People act like social distancing in schools matters for middle & high school kids in NYC.

You know they’re not just going straight home, right?

Let’s get real. A thread.

Most NYC kids probably aren’t just getting dropped off and picked up from school like little Timmy in the burbs.

So let’s think from the perspective of Sean. Sean lives in the Bronx, but he got into a great school in Queens.

How does he do it?

First, Sean takes a Subway. But, he gets hungry when he transfers in Manhattan. He did have to leave his house early in the morning. He stops at a newspaper stand and grabs a bag of chips.

He has to make his transfer after he opens them up. So he eats them on the train.

Everyone is supposed to social distance, but Sean is eating with his arm wrapped around a pole.

The train jerks and he grabs the pole with his “eating hand” like he has so many times before.

Did he keep eating the chips? Who knows?

Sean gets off at the end of line in Jamaica Queens. He’s passed through every borough but Staten Island, and it’s only 6am.

Now he has to take a bus. You know how Queens is further east. 30 stops later, with passengers on and off, and he’s made it.

Now, time for school!

Sean goes on his day. His mask is still on. He listens to all of the social distancing rules. Some kids clown, but he takes it seriously.

But he has to pee. He had an Arizona from the deli down the block from school after he got off the bus, and now he’s dying.

So he waits until he can use the bathroom with an escort and forms and permission and contact tracing.

And he goes on with his day. He eats his sandwich during “instructional lunch,” careful not to make a mess or talk to anyone.

He’s been so quiet all day.

Sean is done with his school day now. He’s so glad this weird first day is over. The school follows their “exit protocol” where no one is too close to anyone.

But Sean gets a text from his friends to meet up at the deli. They always grabbed a snack & shot the shit after school.

So Sean and his friends, and other friends of other classmates are all there. They stop by the local businesses, interact with the customers & employees, then get on public transportation.

Another bus ride with 30 stops.

Another subway with fifteen stops.

The other subway with twenty stops.

Sean’s almost home. But his mom shoots him a text:

“Get some eggs from the store.”

Sean stops at the store by his house. His family is having chicken cutlets tonight.

While Sean is walking home, he sees people from the neighborhood who want to ask him how things are going. He’s a polite kid and obliges them.

And then he goes home.

Nothing wild happened during this story. This was just an average day for most kids in NYC.

Really, for some, above-average.

This is skipping the drama of relationships with significant others, rivals, over-policed neighborhoods, and peer pressured to use drugs and drink alcohol that come with the territory of adolescence.

It doesn’t matter what anyone says. You can’t fix that.

He doesn’t know he’s hurting anyone.

Sean is just a kid.

The Chancellor is not.
The Mayor is not.
The Governor is not.