Frustrated parents protest decision to close NYC schools

NEW YORK - Dozens of infuriated parents surrounded the gates of New York City Hall on Thursday morning calling on Mayor Bill de Blasio to abandon the city’s three-percent positivity threshold and reopen their kids’ schools.

“We got the PPE, we got the ventilation, we got the testing and we got our kids back in schools. For once since March, our kids were able to go to school every day, get a little bit of life back, get their friends back and get their learning back,” Mia Eisner-Grynberg says.

Last week, Eisner-Grynberg and two other parents launched a petition arguing that the safety measures implemented in city schools have made them “extraordinarily safe” for both teachers and students, quoting the mayor himself.

They delivered two copies of that petition along with three-hundred pages of signatures to the offices of Mayor de Blasio and Governor Andrew Cuomo.

• NYC mayor warns more coronavirus closures are coming

“I have two kids in blended learning at DOE schools and “I was sick and tired of sitting on the sidelines and have other people decide whether my children could go to school the next day,” Daniella Jampel adds.

Jampel has two children, aged three and six, who attend New York City schools.

Mayor DeBlasio stood by the strict closure policy in his daily press briefing, saying that bringing schools back would likely require more testing.

“We need to come up with even more stringent rules to make schools work and testing is going to be absolutely crucial,” he explained.

• NYC schools go all-remote; Cuomo warns of 'astronomical' positive test rates in state

Department of Education Chancellor Richard Carranza said he believes schools can re-opened before the New Year if people are vigilant during the holiday season.

“We can do this before December is out, but it’s gonna mean that we have to be very disciplined to suppress the spread in New York City,” Carranza mentioned.

The city’s free childcare program will remain open on a priority basis and grab-and-go meals will still be available at public schools buildings.