New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio says teachers need to show up for school because it’s “their job,” despite calls from educators to delay in-person learning over coronavirus concerns.
“Unless folks have a medical accommodation, their job is to come in and serve our kids,” de Blasio told reporters according to a report in the New York Post. “And I’m convinced that’s what they’re going to do because that’s what they’ve done their whole lives.”
De Blasio, who wants school buildings open on Sept. 10, also said public schools will have nurses on hand when students return.
“Every single New York City public school building will have a certified nurse,” he announced. “We’re taking every precaution, but there’s tremendous value to having a health professional present.”
The principal’s union on Wednesday said schools are nowhere near ready to safely reopen in September, and United Federation of Teachers President Michael Mulgrew on Thursday said he would do everything in his power to prevent schools from reopening if they don’t meet strict safety standards.
“We do not want our schools, or the lack of safety in reopening of the schools, to be the cause of re-contaminating our city again. We’re not gonna have it and everyone’s gotta wrap their head around it. We will stand. We’ll do what we need to do to make sure that that does not happen,” he said.