On November 19, 2020, public schools in New York City were set to close for the second time due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The city had passed their three percent positivity threshold that was set by the mayor and city unions. This three percent threshold has brought up many concerns of public interest. Many are wondering why restaurants and bars are left to stay open, whilst the schools are closed. Mayor Bill de Blasio was the first to reopen schools in a major city, only for them to close eight weeks later. This is a large disappointment for the entire city, including the mayor himself. De Blasio has stated on Twitter that the closure was due to "an abundance of caution.” Maintaining the health of the children is at the top priority of his agenda when it comes to the school system. The students have not been the most common spreaders of the virus and there hasn't been a three percent average within the schools. During a CNN interview, Bianna Golodryga, an American journalist, was quoted saying that the “positivity rate for school children is .17 percent.” Nevertheless, De Blasio is still pushing for the reopening of schools once the number of cases has lowered, commenting that he wants students to “come back as quickly as possible.” Personally, I see the second closing of the schools as an overall better option, rather than continuing in-person learning. Since New York City is so condensed, the virus can spread very easily, and still holding in-person learning only puts the students at a larger risk. One very interesting part of the whole situation is that the restaurants and bars are allowed to stay open.
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Although the closing of schools in New York is unfortunate for the kids and parents, I understand their perspective as they want to make sure they exercise extreme caution. In the beginning of the pandemic, New York was one of the most contaminated cities due to their dense population and they've done well with their cases since then. But even though Covid-19 cases in NY have been pretty good since April all the way to November with less than a thousand cases per day, they could definitely get a lot worse as the entire country is drastically increasing in cases currently, with many states hitting record highs. NY could definitely be very prone in becoming another covid19 hot spot due to their dense population, so the closing of schools may not have been a bad decision. Especially with the optimistic news of the Moderna and Pfizer vaccine, we still need to make sure the virus is not taken lightly in these months before the vaccine is approved.
Building onto Brian’s ideas, though many children and adolescents may be less vulnerable to Covid-19, schools also require teams of faculty and administration to function efficiently, and to provide the numerous resources many have come to expect from them. While observing the seemingly steady development of potential Covid-19 vaccines provides a great sense of hope, until the CDC authorizes one that is readily available and can be widely distributed, I believe Mayor de Blasio’s decision to err on the side of caution is not only the safest bet, but currently beneficial. Striving towards protecting the health of school employees and students, and planning for a return towards in-person learning in the future, when the city is no longer above or near the 3% threshold, helps to reduce the risk of potentially jeopardizing the health of more individuals in New York City, especially as across various schools, continuing in-person learning might put those more vulnerable faculty members at risk.
Also, a quick side note, after reading Governor Cuomo’s statements regarding Mayor de Blasio’s decision, where he emphasized “in-person learning to be safe when the appropriate protections were in place,” I found their slightly contradictory opinions as ones to note as important to follow in the future.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/cuomo-de-blasio-schools-are-safe-nyc-shutters-them
This article also provides a bit of a different perspective, bringing up important points: https://www.nationalreview.com/2020/11/bill-de-blasio-should-reopen-new-york-citys-schools/
Like Brian and Kaitlyn, I also believe that closing schools is a good idea. Even though the positive test rate is .17%, if even one person gets it, the entire school can quickly spread the virus, especially with many school children refusing to follow rules and likely not everyone would keep their masks on at all times. I find it extremely concerning that restaurants are still open, yet schools are closing because from what I have seen downtown, there are plenty of people who walk around without masks which is far better at spreading the virus. Especially with a good percent of the population pretending the virus doesnt exist, it is an extremely easy for the virus to spread now and any way to try to slow that would be helpful.
Opening schools is inherently more risky than opening restaurants. Restaurants can better enforce safety guidelines than schools where maintaining 6 feet distance at all times is an almost impossible feat. However, I do see the perspective that closing schools creates a vast equity issue for students. In our state of California, Gov. Newsom is sending his kids to private school for in-person instruction while keeping public schools closed for kids that can't afford the switch. The cost of missed socialization and education for students on the lower end of the socio-economic spectrum will be unprecedented and only deepen the inequality in this country. At the same time, loosing more American lives will be devastating to the psyche of this country. We have to evaluate the ever changing situation and make fluid decisions in response.
Many private schools are using staggered schedules to maintain social distancing and remain open. While this is definitely more risky than distance learning, it relieves the emotional and equity stresses that distance learning has created while maintaining social distancing and mask wearing norms. Through this strategy, schools are almost more safe than restaurants, as students are able to be 6 feet apart and wear masks the entire time, while in restaurants, people have to take their masks off to eat, which poses a threat. Dr. Fauci is in favor of keeping schools open as long as numbers are low, which is this case, they are, as .17% is much lower than the 5% threshold set by the CDC. However, I do agree that it is better to be safe than sorry, especially since cases are hitting all times highs in other states.
