NYC Principals Union Warns Of ‘Staffing Crisis’ Under New Rules

NEW YORK CITY — An 11th-hour requirement that New York City schools provide separate teachers for in-person and remote instruction could create a “staffing crisis,” warned the union representing the city’s principals.

The Council of Schools Supervisors and Administrators blasted the new teaching guidance in a letter circulated Friday.

“Compelling school leaders to open their buildings on September 10th while adhering to this new guidance is indefensible,” the letter states.

Mayor Bill de Blasio declared the city is “full steam ahead” on reopening classrooms — an undertaking unparalleled by a school system this size in the coronavirus pandemic. But many parents, educators and, especially, unions have been vocal about the risks and perceived lack of preparation.

Many wondered how the city would have schools juggle teachers for students under “blended learning” — a hybrid of in-school and at-home days — and fully remote plans.

The answer came Thursday when de Blasio and school officials unveiled guidance reached under an agreement with the United Federation of Teachers union.

Blended learning students will have separate teachers for their in-person and remote instruction times, the guidance stated.

De Blasio promised the guidance would provide “clarity.” Instead, one principal told Gothamist the plan was “bats--- crazy.”

Another principal took issue with Linda Chen, the city’s chief academic officer, calling staffing both in-person and remote teachers a “mathematical problem” for schools.

“Programming a school is NOT just a mathematical equation to work out,” tweeted Jose Jimenez, principal at PS 290 in Queens. “These are people. We program to meet the needs of kids, staff, families, using educationally sound and developmentally appropriate methods. You can make something fit, but it doesn't mean it belongs there.”

The principals union letter echoed concerns about logistics and added another factor: time.

"Regrettably, the DOE has now created a potential staffing crisis with just two weeks to go before the first day of school,” the letter states. “We applaud your administration for its focus on science throughout this pandemic. We ask that you also focus on the math. As school leaders process this new guidance, distributed on the very day they were required to share schedules with families, many will be forced to abandon their carefully considered plans and communicate to their superintendents that their school simply doesn't have enough staff to begin the year. They must now communicate to families that far too many students will not be taught remotely by their in-person teachers.”

The union also reiterated its call for a delay to reopening classrooms.

“The current shortage of teachers only makes our previous message more urgent: New York City schools are simply not ready to reopen for in-person instruction on September 10th,” the letter states.

Mayor Bill de Blasio, when asked about the letter on WNYC’s Brian Lehrer Show, said he heard the principals’ concerns and promised answers shortly.