WASHINGTON (TND) — Dr. Antony Fauci made his way to Capitol Hill this week to meet with Congress for the first time since retiring from public service.
In a closed-door deposition, Fauci reportedly told lawmakers he’s “not convinced” children suffered learning loss as a result of school closures.
Rep. Michael Cloud, R-Texas, who sat through the deposition, said he was surprised by Fauci’s statement.
I don’t know any parent who would agree with that assessment. There’s been study after study,” explained Cloud. “Throughout the hearing, he either forgets the details of what happened or there are these multi-layers of the bureaucracy of what’s supposed to be accountability.
The 2022 Nation’s Report Card, compiled by the Department of Education, shows during the pandemic reading scores dropped to the lowest level in three decades and math scores dropped for the first time in 50 years.
“Three years later, we have tangible evidence of the academic loss. This isn’t up for debate,” said Michele Exner, a senior advisor with Parents Defending Education. “It’s unfathomable that he would say that.”
Fauci has continually dodged taking any responsibility for the impact pandemic protocols had on education, telling the New York Times Magazine this past April, “Show me a school that I shut down I never did.”
However, he did repeatedly make statements like this one from CNN on July 21, 2020:
Make sure, you do whatever you can to safeguard the safety and the health of the children as well as the teachers, and that should guide your policy.
“He knows he had a massive impact on closures,” added Exner. “It’s just a desperate attempt to fix a tarnished reputation.”
While Democrats say Republicans are misrepresenting Fauci’s testimony, Rep. Cloud said the transcripts of the deposition will back up his statements.
Fauci is also set to testify at a yet-to-be-scheduled public hearing on Capitol Hill in the coming months.