Leonie Haimson first spoke to Beth Ellor, a former Kindergarten teacher and preschool director, who described what it’s like working at the REC centers, which opened up to serve the NYC children of essential workers when schools were shut down in mid-March, including the various health and safety protocols they have followed. She discussed how the conditions in the REC centers relates to the safeguards that schools must use if and when they reopen in the fall. Leonie briefly summarized the recent guidance from Gov. Cuomo, the NY State Department of Health and the Board of Regents for the reopening of schools, and explained how if NYC schools do reopen, most students will only be able to attend school in person 1-3 days a week because of the need for social distancing, depending on how overcrowded their particular school is. Council Member Brad Lander then explained how the city needs to provide child care and wrap around services for young students on days when they are not attending school, and how this will require funding from the state and federal government.
Governor Cuomo’s announcement of the metrics that will determine whether schools can be reopened in NY state in the fall.
Detailed guidelines released by the state Department of Health and the Board of Regents.
Class Size Matters and NYC Kids PAC proposals for the safe reopening of schools; letter to the Board of Regents and Summary of ideas from our June 20 conference.
Council Member Brad Lander’s oped and draft plan.
Information on the increase in wealth among NY state billionaires during the pandemic.
NY State Legislature bills that would raise revenue to support our schools during the pandemic and help pay for child care and wrap around services, including increasing taxes on the ultra-wealthy.