Mayor Bill de Blasio and the city's schools chancellor warned that parents should have plans in place in case schools close again, possibly as early as Monday, as COVID-19 cases continue to tick up.
United Federation of Teachers President Michael Mulgrew is hoping that the city’s public schools do not close as early as Monday. However, if they do, city Councilmember Mark Treyger is proposing that not everyone stays home.
"I'm thinking about families in Coney Island, in Central Brooklyn, South Bronx that don't have those means and so they rely on the government to be the great equalizer,” said Treyger.
Therefore, he is proposing to allow some students with individualized education programs, in early childhood and elementary schools and who are in temporary housing to have in-person learning five days a week as an option.
"As a former teacher it's painful to also hear the testimony that I sat through from parents of kids with special needs how their kids have progressed so bad and those impacts here long-term,” said Treyger.
Treyger also says it’s important because nearly 80,000 students are still without remote learning resources.
The city’s Department of Education tells News 12 that it has already distributed 20,000 iPads to students and has an additional 100,000 on the way, but that could take four to six weeks.
News 12 has reached out to the mayor for comment but has not heard back yet.