8 • September 9, 2021 - September 15, 2021
THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS
Education School Continued from page 1
No positive COVID rates in city schools at the end of last year. De Blasio said that the end of the last school year proved that the combination of ventilation, cleaning and other measures worked. “We took every conceivable health and safety measure from around the world and used them all, creating the gold standard,” said the mayor. When the AmNews contacted the Department of Education and the city about the lack of a remote option, we were directed to the mayor’s comments at the end of August on the protocols that’ll be used to keep students, faculty, and other school employees safe. The protocol, via a guideline handbook, includes vaccinations for all education employees, consistent school maintenance, options for immunocompromised public school students and mandatory vaccinations for anyone participating in high contact Public School Athletics League (PSAL) sports that require people being up close. The city also sent the AmNews a link to a story about Catholic schools reopening with a remote option. All of this comes on the heels on a recent
knew that some families might need additional time before making the adjustment back to on-campus learning,” said Ann Powell, Success Academy Charter Schools’ chief public affairs officer. The closer to Sept. 13, the louder the cries for a remote option. This week, the Alliance for Quality Education joined the fray and called for the mayor and the city to stop and consider possible ramifications for this policy. “We know that students learn best in the classroom,” said Jasmine Gripper, executive director, Alliance for Quality Education. “We are about to begin the third school year impacted by COVID-19, School is near, but the city doesn’t have a remote option for students. yet we still have not done everything pos(Courtesy of Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office) sible to ensure learning can happen safely and successfully. With the rise of the Delta report by the Washington Post, which cording to the American Academy of Pe- variant, we should be more cautious and noted that not only were there more than diatrics, marked the highest number since proactive by doing what we can to curtail the spread of COVID-19, particularly 250,000 COVID cases among children the pandemic began. ending the week of Sept. 2, but more than There’s been comparisons between when we are dealing with our children.” And another group of students forgot25% of all cases were kids and teenagers. the city and charter institutions like Suc“At this time, it appears that severe ill- cess Academy Charter Schools for years. ten in this scenario? The disabled. The reness due to COVID-19 is uncommon They’re usually housed in the same build- sults for that group side with the mayor. among children,” read the report. “How- ings but operate under different circum- According to a recent report by New York ever, there is an urgent need to collect stances. Success currently offers a remote State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, New more data on longer-term impacts of the learning option for its students. Howev- York students with disabilities lost parpandemic on children, including ways er, that option only lasts until early Octo- tial or full special education services because of school shutdowns and the shift the virus may harm the long-term physi- ber. Why? cal health of infected children, as well as its “We strongly believe in-person learning to remote learning during the pandemic. “Schools collaborate with service emotional and mental health effects. is the best environment for learning and See SCHOOL on page 32 The 250,000 cases among children, ac- for social-emotional development, but we
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