This is happening here as well. In the past couple months many of the private schools have gone back with hybrid models of learning. Even this has not stopped the virus from spreading. My cousin went to school for one of his in class learning days and one of the kids he sat at lunch with that day tested positive for COVID. Now he is in quarantine himself. I disagree that it was a good idea to close the schools. 0.17% is such a small number. At Aragon 0.17% would be 2 or 3 people. Schools should at least try to stay open for longer. Given all the social distancing guidelines and efforts with the hybrid models, the Virus surely would not spread as rapidly as it did in the spring. I agree with Arnav that schools are more safe than restaurants. Many restaurants have found a way to serve people with outdoor dining, but this solution is quickly dying, as we turn into winter and it will be to cold and rainy to do this. Overall, kids want to go back to school, for their social and physical well being, and they should be trying harder to let this happen.
With the number of cases hitting an all-time high in the United States, I think closing schools is a crucial part of preventing the spread of the virus. Younger kids might not have a promising sanitary practice, which will spread rapidly within the school as one virus carrier is enough to spread. I understand that younger students are suffering from the lack of in-person lectures and activities, just as much as the older students like us. But it is entirely worth it for the people around us. We must persevere and continue practicing good sanitary and social distancing in order to protect everyone and overall, bring an end to the virus. As for the problem with bars and restaurants, I agree with Michael that the outdoor dining method is not going to be practical when winter hits. For everyone's sake, every individual must do their part in order to return to our normal lifestyles.
I think Mayor De Blasio did the right thing by closing down public schools especially in a time when the pandemic is reaching new heights again. Preventing the spread of the virus in any way possible should be one of the biggest goals for the New York City governor where they had an influx of cases at the beginning of the shutdown overwhelming hospitals and government assistance. While I do believe the lack of an in-school experience does disproportionately affect lower-income students more it's better than spreading the virus to family members especially those who are older or have preexisting conditions where it can become potent. Having a personal connection to this story with my cousin's school closing down in-person learning for the rest of the semester after her the majority of the school contracted the virus I believe it's still hard to control this virus even if the right procedures are being followed to stop the spread. While I believe it's not ideal for restaurants to still have outdoor dining and bars to be open in the rise in cases, we can't expect a timely decision from him with the pushback from business owners and citizens criticizing him for hurting their financial needs. I do believe his action to limit private parties to groups of 10 and having bars, restaurants, and gyms close at 10 pm is a step in the right direction to not completely close the city again more should be done to keep people safe.
https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2020/11/cuomo-orders-bars-restaurants-closed-at-10-p-m-in-new-york.html
Seeing how cases in the US have begun to increase across the country once again, it is important to close schools once again. Though younger children are less likely to catch the virus, as the positive rate is only 0.17%. Especially in New York, where it is extremely dense in population, the chance of one person catching it and spreading to others is extremely high. New York is prone to becoming another hot spot with its large population, and so is any dense city in the US. Even if people desperately want to return back to school, for their wellbeing it is better to close schools, at least until the pandemic seems to be better. So choosing to close schools once again is not a bad idea, even with the news of a vaccine. There is still tons of time before it may be approved for public use.
I would say that maybe the reopening of schools in New York at all was premature, considering how fast and dangerously the virus spread the first time that the city took longer to close it seems that reopening might cause the same effects because the city's population is so condensed.
New York is the most densely populated city and therefore reopening and lifting restrictions should be made with even more caution than in other places. In California schools have not yet reopened in major cities, and none of them are as dense as New York. Even though children are not such a high risk group, meaning there is less mortality rate than among older people they can still transmit the disease to kids who have health condition that might affect the disease and also to their parents and families which can already rise the number of cases exponentially.
It also seems counterproductive to me that schools would close but bars and restaurants wouldn't but there is also the fact that these kinds of businesses can't survive without clients and can cause a lot of unemployment.
Looking at the number of Covid cases going up every day leads me to not be shocked by New York's decision. The US reached a new high of 184,000 cases in one day just over a week ago. I recognize the uncertainty that many people hold when thinking about not going back to school; however, it is important that we take all the measures we can to stop the spread of the virus throughout our country. I find the prospect of opening schools up in a safe manner much more easier said than done. There are many expectations that are placed on faculty, parents, and students in school and in their lives outside of school. Many are growing extremely tired, but it's important to stay safe and cautious in our decisions regarding the pandemic. This is a very interesting occurrence to follow as our own district is also in the midst of deciding whether or not to go back to school in the Spring, and looking at what the Spring semester will look like in general.
