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President Biden dropped the administration's goal for kids returning to school post-pandemic in order to avoid conflict with a teachers' union boss, according to a new book.
The Atlantic writer Franklin Foer's latest book, "The Last Politician," revealed that Biden had cut the administration's goal after meeting with American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten.
"For the sake of avoiding conflict, especially conflict with an ally, the Biden administration trimmed its goal of returning kids to school to a fraction of what had been promised on the campaign trail," Foer wrote.
KAMALA HARRIS HAS ‘RABBIT EARS’ FOR ANY ‘HINT OF CRITICISM,’ FRUSTRATING BIDEN WHITE HOUSE: BOOK
The Atlantic writer Franklin Foer's new book, "The Last Politician," revealed that President Biden had cut the administration's goal after meeting with American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten. (REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz)
"The announcement came as an aside in a press conference," he continued. "Jen Psaki explained that Biden had really meant that he wanted more than half of the pre-K-to-8 schools to attend at least one in-person session a week by the end of his first hundred days."
"He was, in effect, conceding that for thousands of students, the rest of the school year would be lost to the pandemic," Foer wrote.
"It was the price of peace," Foer added.
Foer also wrote that on the first day of Biden's presidency, first lady Jill Biden invited Weingarten and National Education Association President Becky Pringle to the White House.
"I am not abandoning you on schools. I want you to know that," President Biden told American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten during a phone call. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
"I said I was going to bring you with me to the White House," the first lady said. "And on day one, you're here."
Seven days after meeting with the first lady in the White House, Weingarten received a call from the president at her home in New York.
"I am not abandoning you on schools. I want you to know that," Biden told Weingarten on the phone. The president also said he knew the teachers' union boss was under fire over schools reopening.
Foer wrote that Biden was looking to gently push the unions into his goals in an effort to prevent any potential strike. Biden was not going to force teachers back into the classroom, Foer wrote, instead having the first lady act as a catalyst to get them behind the move.
A White House spokesperson told Fox News Digital after publication that the president met his goal for opening schools by the end of his first 100 days in office.
"When President Biden came into office, schools were shuttered across the country," the spokesperson said. "The President set a goal that the majority of our schools be open by the end of his first 100 days."
"We met that goal," the spokesperson continued. "And now, thanks to this President’s swift actions and historic investments, every school in America is open safely for in-person instruction."
The new book also details friction at the White House between Biden and his number two.
Seven days after meeting with first lady Jill Biden in the White House, American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten received a call from the president at her home in New York. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
Some White House staff complained that Vice President Kamala Harris had "rabbit ears" for criticism, and it was a source of frustration in Biden's West Wing, according to Foer's book.
"Harris possessed what one of her colleagues described as ‘rabbit ears,’" Foer wrote. "Whenever there was a hint of criticism of her — either in the West Wing or in the press — she seemed instantly aware of it."
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"Rather than brushing it aside, she wanted to know who was speaking ill of her and what they were saying," Foer wrote, noting that when Harris "read a devastating story" on a news website "about her mismanagement of her team," the vice president "responded by briefly freezing out an aide whom she suspected of cooperating with reporters."
"She let the criticism guide her," he added. "Instead of diligently sticking to the Central America assignment, she seemed to accept the conventional wisdom about it. It was a futile gig, so she let it fall to the side, missing an opportunity to grind her way to a meaningful achievement."
This story has been updated.
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