Educators for Excellence-New York Reacts to School Start Delay

September 1 (New York) — Educators for Excellence-New York (E4E-New York), a teacher-led organization, reacted to the decision to delay the school year. 

“I am a public servant, and more than anything I would like to be there in person with my kids,” said E4E-New York member Carlotta Pope, an English Language Arts teacher at Brooklyn Community Arts & Media High School. “Though I’m hopeful we can use this time for training to better prepare for the school year, I don’t see how delaying reopening by only 10 days answers teachers’, parents’ and students’ questions about how the plan would work in practice, from making sure there is enough protective equipment to how we make sure there’s a nurse in every building. Teachers deserve a plan to reopen schools safely and effectively, so we can get back to focusing on what school is supposed to be about — learning.”

“The roller coaster of these last-minute decisions is extremely stressful for teachers and parents,” said Paula L. White, Executive Director of E4E-New York. “While it’s great the UFT and the district appear to have reached a resolution, it definitely occurred without nearly enough input from teachers and families. It’s also clear that children’s learning is way down on the priority list of the decision-makers in our city. The mayor and UFT will just be pushing the hard choices onto schools during the extra 10 days. It’s our highest-needs kids who will suffer the most.”