# In light of the pandemic's effect on schools is it appropriate to discuss Barron Trump now? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 14, 2020, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-light-of-the-pandemics-effect-on-schools-is-it-appropriate-to-discuss-barron-trump-now/915268 "2020-07-14T01:34:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2020, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-light-of-the-pandemics-effect-on-schools-is-it-appropriate-to-discuss-barron-trump-now/915268/1 "2020-07-14T01:34:48Z")
Barron Trump is just a child. He has no control over his circumstances and doesn’t deserve to be in the public eye. At the same time his father is doubling on an extremely reckless and controversial non-plan to reopen schools, without enough guidance or support to keep. This could endanger the lives of schoolchildren and their teachers. Donald Trump wants to decide what’s best for everyone else’s child. Has it become a matter of public interest what the Trumps’ plan are for their child? Is Barron going to go back to school? Private tutors and live-in governesses aren’t an option for the other 99%. And even if they do send him back to school it’ll would be to a school with better resources to deal with COVID19 than any public or most private schools. Any thoughts? ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2020, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-light-of-the-pandemics-effect-on-schools-is-it-appropriate-to-discuss-barron-trump-now/915268/2 "2020-07-14T03:59:58Z")
No, not appropriate. Any more than drawing Obama or anyone’s minor (or young adult) kids into anything is appropriate. Please don’t. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2020, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-light-of-the-pandemics-effect-on-schools-is-it-appropriate-to-discuss-barron-trump-now/915268/3 "2020-07-14T04:01:32Z")
I think it would be wonderful if someone asked him how he, as a parent of a school-age child, was preparing to send his child back to school. That would make a great video clip, I’m sure. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2020, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-light-of-the-pandemics-effect-on-schools-is-it-appropriate-to-discuss-barron-trump-now/915268/4 "2020-07-14T04:02:48Z")
And has nothing to do with Barron by name. Completely fair question. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2020, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-light-of-the-pandemics-effect-on-schools-is-it-appropriate-to-discuss-barron-trump-now/915268/5 "2020-07-14T04:04:25Z")
I could live with that sort of questioning: Mr Trump, where is your kid going to school, and what precautions are they taking? Going after the kid is not okay. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2020, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-light-of-the-pandemics-effect-on-schools-is-it-appropriate-to-discuss-barron-trump-now/915268/6 "2020-07-14T04:06:27Z")
I’m picturing him talking about how since his child goes to a private school, he knows he’ll be safe because blah blah blah…. People notice things like that that highlight how very different Donald Trump’s life is from theirs. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2020, 8:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-light-of-the-pandemics-effect-on-schools-is-it-appropriate-to-discuss-barron-trump-now/915268/7 "2020-07-14T08:35:35Z")
Melania is not gonna let anything near that boy. He’ll be safe. Guaranteed. No self respecting news person would blurt that question out. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2020, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-light-of-the-pandemics-effect-on-schools-is-it-appropriate-to-discuss-barron-trump-now/915268/8 "2020-07-14T16:36:05Z")
I’d say no. The only way it would be a legitimate issue is if the Trumps had been sending Barron to a public school before this year and were now choosing to keep him home. ---
**Author:** ![ratatoskK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ratatoskk/32/2987_2.png) [@ratatoskK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ratatoskK)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2020, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-light-of-the-pandemics-effect-on-schools-is-it-appropriate-to-discuss-barron-trump-now/915268/9 "2020-07-14T16:47:20Z")
I think it’s entirely fair to ask Trump what anti-covid measures are in place for his son’s school and whether he approves of them. ---
**Author:** ![rbroome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/838e76/32.png) [@rbroome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rbroome)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2020, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-light-of-the-pandemics-effect-on-schools-is-it-appropriate-to-discuss-barron-trump-now/915268/10 "2020-07-14T17:34:54Z")
Minor children of any President are off limits. While the answer would be interesting, it is inevitably political and should never be asked. There are plenty of ways to know Trump’s feelings about the safety of children without bringing this up. Off limits. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2020, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-light-of-the-pandemics-effect-on-schools-is-it-appropriate-to-discuss-barron-trump-now/915268/11 "2020-07-14T17:42:59Z")
> [@ratatoskK](#): > > I think it’s entirely fair to ask Trump what anti-covid measures are in place for his son’s school and whether he approves of them. I, too, am leery of any press discussion of a President’s minor child(ren), but I would be OK with this. It doesn’t name Barron, touches on an important public-health issue, and (I suspect) would show just how ill-informed, if not ignorant, Trump is about his own son’s education. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2020, 10:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-light-of-the-pandemics-effect-on-schools-is-it-appropriate-to-discuss-barron-trump-now/915268/12 "2020-07-17T10:52:07Z")
