Queens Borough President Calls For Remote Learning Option

QUEENS — Queens Borough President Donovan Richards joined a growing chorus of officials on Tuesday advocating for a remote learning option at New York City’s public schools this year, despite Mayor Bill de Blasio’s recent promise to ditch remote learning options.

The mayor’s plan to have public school students fully in-person come mid-September already drew criticism from some elected officials, who cited safety concerns about children not of vaccination age or immunocompromised kids amid the delta coronavirus variant’s rampant spread.

“Queens has some of the most overcrowded schools in the five boroughs, and it is concerning how schools can safely reopen for in person learning. With the latest rise of the delta variant, there are increased concerns about children’s safety,” Richards wrote in a letter to NYC Schools Chancellor Meisha Porter, alluding to growing concerns that dozens of Queens’ overcrowded schools cannot safely fit their students this fall.

In the letter to the chancellor, Richards mentioned the number of parents in Queens who are concerned about returning to school, and criticized the DOE for “[undermining] the entire parent engagement process” by eliminating a remote learning option “without actual parent engagement.”

Richards added that having a remote learning option in September would especially help children, parents, and caretakers in Queens — the city’s initial virus epicenter, which he said is still “heavily affected” by COVID cases.

One recent study of 5,000 public school parents — conducted by PLACE NYC, a parent-led advocacy group — substantiates Richards’ claims that Queens’ public school parents remain concerned about this year’s school reopening plan.

Just over half of respondents, 52 percent, want their students to return to in-person learning, the study found, but the remaining 48 percent want remote-only or a remote-option for the upcoming academic year.

In parts of Queens, parents “notably prefer” a remote-only option, the study found.

Last year, during the then-height of the pandemic, more than 60 percent of families opted for a fully-virtual learning option.

While some of those parents were initially relieved to hear about de Blasio’s plan to bring back fully in-person learning, the spread of the highly-contagious delta variant has renewed some families’ concerns.

The mayor and school officials have contended, though, that in-person learning can run smoothly despite the increasing cases, citing social distancing measures and studies highlighting the low risk of COVID transmission in schools.

"We can do this safely," de Blasio said earlier this month when he renewed his call for fully in-person learning. "We did it safely even when we didn't have vaccination."

Vaccination among students and staff is another factor that in-person learning advocates say will make this school year safer. On Monday, following the FDA’s full approval of the Pfizer vaccine, de Blasio issued a COVID vaccine mandate for New York City public school staff, which is expected to be among the first of many similar sweeping mandates by nationwide employers and businesses.

"This will help ensure everyone is safe," de Blasio said during Monday’s announcement.

Municipal union leaders have largely encouraged their members to get vaccinated, but labor leaders filed an unfair labor practice complaint on Tuesday over the city’s vaccine mandate.

"While we strongly encourage our members to get vaccinated, we do not believe that the City has the legal authority to change the terms and conditions of employment without bargaining. District Council 37, along with a coalition of unions that make up the Municipal Labor Committee, will file an Unfair Labor Practices complaint over the City's failure to bargain," Henry Garrido, the DC37 union's executive director said in a statement.

Of the 148,000 people who make up the city’s school staff, Chancellor Porter said that 63 percent have been vaccinated so far — which falls short of the 75 percent vaccination rate among the city’s adults.