Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-OH) has drawn a connection between school closures during the coronavirus pandemic and the rise in inner-city violence, arguing that former White House medical advisor Anthony Fauci bears responsibility for the consequences of prolonged educational shutdowns.
Speaking on Breitbart News Daily the day after Fauci appeared before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, where he reportedly invoked the Fifth Amendment more than 100 times, Moreno said he believes current urban violence has roots in pandemic-era policies.
“I believe that a lot of the inner city violence that we see today in a lot of our major cities has a direct line to what this guy did closing schools,” Moreno told host Mike Slater.
Critical Ninth Grade Year Lost
The Ohio senator pointed to research highlighting the particular importance of ninth grade in student development. He described how some school systems kept children out of classrooms for extended periods, with devastating effects on their educational trajectory.
“The problem was we had for two years, basically, in some systems like that – for example, in Cleveland, you had kids that left eighth grade were shut down and then didn’t come back till 10th grade. They missed the most important transitional year, so they’re just way behind,” Moreno explained.
He argued that the consequences extend beyond academics. “So these kids don’t feel like they have a future. They were shut inside of sometimes not great family situations,” he said. “A lot of these kids, this is the only meal they had was what they had at school. They felt isolation, and now you see this lashing out of youth violence.”
Moreno characterized the current wave of youth violence as “absolutely the result of this” extended period of school closures and isolation.
Fauci’s Role in Shutdown Decisions
The senator took issue with Fauci’s recent testimony regarding his influence on school closure policies. According to Moreno, Fauci claimed he had no role in shutting down schools, despite evidence to the contrary in his personal diary, which has been released to the public.
“And again, the guy lied. By the way, he said ‘I had nothing to do with shutting down schools.’ He bragged about the fact that he convinced these morons, like for example Governor Cuomo, to shut down schools,” Moreno said.
The senator also criticized leadership in his own state, noting that Ohio’s Republican governor implemented similar closure policies. He recalled incidents from the pandemic era that he described as extreme enforcement of health measures, including an incident involving a mother who was reportedly tased and removed from a high school football game for refusing to wear a mask outdoors.
Moreno noted the apparent inconsistency between public health guidance and the behavior of officials themselves, referencing occasions when Fauci appeared without a mask in outdoor settings despite public recommendations.
Broader Pandemic Policy Criticism
The senator’s comments come as lawmakers continue to scrutinize the federal government’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, particularly decisions that kept schools closed while other activities resumed. The extended closure of urban schools, often lasting longer than suburban counterparts, has become a focal point in debates about pandemic policy impacts.
“I mean, this got this got dystopian,” Moreno said of the pandemic-era restrictions. “I mean, this was so bad.”
Research on the effects of extended school closures has shown significant learning loss across the country, with some studies indicating that disadvantaged students were disproportionately affected. Educational experts have documented delays in social development, mental health challenges, and academic setbacks among students who spent prolonged periods in remote learning or out of school entirely.
The connection Moreno drew between educational disruption and youth violence adds to ongoing discussions about the long-term societal impacts of pandemic-era policies. While public health officials defended school closures as necessary to slow viral transmission, critics have increasingly pointed to the social, educational, and psychological costs of keeping children out of classrooms.
Fauci, who served as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and as chief medical advisor to the president during the pandemic, has faced renewed congressional scrutiny over his role in shaping pandemic response policies. His recent Senate appearance, where he reportedly invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination repeatedly, has intensified political debate over accountability for pandemic-era decisions.
The senator’s remarks highlight the continuing political and social fallout from decisions made during the height of the pandemic, as communities grapple with educational recovery and public safety challenges years after schools reopened.
Source: www.breitbart.com — https://www.breitbart.com/radio/2026/07/30/exclusive-bernie-moreno-direct-line-from-fauci-closing-schools-to-inner-city-violence/