It’s not off limits because it’s not actually about his son. Nothing his son does is relevant to the question–what is being asked is what the Trumps will do for their son. I would extend it to any COVID-denier type. If they claim the threat isn’t actually what it is, but they protect their own kid, you know they’re bullshitting you. It does not at all reflect on the kid–you don’t even need to know their names or what they look like for it to be relevant. That’s the criteria for me. If all we knew was that Trump had a school-aged son, and knew nothing else about him, the question would still be relevant, and would in no way identify him. ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Hedonia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ann_hedonia/32/319_2.png) [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2020, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-light-of-the-pandemics-effect-on-schools-is-it-appropriate-to-discuss-barron-trump-now/915268/13 "2020-07-20T19:11:33Z")
I agree with the policies that protect minor children from public scrutiny. Of course, Fox News and the right wing media never respected that line when it was Barack and Michelle Obama’s minor children and their hypocrisy should be called out. [https://www.diversityinc.com/malia-obama-fox-news/](https://www.diversityinc.com/malia-obama-fox-news/) > **['Try showing a little class': GOP staffer says 'disrespectful' first...](https://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/gop-staffer-sasha-malia-obama-dressed-bar-article-1.2027634)** > > A Republican House staffer ridiculed the first daughters’ Thanksgiving Day outfits ― and suggested the 13- and 16-year-old girls looked like It’s no secret that Trump HAS a minor child and I think it’s acceptable to refer to that fact while framing a question about policy. It’s kind of like how attorney/client privilege does not protect the fact of the existence of an attorney/client relationship. I think that asking Trump if he would be concerned about the health of his son if his school reopened would be a fair question. That is a question about Trump and Trump’s attitudes and it’s not a personal question at all. Of course, the right wing press would be all “ the health of Trump’s son is a private matter, how dare the liberal media try to compromise this very personal violation, Bill Barr should investigate them for a HIIPA violation. But that would be bullshit. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2020, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-light-of-the-pandemics-effect-on-schools-is-it-appropriate-to-discuss-barron-trump-now/915268/14 "2020-07-20T19:27:37Z")
I see that The Onion has stepped up here. > **[Melania Trump Figures It’s Time To Sit Barron Down And Tell Him He Was Bred...](https://www.theonion.com/melania-trump-figures-it-s-time-to-sit-barron-down-and-1844407686)** > > WASHINGTON—Reflecting that the moment had finally come for the difficult conversation, Melania Trump reportedly took some time Thursday to sit Barron down and tell him he was bred for his organs. “Listen, Barron, now that you’re 14, you’re old enough... ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2020, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-light-of-the-pandemics-effect-on-schools-is-it-appropriate-to-discuss-barron-trump-now/915268/15 "2020-07-20T21:51:42Z")
I laughed. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2020, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-light-of-the-pandemics-effect-on-schools-is-it-appropriate-to-discuss-barron-trump-now/915268/16 "2020-07-20T22:01:04Z")
> [@](#): > > The Onion: > > > [@](#): > > > > WASHINGTON—Reflecting that the moment had finally come for the difficult conversation, Melania Trump reportedly took some time Thursday to sit Barron down and tell him he was bred for his organs. “Listen, Barron, now that you’re 14, you’re old enough… Okay, now THAT’S going too far. Think about how that’s going to make Don Jr and Eric feel about the donor-worthiness of _their_ organs. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2020, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-light-of-the-pandemics-effect-on-schools-is-it-appropriate-to-discuss-barron-trump-now/915268/17 "2020-07-23T13:06:31Z")
The President was asked, and gave the response I supposed he would: [As coronavirus cases surge, Trump says he's 'comfortable' sending son, grandchildren back to school - ABC News](https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/coronavirus-cases-surge-trump-comfortable-sending-son-grandchildren/story?id=71928126) I think it says a lot less about his mastery of this pandemic than his lack of empathy for anyone else, including his own flesh and blood. ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2020, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-light-of-the-pandemics-effect-on-schools-is-it-appropriate-to-discuss-barron-trump-now/915268/18 "2020-07-23T13:24:03Z")
That doesn’t mean he’d actually do it. If there’s one thing I’ve learned about Trump, it’s that he lies a whole bunch. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2020, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-light-of-the-pandemics-effect-on-schools-is-it-appropriate-to-discuss-barron-trump-now/915268/19 "2020-07-24T14:45:27Z")
Trump wants Barron in school in person, but the school will not be fully re-opening in the Fall. > **[Trump Wants His Son Back in School, But It Refuses to Fully Reopen](https://www.newsweek.com/trump-wants-his-son-back-school-it-refuses-fully-reopen-1520130)** > > In a recent letter sent to parents, St. Andrew's Episcopal School officials wrote they had not decided whether to implement virtual learning or a hybrid model. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2020, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-light-of-the-pandemics-effect-on-schools-is-it-appropriate-to-discuss-barron-trump-now/915268/20 "2020-07-24T17:12:18Z")
So the school cares more about its children’s health than the President of the United States. Innnnnnnteresting. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-light-of-the-pandemics-effect-on-schools-is-it-appropriate-to-discuss-barron-trump-now/915268.md?page=2)