Whoopi Goldberg Says Kamala Harris’ Extended School Hours Plan ‘Is Like Institutionalizing’ Kids
Whoopi Goldberg, co-host of The View, didn’t have anything positive to say on Thursday about 2020 presidential hopeful Sen. Kamala Harris‘ proposed bill to extend school hours until 6 p.m. and equated the proposed plan to “institutionalizing” children.
According to Fox News, Goldberg argued that the reason she made the comparison is because she believes many schools don’t have the capability to properly entertain children due to a lack of after-school programs and activities.
“I think keeping a kid in school until six is like institutionalizing them because… a lot of these buildings do not have gymnasiums. A lot of these buildings do not have a place to have after-school programs,” Goldberg said.
Her criticism was aimed at Harris’ recently announced idea that would incentivize schools with lucrative five-year, $5 million grants to “develop high-quality, culturally relevant, linguistically accessible, developmentally appropriate academic, athletic or enrichment opportunities for students.”
But contrary to Goldberg’s criticism, Harris’ campaign clarified that the grants wouldn’t require a mandatory stay until 6 p.m. for the students — only that the schools stay open until that time to help accommodate working parents and allow a working family to lower childcare costs. The grants would presumably allow schools who currently lack such after-school programs to fund them.
“Schools have the flexibility to determine what works best for their community and the students and their families,” Harris’ press secretary, Meaghan Lynch, explained. According to CNN, the idea is known as the The Family Friendly Schools Act, which would be backed by $1.3 billion in total annual grants for the program.
Goldberg’s colleague, Joy Behar, expressed interest in the idea, saying that it was much better than the kids being let out at the current, normal times and then going home to phone screens and video game consoles.
“Because you’re letting them out early — all they’re doing is going home, playing video games, and going on their phones,” Behar countered.
Trish Zornio, the Democratic senate candidate for the state of Colorado, had an alternate idea that focused on the other side of the problem by reducing the full-time working week for parents and increasing access for remote working possibilities, giving parents more time at home.
Goldberg’s criticism of the bill came on the same day The View made headlines after many on the panel sparred with Donald Trump Jr, as previously reported by The Inquisitr. Behar took the opportunity to blast President Donald Trump’s past rhetoric, specifically remarks he’s made that she perceived as racist.
Don Jr. and Kimberly Guilfoyle on The View is going as well as you'd expect. Don Jr. tells Joy Behar "You've worn blackface!" pic.twitter.com/9h52Xh7VpR
— Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) November 7, 2019
Trump Jr. fired back at Behar and accused her of once wearing blackface, which triggered a firestorm of back-and-forth between Behar, Trump Jr., and Goldberg.
