Students will be returning to class in New York City in September, according to Mayor Bill de Blasio.
De Blasio said he intends to have as many students as possible attend in-person classes in September despite the lingering coronavirus pandemic. He said that a survey conducted by the city’s Department of Education yielded more than 400,000 responses from parents who overwhelmingly said they want their children to go back to school.
“We’ve asked for the voices of parents to guide us, so this is astounding. The [Department of Education] did a survey of parents, and they got 400,000 responses. That is not a small sample size. Four hundred thousand people answered the survey, and here’s the most important fact: Seventy-five percent of our New York City public school parents want to send their kids back to school in September,” de Blasio said during a press conference. “They feel ready now.”
De Blasio said that the schools have been working with teachers unions and parents to find the best way to ensure social distancing and cleanliness within the schools. He said that children will be required to wear a face covering but that he expects schools to be open in September.
“We are full steam ahead for September. The goal, of course, is to have the maximum number of kids in our schools as we begin schools,” he said.
De Blasio angered many teachers with his hesitancy to close schools earlier this year as the pandemic began. Many teachers threatened to stage a “mass sickout” after de Blasio said he would “fight tooth and nail to protect our school system.” Ultimately, Gov. Andrew Cuomo stepped in and made the decision to close schools in March.
The American Academy of Pediatrics released guidance last week that advised schools to make their coronavirus reopening plans “start with a goal of having students physically present in school.” The academy explained that young students need the physical classroom to have a holistic education.
