Melania Trump touts her Be Best anti-cyberbullying push to national PTA conference but stays silent on coronavirus as schools scramble to respond to mounting crisis

  • Melania Trump did not mention the coronavirus when she talked to nearly 300 parents and former teachers at the National PTA Legislative Conference 
  • More than 380 schools across the nations have closed to combat the disease 
  • She focused on online safety and warned of the dangers of cyber bullying 
  • 'When used properly, the internet can be a tool for good. When not used properly, it can be destructive and dangerous,' she said
  • Melania Trump also canceled a fundraising trip to California next week for President Donald Trump's re-election campaign
  • Melania Trump on Saturday snapped back at online trolls who accused her of having a Marie Antoinette moment during the Coronavirus outbreak 
  • The first lady was criticized when she announced an update to work on the White House 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 
  • Twitter users accused Melania of being tone death
  • Coronavirus symptoms: what are they and should you see a doctor?

Melania Trump on Tuesday did not mention the coronavirus when she talked to nearly 300 parents and former teachers at the National PTA Legislative Conference as schools work to contain the outbreak.

More than 380 schools across the nations have closed in an attempt to combat the disease that has taken 26 lives in the United States.  

The topic was on the agenda at the event in Alexandria, Va.

National Parent Teacher Association President Leslie Boggs, in her remarks before she introduced the first lady to the crowd, said to the parents: 'We’re fighting what?'

'Corona?,' the audience replied. 

Melania Trump did not mention the coronavirus when she talked to nearly 300 parents and former teachers at the National PTA Legislative Conference

Melania Trump did not mention the coronavirus when she talked to nearly 300 parents and former teachers at the National PTA Legislative Conference

First Lady Melania Trump arrives to speak at the at the National PTA Legislative Conference in Alexandria, Va.

First Lady Melania Trump arrives to speak at the at the National PTA Legislative Conference in Alexandria, Va.

More than 380 schools across the nations have closed as this Georgetown Day one has closed in Washington D.C.

More than 380 schools across the nations have closed as this Georgetown Day one has closed in Washington D.C.

Boggs praised their work and told the room full of parents that you are on the 'front lines' of work for millions of children and 'I thank you.'

Melania Trump, in her 10 minutes of remarks, touted the success of her signature Be Best campaign.

'When I launched the Be Best Initiative, my first goal was to raise awareness of three primary issues that children face today – social-emotional health, opioid abuse, and online safety. My second goal was to shed light on programs and people across the country and around the globe that successfully combat these problems,' she said.

'Three years later, I am proud to say we have made great strides in fulfilling this mission. I have visited schools, hospitals, communities, non-profits, private companies, and government agencies that support and protect our children and our communities,' she added. 

Melania Trump focused on online safety and warned of the dangers of cyber bullying

Melania Trump focused on online safety and warned of the dangers of cyber bullying

Georgetown Day School in Washington D.C. and others around the nation closed to try and combat the coronavirus

Georgetown Day School in Washington D.C. and others around the nation closed to try and combat the coronavirus

She focused her remarks on one pillar in her platform - online safety - and warned of the dangers of cyber bullying.

'When used properly, the internet can be a tool for good. When not used properly, it can be destructive and dangerous,' she said.

Melania Trump called out social media platforms by name when it comes to cyber bulling.  

'Social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram help us share important life updates with family, friends, and colleagues, learn about topics that spark our interest, and stay informed on the latest news happening in our communities, in our country, and around the world,' she said. 'But in many cases social media platforms can have a negative and even deadly impact on our youth.'

The first lady, whose husband President Donald Trump spent the morning tweeting his complaints about the Federal Reserve and retweeting a claim Joe Biden suffers from cognitive disfunction, cited the number of teenagers who suffer from cyber bullying.

'It is sad to say that more than one in three teenagers have suffered from cyber bullying,' she said.

She reminded the room of parents of their responsibilities in helping children. 

'As parents, adults, educators, and community leaders, it is our responsibility to ensure our children are being taught the importance of positive ways to interact with each other and prepare them for attacks and negativity they could receive in this new digital age,' she said.

First Lady Melania Trump addressed about 300 parents and educators at the conference but focused her remarks on cyberbullying

First Lady Melania Trump addressed about 300 parents and educators at the conference but focused her remarks on cyberbullying

Melania Trump's Be Best campaign includes well being, online safety and combatting opioid addiction

Melania Trump's Be Best campaign includes well being, online safety and combatting opioid addiction

She repeated a story she has told before: her meeting with Joshua Smith and how his 16-year-old brother Channing committed suicide because of cyber bullying.

