Mayor de Blasio confident NYC schools can fully open this fall

The nation's largest public school system was shut down for a second time last November due to a rise in COVID-19 cases. De Blasio said he wants all students to be back in school by September.

News 12 Staff

Mar 6, 2021, 3:43 AM

Updated 1,315 days ago

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Mayor Bill de Blasio told a radio show Friday that he will announce details next week on when New York City public high school students will be back in the classroom.
The mayor discussed the topic on "The Brian Leher Show" on WNYC.
The nation's largest public school system was shut down for a second time last November due to a rise in COVID-19 cases. De Blasio said he wants all students to be back in school by September.
"We intend to be able to accommodate every single child, every family that wants their child back in school in September, it is our expectation we can accommodate everyone in person five days a week," the mayor said. 
De Blasio cautioned that a lot can change until then.
Earlier this week, News 12 spoke exclusively to the new schools Chancellor Meisha Ross Porter, who said reopening high schools was one of her priorities and an announcement would be coming soon. 
News 12 contacted the Department of Education for comment. A spokesperson pointed to the mayor's remarks and said there would be "more to come next week."
"I want, literally, every kid to come back to every school" in September, the mayor said. "Kids have gone through hell here, and its not healthy for kids to be out of school."
He laid two "realistic pieces."
"A full five-day-a-week calendar for kids in person and then a pure remote options for families that just won't be ready at that point...I do not foresee blended being part of the equation anymore."
Later in the interview, de Blasio added: 
"If you believe in New York City Public Schools, if you want a great public education for your child for free, here's what I'll tell you about September...We will be fully opened in September. There will be five-day-a-week instruction for everyone. Period. Of course, we will have to have health and safety rules depending on what's going on with the coronavirus...We will work with our stakeholders to determine what the ground rules need to be."