Officials feud over back-to-school plans

The same day New York City announced it would mix online and in-person classes in the fall, President Donald Trump warned he may pull federal dollars from schools that don’t put kids in the classroom. Vice President Mike Pence later suggested the government could tie further coronavirus aid to schools’ reopening plans. Many districts say they cannot afford the recommended measures to keep students safe from the disease if they all attend at the same time. “The Dems think it would be bad for them politically if U.S. schools open before the November Election, but [it] is important for the children & families,” the president tweeted on Wednesday. “May cut off funding if not open!”

What about at the college level? Universities are pushing back against the Trump administration’s plan to send international students home if the school they would attend has online classes only in the fall. Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology sued on Wednesday to keep federal immigration authorities from enforcing the rule, saying it isn’t justified and officials did not allow time for public comments.

Dig deeper: Read Laura Edghill and Ali Booth’s report in Schooled about how colleges and universities are getting ready for the fall semester.