Parents, educators and students around the city are continuing to call on the city to establish a remote learning option. 

This comes as more stories of a lack of health and safety precautions are coming out from different public schools. 

A rally was organized by Assembly Member Mathylde Frontus on Tuesday. Many spoke about the conditions they have witnessed firsthand since the school year began. 

Many described overcrowded hallways, people not wearing masks and students feeling anxious from not being able to hear or understand their teachers. 

One parent said their child was exposed to someone who was sick and had to quarantine for 10 days at home with no learning. 

Leaders express that it is too soon to go back to educating students as normal. They say the city should be able to provide remote learning for parents who think their parents need it. 

A spokesperson for the Department of Education tells News 12, “We opened our schools safely this year with universal mask usage, increased ventilation and air purifiers, and by repurposing space, hiring additional staff, staggering student schedules, and using outside space.”

The DOE also added that studies show in-person learning in public schools was not associated with increased rates of coronavirus transmission.  Activists say their experience suggests otherwise.