What happened: The liberal website PolitiFact published a so-called fact check defending teachers' union boss Randi Weingarten, who has been criticized for aggressively opposing efforts to reopen schools during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The PolitiFact fact check was subsequently fact-checked via the "community notes" feature on Twitter. The community fact-checkers determined that PolitiFact was misrepresenting Weingarten's positions on reopening schools, noting that the union boss "consistently tweeted her support for the closure of schools well into fall of 2020."
What they're saying: PolitiFact argued that Weingarten "advocated for reopening schools" and suggested it was "misleading to claim that she opposed reopening at all."
Twitter's fact-checking team argued—more accurately and backed by evidence—that Weingarten and the teachers' unions under her control "pushed aggressively" at the state and local level to keep schools closed, even as public health experts said it was safe for students to return to the classroom.
The community fact-checkers posted a link to comments Weingarten made in July 2020, when she denounced the Trump administration's plan to reopen schools in the fall as "reckless," "callous," and "cruel."
The union opposition "continued in 2022," the Twitter experts correctly pointed out, especially in areas controlled by Democratic politicians. In Chicago, for example, teachers' unions threatened to strike when local leaders announce a plan to reopen schools.
Why it matters: The liberal media have long sought to exert monopoly control over "the truth" by publishing "fact checks" that (in almost every case) accuse Republicans of lying and defend Democrats accused of lying. Twitter's community notes feature drives them crazy because it undermines this monopoly by harnessing the power of democracy.
Reckless, callous, and cruel: Students' test scores have dropped significantly as a result of the union-driven effort to keep schools closed for so long against the advice of health experts. The detrimental social and behavioral effects—including increased stress, anxiety, and depression—will be felt for years to come.
Bottom line: Teachers' unions are the worst.
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