In an interview on MSNBC’s Morning Joe today (May 24), Mayor de Blasio announced that NYC schools will go back to being fully in person September 13.
It comes after 14 months of back-and-forth, from all-remote to half remote/half in-person to closing when NYC’s positivity rate got too high to reopening shortly thereafter. Currently, families can chose between remote or in-person (the “opt-in” period ended in April for the remainder of the school year), and 60 percent of students are still schooling from home.
“It’s just amazing to see the forward motion right now, the recovery that’s happened in New York City. But you can’t have a full recovery without full strength schools, everyone back sitting in those classrooms, kids learning again. So, that’s what we’re going to have in September,” he said.
He said they would continue to enforce safety measures, citing the implementation of required face masks, extensive ventilation and cleaning procedures since the pandemic began. Though he did say it would be “a version of that, a different version for different times,” without disclosing specifics as of yet (though masks will still be required).
New York City public schools will FULLY reopen this September. That means welcoming all our students and staff back to school buildings.
Vaccinations are working, we’re beating back COVID, and our city is coming back strong. pic.twitter.com/jamWEzFXHN
— Mayor Eric Adams (@NYCMayor) May 24, 2021
To help parents feel more comfortable with the decision, the school system will invite them to view schools in June and learn about the safety measures in person themselves.
Currently, the CDC would require the students to be spaced three feet apart, which the Mayor said they “could make that work if we had to,” but he strongly believes the CDC will relax that regulation come August.
The NYC public school system currently serves almost 1 million students.
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