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Schools Update: Teachers Union Advises City To Shut Down 80 Public Schools In COVID Hot Spots
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David Cruz
and
Sophia Chang
Published Sep 29, 2020
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By
David Cruz
and
Sophia Chang
Published Sep 29, 2020
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This is our daily update following the reopening of NYC schools for Tuesday, September 29th, 2020.
Here's the latest:
- Sprawling class sizes in remote learning have some parents and students feeling frustrated and neglected.
- How will your child's K-5 experience look like? We break that down for you.
- Do you have a tip or story to share about schools reopening in NYC? Send us an email at [email protected] (we can keep you anonymous)
The United Federation of Teachers is now urging City Hall to consider closing more than 80 schools in ZIP codes with alarmingly high rates of COVID-19 infection.
In a statement sent out Tuesday afternoon, UFT president Michael Mulgrew said he recommended city officials "adopt a strategy to close public facilities ... in these hard-hit neighborhoods."
Health officials have begun sounding the alarm on the increasing number of cases last week, initially pinpointing the spike to six neighborhoods in Brooklyn. That number—part of the "Ocean Parkway Cluster"—has since gone up to nine, and includes portions of Queens. The neighborhoods include Gravesend, Midwood, Kew Gardens, Far Rockaway, Borough Park, Bensonhurst, Gerritsen Beach, and Flatlands.
The community of Gravesend has seen the highest number of cases, with 6.92% of people in the neighborhood testing positive for the virus. Health officials are also keeping an eye on Rego Park, Kensington, and Brigton Beach as neighborhoods with burgeoning increases.
"We cannot put the entire city at risk by allowing COVID rates to rise," said Mulgrew.
Last week, the city Department of Education dispatched mobile testing vans to FDR High School and P.S. 164, two areas in Borough Park, in response to the uptick. The testing was exclusive to students and staffers at each school.
Mulgrew emphasized that the public school system revert back to March, when the rising number of COVID-19 cases shifted the system to remote-based learning.
This has caused the total number of people testing positive for COVID-19 above 3%, though the seven-day rolling average remains at 1.3%. Mayor Bill de Blasio has long insisted that the public schools will close only if the seven-day rolling average goes above 3%.
Avery Cohen, a spokesperson for Mayor Bill de Blasio, said the city is "keep a close eye on our schools and our indicators and we will decide, based on data and science, when and if widespread closure is appropriate."
Learning Bridges Childcare Program Ramps Up To 30,000 Available Spots
The new Learning Bridges childcare program now has 30,000 seats available, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Tuesday.
The program provides free childcare for working parents of children who are in 3K-8th grade, and the city has made 10,000 offers to families so far, de Blasio said. "We're going to keep building it out and provide for as many people as possible," de Blasio said.
The increase in available seats comes as K-5 and K-8 schools returned for in-person learning Tuesday. Middle and high school students are set to return for in-person learning Thursday.
Under the auspices of the Department of Education and the Department of Youth and Community Development, the Learning Bridges program aims to provide childcare for 50,000 kids on each day of blended learning, in partnership with community-based organizations, with space eventually for up to 100,000 students enrolled.
The DOE has said some of the logistical challenges have been finding appropriate locations and pairing Learning Bridges sites with local schools in order to keep students in clusters for contact tracing purposes.
“Learning Bridges sites will be paired with DOE schools and contracted early childhood programs so that students will be interacting with a similar cohort of students when possible,” said DOE spokesperson Sarah Casasnovas in an email Friday. The same health and safety protocols followed by schools will be in place at the Learning Bridges sites, and “nurses will be available for all programs for on-site visits and telehealth from 8:00 am - 8:00 pm,” Casasnovas said.
The program is still enrolling students, with priority given to families in temporary housing, DOE families, children of Learning Bridges staffers, families in NYCHA housing, students with disabilities, and families of essential workers.
While no locations have been disclosed, the Parks Department said that its recreation centers -- which have remained closed to the public -- will be used for the Learning Bridges programs.
For more information, email [email protected]
A teacher at Hunter College Campus Schools demands an independent inspection of the school ahead of reopening.
Professional Staff Congress
Independent Inspection Clears Hunter College Campus Schools To Reopen, Averting Teachers Strike
Teachers at Hunter College Campus Schools reported in to work for the first day of in-person learning for K-6 grade students on Tuesday morning, after an independent inspector declared the school safe to re-enter. The inspection was demanded by the teachers' union ahead of the first day of classes, averting a potential strike.
CUNY manages the Upper East Side school at East 94th and Park Avenue, nicknamed the "Brick Prison" thanks to its windowless classrooms. The school has a student body of 1,500 elementary, middle, and high school students.
The Professional Staff Congress -- the union representing 130 teachers at HCCS -- said the school was inadequately prepared to reopen for in-person learning during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Windowless classrooms are a major concern for teachers, who said there was inadequate airflow and demanded that CUNY install quality HEPA filter units. The PSC took CUNY to court, where a judge sided with the union, ordering that CUNY ensure every classroom has the necessary filters.
But teachers at the school still wanted their own independent inspection of the building, similar to what the city Department of Education agreed to with the United Federation of Teachers union. A day after the PSC's executive council approved a strike authorization vote, CUNY agreed to the independent inspection.
“The faculty and staff of the Hunter College Campus Schools took a brave stand for the safety of students, teachers and the community. Because of their advocacy and the support of their union, HCCS has been forced to implement a whole series of new safety protocols,” said Barbara Bowen, president of PSC.
The inspection will extend to the Silberman School on Third Avenue, another CUNY-owned building where 9th and 10th grade students will be showing up for in-person learning beginning October 1st. Students in 11th and 12th grade will be fully remote for the school year.
“That the teachers were ready to strike helped to win a commitment to regular COVID testing, a safety inspection by an independent inspector, containment of dangerous mold, and a temporary restraining order that impelled Hunter to install HEPA air filters in classrooms," said Bowen. "None of these protections was in place until the teachers and their union fought for them. Our fight was a fight for everyone in the HCCS community.”
A CUNY spokesperson said, "CUNY yesterday lead a courtesy walkthrough of the 94th St. building that included representatives from the PSC Chapter, CUNY Central Office, Hunter College and a health and safety specialist from the American Federation of Teachers. They corroborated what we have been saying all along: That the school is ready and safe for occupancy. We are excited about classes in the elementary school starting as planned today and in the high school Thursday as scheduled."
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schools reopening
David Cruz
David is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
Read more
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
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