Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
NYC Department Of Education Says 50 Employees Have Died From Coronavirus
By
Sophia Chang
Published Apr 14, 2020
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
Lev Radin/Pacific Press/Shutterstock
By
Sophia Chang
Published Apr 14, 2020
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Fifty Department of Education employees have died from coronavirus, the DOE announced Monday.
The department is now tracking the number of reported fatalities after coming under intensifying pressure from educators, politicians and some members of the United Federation of Teachers.
Of the fatalities, 22 were paraprofessionals, 21 teachers, two administrators, one facilities staffer, one guidance counselor, one food service staffer, and two central office employees. One of these employees was also working at a Regional Enrichment Center, though the DOE didn’t specify which employee or where they were assigned.
The tracking will help the DOE “effectively deploy crisis support through guidance counselors and social workers remotely and when school buildings reopen,” said spokesperson Miranda Barbot in an email.
“This is painful news for too many of our communities—each number represents a life, a member of one our schools or offices, and the pain their loved ones are experiencing is unimaginable. We will be there to support our students and staff in any way they need, including remote crisis and grief counseling each day. We mourn these losses and will not forget the impact each person had on our DOE family,” said Chancellor Richard Carranza in a statement.
The cause of death in these reports have not been confirmed by the Department of Health to be related to COVID-19, the DOE said.
“The NYC Health Department cannot confirm the details or locations of exposure for every case, and is not confirming individual cases. This data should not be considered a subset of the Mayor’s daily briefings because those numbers are confirmed by the City’s Health Department,” Barbot said. “School buildings are not a place of greater exposure than any other part of our city. At this time, everyone should assume they have been exposed, because exposure can happen anywhere—this is why we are asking people to please stay home as much as possible.”
The fatality reports have come from family members and colleagues -- the DOE has also asked school principals to file reports in the Online Occurrence Reporting System.
Mayor Bill de Blasio has been blasted for keeping schools open until March 15th, and some critics have feared the DOE's slow and inconsistent response to outbreaks in schools have contributed to the pandemic's spread.
The DOE noted that the Regional Enrichment Centers, opened by the city to provide childcare for essential personnel after schools were closed, and the meal hubs providing grab-and-go meals are “thoroughly cleaned each night.”
The names of the dead have not been officially released, though informal memorials have surfaced online and the UFT has posted tributes on its website.
Tagged
COVID-19
schools
coronavirus
Sophia Chang
Sophia Chang is a former WNYC and Gothamist reporter.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Early Addition: It's been a while since it rained
Because it's dry, here are your early links: McCarren Park teens love the mayor, Long Island castle being auctioned off, an update on the 1 a.m. dining scene and more.
By
James Ramsay
Published Oct 27, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. ET
Woman found in shallow grave in Queens; her ex-boyfriend is in custody, NYPD says
The city medical examiner ruled Seraphina Pereira’s death a homicide on Monday.
By
Brittany Kriegstein
News
Woman found in shallow grave in Queens; her ex-boyfriend is in custody, NYPD says
The city medical examiner ruled Seraphina Pereira’s death a homicide on Monday.
By
Brittany Kriegstein
ICE used a warehouse in NJ. Locals are ‘frustrated’ by Sherrill’s response.
By
Mike Hayes
NY Gov. Hochul once resisted a data center pause. Now it’s central to her campaign.
By
Jon Campbell
Judge temporarily halts overnight construction at NYC’s Chinatown jail
By
Giulia Heyward
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .