"Truly dystopian": Experts worry Trump's school vaccine plan will spark "public health catastrophe"

"Trump would take millions in federal funds away from all Virginia public schools," former GOP lawmaker warns

By Gabriella Ferrigine

Staff Writer

Published March 4, 2024 11:02AM (EST)

Republican presidential candidate and former President Donald Trump reacts to supporters as he arrives on stage at a Get Out the Vote Rally March 2, 2024 in Richmond, Virginia. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)
Republican presidential candidate and former President Donald Trump reacts to supporters as he arrives on stage at a Get Out the Vote Rally March 2, 2024 in Richmond, Virginia. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

A former lawmaker raised alarms after former President Donald Trump's vow in Virginia to defund public schools that require vaccines. 

Trump, who has repeatedly vowed not to "give one penny to any school that has a vaccine mandate," repeated his call during an appearance in Richmond on Saturday, according to former Rep. Barbara Comstock, R-Va.

"Trump said in Richmond, that he will take all federal funds away from public schools that require vaccines," she tweeted. "Like most states, Virginia requires MMR vaccine, chickenpox vaccine, polio, etc. So Trump would take millions in federal funds away from all Virginia public schools."

Baylor University professor Dr. Peter Hotez, wrote, "Hoping he doesn’t really mean it, since it would create a public health catastrophe for the nation…"

Former United States Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, posed a question to "Parents across America," asking, "Is this really what you want for your children? Do you want them going to poorly funded schools with children much more likely to be sick? Only an authoritarian leader would want citizens to be poorly educated and not healthy. Truly dystopian…"