Melania Trump doesn’t mention coronavirus during national PTA speech
First lady Melania Trump did not address coronavirus concerns at an annual meeting of Parent Teacher Association leaders held in the Old Town neighborhood of Alexandria, Virginia, on Tuesday.
The PTA Legislative Conference brought together approximately 300 teachers and administrators, many of whom had traveled to the area from different parts of the country. Trump’s remarks focused primarily on her platform, Be Best, specifically online safety. She did not mention the coronavirus, and has yet to publicly do so since the onset of news about the deadly pandemic.
The national president of the PTA, Leslie Boggs, spoke to the audience before Trump took the stage, and thanked the crowd of conference attendees for what they are doing in schools across the country to combat and assist in stopping the spread of the virus.
“You are on the front lines working for millions of children and families,” Boggs said to applause.
However, despite the broad continuation of school closures across the United States, the first lady did not use her speech to address the concerns of the virus, or to offer support to the educators. Instead, she focused on the topic of cyberbullying.
“When used properly, the internet can be a tool for good. When not used properly, it can be destructive and dangerous,” said Trump. “In many cases social media platforms can have a negative and even deadly impact on our youth. It is sad to say that more than one in three teenagers have suffered from cyberbullying.”
The first lady’s office did not respond to a request for comment on the speech.
The first lady cancelled an upcoming fundraising event in Beverly Hills, California, originally slated for next week, a White House official confirmed Monday to CNN. The official cited “scheduling conflicts” as the reason for the abrupt cancellation of a rare solo campaign appearance for the first lady, who typically has not been a regular presence on the trail.
Last week, Trump was criticized for posting what some considered a “tone deaf” tweet about the construction of the private White House tennis pavilion as concerns about the coronavirus escalated.
The first lady is overseeing the design of the project, which she has said will provide recreation for future first families. However, the timing of her tweet, in the midst of the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, was deemed questionable by critics who felt Trump should address the topic.
On Saturday, Trump pushed back, defending her tweet about the tennis pavilion.
“I encourage everyone who chooses to be negative & question my work at the @WhiteHouse to take time and contribute something good & productive in their own communities. #BeBest,” she tweeted.
