PRESS STATEMENT From NYCCEJ Parents
Parent Reaction to Another Delay to School Reopening
@NYCMayor @DOEChancellor @NYCSchools @ABC7NY @News12BK @ChalkbeatNY @elizashapiro @eldiariony @NYDailyNews
#ReopeningSchools #Education4Liberation #safereopeningschools

Mayor de Blasio’s announcement today is a punch in the gut to parents, school staff, educators and students. He, along with the Department of Education, have wasted months of precious time, energy and resources on a plan that was ultimately set up to fail before it started.

Since June, parents, students and educators have been united in the message that in order for schools to reopen there must be a comprehensive plan, created in collaboration with parents, students and educators with an equity and racial justice lens. None of that occurred.

As of today NYC public schools still have an unworkable shortage of teachers and school staff, there is no instructional plan in place for in-person or remote instruction, and there is no true plan for the health and safety of students and staff in school buildings.

Mayor de Blasio and Chancellor Carranza continue to erode the trust that families have given them and now none remain. The arrogance of the Mayor to keep making last minute announcements that have a devastating impact on the livelihoods of the most marginalized communities

over and over again shows that he operates from a place of white supremacy and without genuine empathy or care for New York families.

When will the Mayor, the Chancellor and the leaders of the United Federation of Teachers and Council of School Administrators put students first and leave their egos at the door? They are playing loose and fast with the lives and wellbeing of children and families.

The primary function of the Department of Education is to educate and see to the wellbeing of children, and none of these men in leadership have lived up to that charge. It is mid-September and there is still no plan on how to educate children.

They are failing at this primary function and continue to show us, with their actions, that they are not living up to that charge.

The Mayor keeps insisting that he had the right people in the room to make these decisions, but in fact this plan is a result of backroom deals.

Perhaps if he allowed parents and students of color and immigrant families into the room or simply listened to our collective voices he would have come months ago to a plan that is in the best interest of students.