In a recently concluded short briefing, White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said science should not stop children from going back to school for the upcoming academic year. She was later furious at the media for touting her comments as a case study in media bias.

Responding to a question about Donald Trump's push to encourage parents to send their children, while some schools opt to go fully online in the coming weeks, McEnany echoed the president's message of wanting schools to reopen. Noting that she was in the Oval talking to Trump, McEnany said the president wants the school to open as usual.

In short, Trump wants schools to open in full, meaning, schools should allow kids to attend every day. McEnany said science should not stop children from going to school and backed her remark by pointing out that the United States is an exception among western nations when it comes to getting children back to school.

Furthermore, she encouraged localities and states to open schools, saying science is on their side, and all they need to do is to follow it. Suggesting that schools should open, McEanny said keeping them close is damaging their children, as there's a lack of reporting of abuse, mental depressions that are not discussed, and suicidal thoughts that are never addressed when students are not in schools.

McEnany's comments coincide with the Trump administration's push for schools to fully open with students attending class five days per week. Districts across the United States are concerned about providing education to students without jeopardizing the safety of the children, teachers, and other staff members amid a still raging pandemic.

Some districts have recommended what can be touted as a hybrid model, suggesting that students switch between online classes and attending classes in school to make sure appropriate safety measures are taken. The Trump administration didn't support this plan, with Education Secretary Betsy DeVos telling CNN's State of the Union that a blended model of virtual and in-person classes is not feasible for families.

After the briefing, McEanny took to Twitter to criticize media for misrepresenting her statement. She deemed the coverage of her remarks as a case study in media bias. She clarified that she simply meant that science is on their side, before asking localities and states to follow the science and open the schools.

"But leave it to the media to deceptively suggest I was making the opposite point," McEnany wrote.

The administration's guidelines, provided by the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) suggest the highest risk for coronavirus spread in school is having in-person classes, events, and other activities, and where social distancing is not possible, especially in classrooms. Moreover, students could also contract the disease by sharing classroom materials and supplies.