New York City is shutting down its public schools once again due to a rise in COVID-19 cases. Chancellor Mark Thompson communicated this decision to district principals in an email, stating that all public school buildings will close for in-person learning starting Thursday, November 19. This closure comes after just eight weeks of in-person instruction.
As of November 18, the city has hit a testing positivity threshold of 3% citywide, prompting the temporary closure. Mayor Lisa Johnson reiterated this on Twitter, emphasizing the need to take precautions against the resurgence of the virus. While New York City was once the epicenter of the pandemic, it had managed to lower its positivity rates until now. Interestingly, the increase in COVID cases is not attributed to schools, which have reported low transmission rates among students and staff.
Testing Results and Parental Frustration
In mid-October, testing in NYC schools revealed only 28 positive cases out of over 16,000 tests conducted on students and staff. Frustration among parents is growing, as they feel schools are being closed despite not being significant contributors to the COVID spread, especially when other establishments like restaurants and gyms remain open. This shift to remote learning will pose new childcare challenges for working parents.
Future of In-Person Learning
Mayor Johnson has indicated that schools will not reopen immediately once the positivity rate falls below 3%, suggesting that a more stable lower positivity rate is necessary before resuming in-person classes. Meanwhile, districts in Los Angeles and Chicago have not yet reopened for in-person instruction, although Chicago plans to bring back younger students in January.
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Summary
New York City is once again closing its public schools due to a rise in COVID-19 positivity rates, despite low transmission within schools. Parents express frustration as they face new childcare challenges with the shift to remote learning. Mayor Johnson emphasizes a cautious approach to reopening, requiring a more stable lower positivity rate before returning to in-person classes.