NYC Delays School Reopenings—Again—With Phased Returns By Grade

Topline

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said during a Thursday press conference that public school reopenings will be delayed for a second time, coming three days before all students were set to return for part-time in-person instruction and jolting already-beleaguered parents trying to juggle work and manage their children’s remote learning.

Key Facts

Big Number

1,600. That’s how many public school buildings are in New York City, according to Gothamist, which is the biggest school district in the country.

Crucial Quote

“NYC public school parents understand we’re dealing with an incredibly difficult situation,” de Blasio said, and described them as “pragmatic” people who “understand the realities of life.”

Chief Critic

“In NYC, indoor dining will resume before in class learning for kids,” tweeted former Food and Drug Administration commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb. “We need to prioritize what’s important societally and make sure we advance those goals. Safely returning kids to in class learning in low prevalence settings like NYC should be among our highest priorities.”

Key Background

According to Politico NY, de Blasio wanted to place a cushion of time between reopening schools and the return of indoor dining, with the latter scheduled to resume September 30. De Blasio said the state made the indoor dining decision, and he won’t ask Gov. Andrew Cuomo to change the date for it. City Limits reported September 1 that educators had been calling for a phased approach for students going back to school buildings.

Further Reading

Most In-Person Classes Delayed Again As NYC Switches To Staggered Reopening Of Schools (Gothamist)

NYC To Inspect Ventilation Systems In Every Classroom Ahead Of New School Year (Forbes)