By: Ilana Siyance
As the summer nears its end, the educational fate of more than one million children remains unknown. Last week, Governor Andrew Cuomo had delighted parents by announcing that schools in the state could reopen. Soon after, however, it became clear that although medical experts considered it safe enough for teachers and students to return to classrooms, the buildings themselves may not be equipped for a safe reopening. It may end up that the school building’s square footage and HVAC quality will prove to be the deciding factor for in-person education. As reported by the NY Times, air flow and ventilation have been cited as impediments to returning to the school buildings, particularly with so many old buildings in the system.
On Wednesday, NYC’s principals joined the United Federation of Teachers to voice their fears about reopening schools. The principals penned a letter to the de Blasio administration calling for a delay to any start of a live academic year, citing that the buildings will not be ready for a safe reopening by September. The city is working to upgrade air-filtration systems in schools, but when the upgrades will be completed remains an enigma. It would be overly naive to expect the projects to all be completed in time.
Over the past few weeks, a blend of resourcefulness and desperation has led parents to petition the city to hold classes outdoors. Thousands have signed the petition requesting the city to appropriate space for outdoor sessions, and to also provide shelter for inclement weather. In just two days in the end of July, Park Slope Councilman Brad Lander received proposals from 14 schools in his district requesting outdoor space. Mayor Bill de Blasio said in a news conference last week that the city is looking into several options to expand schools’ footprints. So far, however, no schools have received such appropriated spaces and some school administrators say that it has been practically impossible to even get someone on the phone for any kind of update.
A spokesman for the mayor’s office, said the city is still “actively coordinating to evaluate outdoor space,’’ and is “grateful for every school community’s flexibility and creativity as we navigate an unprecedented crisis.”
As per the Times, it seems that just like most things in NYC, school re-openings too will depend on real estate.
