoon DeSantis called my cell and explained that he was evaluating the situation on a week by week basis and did not make any definitive decisions and the districts that he was considering opening the schools were districts with very few infections."

Just 8 days later, he complained about Dr. Mehmet Oz and Fox News' Sean Hannity saying that kids should be back in schools. "As if some bizarre form of national swagger was worth making schoolchildren canaries in a coal mine. (He has since walked back his remarks after overwhelming criticism.)"

By May, Fauci was getting slammed over school closures. When the misery that was remote learning was revealed, he backtracked, saying that he hadn't had anything to do with the closures. He wrote, "Mark Meadows called me back and confirmed that the POTUS is upset with me. I explained to him that there is confusion. I never said do not open the schools. I said that we would not have a vaccine ready. Mark said that he would speak with POTUS and perhaps have the POTUS call me. Chris Cuomo, and Jake Tapper are trying to clarify this in my defense on their shows."

He then spoke to Vice President Mike Pence to urge him to understand that he "did not say not to open the schools." However, in June 2020, Fauci urged North Carolina Governor Ray Cooper to delay making a decision on reopening schools "for two weeks." Fauci addressed a hearing in the Senate in which he testified, during which he was asked about school closures. "I predicted that if we do not do something about the recent surge that the entire country is in danger and we could reach 100,000 cases in a single day." Of key importance to him was that The New York Times picked up his comments and ran with them.

July 2020 saw Fauci at a meeting with the Department of Education. "I was in Sit Room and not part of the press conference that followed," he wrote. "Purpose of the TF was to push for opening of schools. Good thing that I was not part of the press conference (Deb, VP, Sec. DeVos) since much negative public response. Clearly Trump is pushing to open the schools no matter what. There is concern about the safety of the children and teachers. Yet, Trump together with Redfield (being pressured) is saying that the CDC guidelines should not stand in the way of opening schools (what???). Glad that I am not involved in that discussion."

He also wrote at that time, "Trump wants to open the schools at all costs. Clearly he does not care about the safety of the children."

By August of that year, Fauci was still pushing for schools to stay closed based on various metrics. "Whether or not to open schools has been a major topic of discussion as we approach the school opening timetable. I have been saying consistent that we should have as a default position our attempt/intention to open schools because of the psychological effects on children and in some areas, the dependence on schools for breakfast and lunch.

"Also, the potential deleterious downstream effects on working parents. HOWEVER, the primary consideration must be the health, safety and welfare of the children and the teachers, and the potential spreading to others (i.e. family members). I have stated that one size does not fit all and decisions should be based on the level of infection in the community."

A 12-year-old boy shot himself while his camera was turned off in the remote classroom and no one noticed until his family found him slumped over. A young girl was raped by a male relative during a virtual learning break, the entire class witnessing the crime because her camera was on. Students lost interest. Lessons went entirely unlearned. And online education with apps, laptops, and other devices became the norm, replacing books and actual hands-on learning and education.

And he spoke against school reopening during what he called a "dangerous meeting in the OVAL." He wrote that as to the point that "Schools can open and should open everywhere," he "countered that this would cause a new round of community spread and eventually lead to new hospitalizations and deaths." He vowed to speak to state leaders to "limit school reopenings where there is uncontrolled community spread."

What followed was a year of confusion at schools where authorities would close schools, then open for a day or two, then open for some kids on Tuesdays and others on Thursdays, implement testing protocols then change them to other protocols, and tell students not to come to class for two weeks if someone in their family had Covid symptoms. The hodgepodge of learning was useless at best and dangerous to children's mental health at worst. It wasn't until December 2020 that Fauci began to say schools should stay open.

And all the while, he was obsessed with his own press. After he gave the green light to Rhode Island to open schools in mid-August, he wrote "The Fauci cult is getting even stronger."

Tony's Diary: What He Wrote Privately vs. What He Said Publicly by