Parents: demand answers to questions for re-opening schools in september 2020


​Parents, please contact the following DOE officials, elected officials, community representatives and parent leaders using the letter below to demand answers to questions our schools require to open safely.

TO:
nycchancellor@schools.nyc.gov, mrosales7@schools.nyc.gov, CLoughl@schools.nyc.gov, lliu@cec3.org, 

CC:
jackson@nysenate.gov, serrano@nysenate.gov, odonned@assembly.state.ny.us, RosentL@nyassembly.gov, gbrewer@manhattanbp.nyc.gov, Helen@HelenRosenthal.com, Mlevine@council.nyc.gov, mtreyger@council.nyc.gov, mdiller@nyc.rr.com, kwatkins@cec3.org 

Subject: We Still Need Reopening Answers!

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To: 
Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza
Executive Superintendent Rosales
Superintendent Loughlin
CEC3 Member Lucas Liu

CC: 
NY State Senator Robert Jackson
NY State Senator Jose Serrano
NY State Assemblymember Danny O’Donnell
NY State Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal
Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer
NY City Councilmember Helen Rosenthal
NY City Councilmember Mark Levine
NY City Council Education Chair Mark Treyger
Community Board 7 Chair Mark Diller
CEC3 President Kim Watkins


Chancellor Carranza, Executive Superintendent Rosales, and Superintendent Loughlin:

After weeks of asking for answers, and only three weeks before schools reopen, parents of 1.1 million New York City school children are STILL missing vital information about how schools will reopen safely. Most importantly, parents still do not understand who will be teaching our children or how the DOE and the city will properly support our schools and students.

Additionally, schools have immediate openings for teachers who cannot be hired due to a hiring freeze, and there is word that up to 9000 additional teachers may be cut from the system. When will principals and parents know who will be teaching students this year?

Additional fundamental questions that should have been answered by now include:
  1. Who is conducting temperature checks at schools? Neither the nurses’, administrators’ nor teachers’ unions are allowing their members to do so. 
  2. How will daily cleaning of the building be done with so few custodial staff?
  3. When will the DOE publish the 2020-2021 school calendar?
  4. Will there be busing for special needs students?

Obviously, there are many more questions, but these are the bare minimum that parents need to even begin to feel comfortable sending their children back to school this fall.

I look forward to your answers.

Best,
Your Name