(New York) The city of New York is ready to reopen its schools for the start of the new school year in September, with a maximum of three days in class per week for the students, the rest of the education being given online, said Wednesday its mayor Bill de Blasio.
Posted on July 8 2020 at 12 h 37
France Media Agency
The decision of the mayor of the American economic capital remains to be validated by the governor of the State of New York, Andrew Cuomo.
The latter said Wednesday that he would not take a decision on the reopening of schools until early August, after the 700 school districts in this state of 20 millions of people had submitted detailed reopening plans for their establishments, and given the evolution of the pandemic, which continues to progress in the United States United.
New York City, at the epicenter of the epidemic in March-April, had closed its 1800 schools on 16 March, so as not to reopen them until the end of the school year 2019 – 20, forcing 1.1 million students to follow distance education.
Since then, the pandemic has declined dramatically, but it is progressing in many American states, threatening to resume in New York like a boomerang.
According to the plan presented by the mayor, the pupils will, from September, be divided into groups of a size smaller than that of a normal class, to be able to maintain a sufficient distance between them taking into account the risks of spread of coronavirus.
They will be required to wear a mask, as will teachers and all school staff. The city will provide masks to those who do not have them.
According to the standard formula, two groups will alternate in buildings and will generally spend two days a week at school, with a third day alternately.
“We know that we cannot maintain social distancing and have 100% of our students in our schools five days a week,” said the head of the New York Department of Education, Richard Carranza. “It's just geographically and physically impossible. “
Families can also choose to have their children take lessons only from a distance, said Bill de Blasio. “They have every right to do so and we will be ready” for that, he said.
The announcement comes amid pressure from Republican President Donald Trump to reopen schools, which Governor Cuomo, a Democrat, has strongly criticized.
