President Donald Trump said Monday he favors schools opening for a "short period of time" before the end of the current school year.

"I think you'll see a lot of schools open up, even for a very short period of time," Trump told reporters during the White House coronavirus task force briefing in the Rose Garden. "I think it would be a good thing."

Over 30 states have said they intend to leave schools closed for the remainder of the current school year.

However, Trump said, "Because, as you see, in terms of what this vicious virus goes after, young people seem to do very well. Young people seem to do very well, so I know that there are some governors that aren't necessarily ready to open up their states, but they may be ready to open up the school systems.

"Not a long way to go in the school system right now, for this season for this year, but I think you will see a lot of schools open up, even if it's for a very short period of time.

"The governors are going to make those decisions," Trump said. "That's their choice, but the word is 'safety,'" he said. "Rapid – but safety."

In lieu of open schools, parents have been conducting at-home schooling, or "distance" schooling, with the assistance of their children's teachers.

Vice President Pence noted Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos is preparing a website of "best practices information" for distance education, Politico noted.

Over 7,500 educators and parents have written a letter to the FCC requesting the agency use the E-rate program to pay for home Internet access for over 50 million students who cannot attend school in person due to the pandemic.

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