NYC Councilman Mark Levine is warning parents that schools are about to go fully online as the city approaches a 3% positivity threshold:
NYC schools are set to go fully online when avg. positivity hits 3%. At the current trend that could happen by next week.
It's time to start communicating this to families–so they can plan, and so they understand NYers need to start hunkering down again. https://t.co/lwmFPJHkRX
— Mark D. Levine (@MarkLevineNYC) November 12, 2020
WHERE’S THE SCIENCE BEHIND THIS?
? NYC is on the brink of shutting down its entire school system – could be in just a few days unless numbers improve.
There has been very low transmission in city schools so far, & there is growing evidence that young children are not superspreaders.https://t.co/2EWC6v7Gyz— Eliza Shapiro (@elizashapiro) November 12, 2020
Parents, you have a few days to keep this from happening. Speak up now:
BdB has made opening schools a priority. But we could soon see a city where all schools are closed but indoor dining is open and non-essential office workers are still commuting. https://t.co/2EWC6v7Gyz
— Eliza Shapiro (@elizashapiro) November 12, 2020
As for “WHY” it’s happening, blame Bill de Blasio and the United Federation of Teachers:
Here's WHY this is happening: over the summer, when it was unclear if the mayor would have the political capital to open schools at all + the UFT was threatening to strike, BdB decided on a 3% positivity threshold to close schools.
— Eliza Shapiro (@elizashapiro) November 12, 2020
It’s time to lead, mayor:
It was meant to be a signal to parents, educators + the union that the city was taking safety very seriously. At the time, average positivity was hovering ~1%, and a 2nd wave seemed very far away. But here we are. In some ways, the city accidentally set a trap for itself.
— Eliza Shapiro (@elizashapiro) November 12, 2020
KEEP THEM OPEN: IT’S THE SCIENCE:
It's striking to see how many parents are frustrated about this looming school closure, considering how controversial this issue was over the summer. It's particularly brutal for the parents of kids with disabilities and young kids, for whom remote learning doesnt cut it.
— Eliza Shapiro (@elizashapiro) November 12, 2020
And the reason to keep them open? IT’S SCIENCE:
It's also striking to see European leaders say that schools are the priority over virtually ever other aspect of public life because kids are suffering without school. In some places in America, acknowledging a lot of kids aren't OK is a somehow a political statement.
— Eliza Shapiro (@elizashapiro) November 12, 2020
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