During President Joe Biden‘s Thursday speech outlining his administration’s six-point plan for fighting COVID-19, he called out conspiracy theorists peddling false treatments.
Biden also condemned Republican governors like Ron DeSantis of Florida and Greg Abbott of Texas, who have threatened schools that implement student mask mandates.
“My plan also takes on elected officials and states that are undermining you and these life-saving actions,” Biden said, speaking to pro-mandate school officials.
“Right now, local school officials are trying to keep children safe in a pandemic, while their governor picks a fight with them, and even threatens their salaries or their jobs. Talk about bullying in schools,” the president quipped.
“If these governors won’t help…I’ll use my powers as president to get them out of the way,” he added.
Kevin Dietsch/Getty
Biden mentioned that the Department of Education has already begun to take legal action against such states. He also said that any teacher or school official whose pay is withheld for “doing the right thing” will have their pay restored entirely by the federal government.
“I promise you I will have your back,” Biden said.
Biden also stated that his administration will increase the availability of monoclonal antibody treatments. “New medicines recommended by real doctors,” Biden emphasized, “not conspiracy theorists.”