'Channing’s life ended far too soon because of the thoughtless and cruel actions committed online by his peers,' she said. 'I am heartbroken for the Smith family.'

The National Parent Teacher Association is the oldest and largest child advocacy association in the United States.  

Additionally, Melania Trump canceled a trip to California next week to fundraiser for her husband's campaign.

The first lady was to appear at a March 18 fundraiser in Beverly Hills but White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham told Politico the trip was canceled due to a 'scheduling conflict.' 

The event was to be Melania Trump's first fundraiser for the campaign but she is scheduled to hold a fundraiser on March 25 event at Mar-a-Lago. 

The first lady on  Saturday snapped back at online trolls who accused her of having a Marie Antoinette moment during the Coronavirus outbreak when the first lady touted work being done on the White House 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,' Melania wrote on Twitter Saturday morning.

On Thursday, the first lady posted an update on twitter about construction being done on the White House tennis court, which included photos of her looking at construction plans and wearing a hard hat.

'I am excited to share the progress of the Tennis Pavillion at @WhiteHouse. Thank you to the talented team for their hard work and dedication,' she wrote. 

Melania Trump snapped back at online trolls who accused her of having a Marie Antoinette moment during the Coronavirus outbreak

Melania Trump snapped back at online trolls who accused her of having a Marie Antoinette moment during the Coronavirus outbreak

Melania Trump told her online Twitter critics to 'contribute something good & productive in their own communities' instead of questioning her work in the White House

Melania Trump told her online Twitter critics to 'contribute something good & productive in their own communities' instead of questioning her work in the White House

She has not spoken publicly about the coronavirus and was accused of being thoughtless during the scare - there have been 19 deaths in the U.S. as of Saturday - and while Tennessee suffered from being hit by tornados. 

'29 people were killed by a tornado in Tennessee, the world is shuddering as a pandemic expands and what is a tennis pavilion?,' wrote actress Mia Farrow. 

About 102,000 people have been infected by the coronavirus across the world and more than 3,480 people have died from it. President Donald Trump visited the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta on Friday for an update on the fight against the disease. 

He also visited Tennessee, where officials estimate at last 24 people died in the storms. 

'I have a message for the families of those that lost their lives: We love them. They're special people,' the president said.

The first lady was at the Department of Justice on Friday morning to deliver remarks to their National Opioid Summit, combatting the drug epidemic is one of the three pillars of her signature Be Best campaign, along with well-being and online safety.

She had on public events on Thursday when she posted the tennis update, which Twitter users were quick to react to. 

One user wrote: 'This is the most extraordinary thing to tweet in the midst of an epidemic. You really are amazingly out of touch with real live people.'

Other Twitter users posted photos of actress Kirsten Dunst from the movie 'Marie Antoinette,' with sayings that included 'Let them Eat Cake' and 'Ugh, peasants.'

The first lady has 13.2 million followers on Twitter. 

It is not the first time Melania Trump has been accused of being tone death. 

The most infamous was in June of 2018, when she wore a jacket that read 'I really don't care, do u?' during a trip to the Texas border to visit migrant children being held and separated from their families. 

Melania Trump announced the building of the tennis pavilion in October, calling it her 'legacy project'

Melania Trump announced the building of the tennis pavilion in October, calling it her 'legacy project'

The first lady has been accused in the past of being tone death, such as in June 2018 when she wore a 'I really don't care, do u' jacket during a visit to children being held on the border

The first lady has been accused in the past of being tone death, such as in June 2018 when she wore a 'I really don't care, do u' jacket during a visit to children being held on the border

Melania Trump posted an update to the White House tennis project on Thursday and was accused of being insensitive during the Coronavirus outbreak

Melania Trump posted an update to the White House tennis project on Thursday and was accused of being insensitive during the Coronavirus outbreak

The first lady has said she hopes the tennis pavilion will be a 'place to gather and spend leisure time for First Families'

The first lady has said she hopes the tennis pavilion will be a 'place to gather and spend leisure time for First Families'

The tennis pavilion is being built on the South Lawn of the White House and the first lady has called it her 'legacy piece.'

'I am pleased to announce the ground breaking of a new tennis pavilion on the White House grounds. This structure will be a testament to American craftsmanship and skill,' she wrote on Twitter in October when she announced the project's construction.

'It is my hope that this private space will function as a place to gather and spend leisure time for First Families,' she added.

Her posts included photos of her with a shovel, doing a ceremonial ground breaking and shaking hands with a group of people, who were presumed to be private donors to the project.

A planning permit for the pavilion describes it as approximately 1,200 square feet, made of limestone and with a 'copper roof.' 

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