Gov. Phil Scott promised eventual relief to hospitality business owners as foliage season approaches, and he asked his critics for patience as the first day of K-12 school approaches.
“We need to move on from this,” the governor said in response to questions about a recent report from the Vermont National Education Association that gave the state a C for statewide guidance on reopening schools. The governor has been sharply criticized by teachers, staff, parents and others who are worried about safety.
“We’re going to open up schools on Tuesday,” he said at his regular Covid-19 press conference Friday, characterizing the NEA’s statement as political. He said experts believe children will be better off overall if they can return to school.
“I think it’s going to take all of us to make sure that’s successful,” Scott said. “I would hope that we could put everything aside in order to give the best experience possible for our kids, and keep them safe under these circumstances.”
Among other things, the NEA statement criticized Scott for failing to come up with a statewide plan for reopening schools. Scott noted that he has tried to give the districts as much flexibility as possible.
“I tend to try and give flexibility so that we can prove ourselves and build the faith and trust that is needed in the programs as they exist,” said Scott.
“With so many different schools doing different taking different approaches I think we can learn from one another,” said Scott, who has pushed for more in-person instruction as opposed to online learning.
He said that because the federal government left it up to the states to create their own responses, Vermont policymakers learned from watching experiences in other states.
“When we saw states reopening quicker than I wanted to open, for instance, I said, ‘I don’t know if we’re right or wrong, but we’ll learn from them,’” Scott said. “When I look at Georgia or Arizona, there’s the Texas and Florida and so forth, I think we made the right decision.”
In the population at large, Vermont has reached new highs in testing as it continues to focus on the return of college students to campuses around the state, according to a model presentation from Michael Pieciak, head of the Department of Financial Regulation. Pieciak has been in charge of the state’s Covid-19 modeling since the crisis began in March.
The state has tested 27,174 people connected to colleges and found 33 cases, 13 of which are in the Burlington area. The statewide positivity rate is around 0.12%.
“We’ve had a small number of cases, but they’ve been detected early and the colleges are doing a great job of identifying those cases, getting them isolated and ensuring that their close contacts have quarantine housing available,” said Dr. Patsy Kelso, the state epidemiologist.
Pieciak said Vermont numbers for August were “very favorable.” But the latest model for the state does predict a rise in cases in September from college and K-12 reopenings.
He noted an increase in cases among other states in the region, and said that has lowered the number of people who can travel to Vermont without quarantine restrictions. However, he said part of that increase might be connected to higher testing rates in other states where students are returning to college.
Also on Friday, Scott injected a ray of hope for hospitality and leisure businesses, the hardest-hit sector of the economy in the pandemic shutdowns. The owners of restaurants and lodging businesses have repeatedly asked the governor to reduce the quarantine requirements that are keeping away visitors from out of state. The businesses are also pressing for information on when the state will lift the capacity limits on restaurants, now set at 50% for indoor dining.
Scott said he planned to tackle those questions after Vermont gets through school reopenings Sept. 8, and a few weeks after.
“Our kids are a priority from my perspective right now,” he said. After two weeks, if the state doesn’t experience any major outbreaks of Covid-19, Scott said, he plans to return his focus to the economy.
“I believe that we’re going to have to give some assistance to those who have restaurants and lodging facilities,” he said. He added that he meant the state would reexamine travel restrictions, and would consider directing some additional grant money to those businesses.
Scott was asked for his response to a report in The Atlantic that President Donald Trump called World War II war dead “losers” and “suckers.”
“I have a great deal of respect for anyone who serves in the military, specifically those from the greatest generation, World War II,” said Scott. “I take great exception to anyone disparaging them in any respect.” He added that he was offended when Trump similarly disparaged Arizona Sen. John McCain, a former prisoner of war whom Scott described as one of his favorite politicians.
Scott’s father Howard Scott lost both legs in a tank explosion in the D-Day invasion during World War II, and died when Scott was 11 years old.
As he has before, Scott said he won’t be voting for Trump in the November election.
“I haven’t decided as to whether former vice president former Biden will get my vote,” said Scott, a Republican. “But I would not rule that out.”