It's again worrisome how the residents will clear another hurdle to their daily lives. But also who people will blame. Though Trump is gone, his influence still resides in senators and his supporters. While it's obvious these extra lockdowns are necessary, people are beginning to call these new lockdowns a disaster, saying it's a horrible idea because everyone is going to become homeless. Who will they blame? The person responsible for the new lockdown? Or the person responsible for prolonging the virus? This lockdown is mandatory, but with it I feel it'll divide the US more.
New York’s first wave of cases brought wreak to and havoc on their health care system and on the lower class. Overall, I think Gov. Cuomo took most of the credit for the state’s recovery, though high population density was in the city. New York’s suburbs are generally more wealthy than the working class of the city, who may not have access to child care if schools were to shut down again. And while caution and preventative measures should be taken, de Blasio, throughout his political career, has held a focus on inequities: the voter base that got him his current office was primarily Black and working class. Though children are less at risk than the elderly and immunocompromised (children can also be immunocompromised, but majority assume healthy children) adult teachers and staff are still at risk. And students still have the ability to contract the virus: data shows more people are getting it and less people are dying from it. Locking down schools can help prevent the coronavirus from seeping into homes and hospitals that cannot afford to endure any more stress and suffering.
With the second wave of coronavirus and spikes of cases being seen all across the country, it seems expected that New York was going to shut down public schools or some sort of public facility. It is unfortunate to see schools reclose after only 8 weeks of opening, but in order to keep both the children and the staff/faculty safe, I think this decision is for the better. Since NYC is such a big hotspot for coronavirus and the amount of cases seems to be drastically greater in the city compared to other areas, taking more precautionary measures will always benefit the city. Although it is true that school children have the lowest positivity rate, with an average rate of around 0.17%, since students come in contact with many family members, some of which may be immunocompromised, so with children possibly spreading the coronavirus, it puts a much greater percentage of the community at risk. Furthermore, this rate isn't taking into account the staff and faculty who put themselves at risk with schools opening, so even though the number may look small, there are a lot of other factors that increase the spread. But although closing schools is a good step, keeping many other public facilities open may not be the best option. According to the AAMC (Association of American Medical Colleges), school infections levels usually reflect the infection levels of the community, and if De Blasio is willing to shut down schools in fear of rising infection levels, then it should be a good call to also preemptively shut down other public services.
I would argue that there is no "second wave" of cases, but we are rather still experiencing the first wave. After the initial surge of cases earlier this year, we never "recovered" from it. We are still sheltering in place and just because the number of cases per day went down for a while, it doesn't mean a resurgence in cases means we are experiencing a "second wave," it just means we didn't get all the way out of the first wave. I understand why businesses and schools want to reopen quickly -- this pandemic is affecting us in every aspect of life, and mostly negatively. But when restaurants and schools reopen, they shouldn't be surprised when they have to close down only weeks later due to a resurgence in cases. Even though 0.17% seems like a small number, in a school of 1700 students (roughly the size of Aragon), that would mean nearly 3 students would test positive. We all know how few cases it takes to cause a breakout, with all those exponential graphs and whatnot. It is frustrating to see this, since we are actually pedaling backwards by trying to reopen. We should just be waiting a bit more until we can say for certain that we've been rid of this plague.
I think that De Blasio made a reasonable decision to close down schools once again. Since we are seeing the numbers rise once again, it is important to put the health and safety of the students first. Though 0.17% is a very small number, those very few corona-positive children can very easily spread the virus if they do not stay quarantined. Unlike restaurants, closing down schools does not affect student's lives as much as the closing down of restaurants and businesses. The opening of restaurants and bars are a source of income for many businesses and families and they are integral in getting our economy back to normal. If these restaurants were not allowed to open, many families would be put in an even worse situation financially. Thus, I can understand why bars and restaurants are still allowed to open.
I think that Bill de Blasio did the right thing by closing down schools. It makes the most sense to do this now before the cases start to surge so that the kids of New York miss the least amount of school. The closing of schools is pretty much inevitable for New York given how condensed everything is, so closing them over the winter months is the best course of action. However, since the school closed down I don't understand how the bars and restaurants haven't as well, as they are much more dangerous in terms of spreading Covid.
While it can be slightly discouraging to see school's close down again, especially as that seemed to mark the beginning of the first lockdown in March for many children and teens, I believe that it is the right decision. Covid cases are rising, it is flu season, people are gathering for holidays, and the weather is getting colder meaning outdoor (and safer) events are no longer a viable option in many places. Closing down public schools in New York is just one way to effectively protect students, their families, teachers, and faculty. At the same time this indirectly protects healthcare workers and essential workers. And while many people are quick to turn to the statement that children and young people are less likely to test positive for covid because of the reported percentages that seem rather small, even a few number of students contracting the disease (which in comparison to the larger number does seem small) can have extremely drastic effects. The idea of people's personal "bubbles" can be incredibly misleading as well. For example if each student has a bubble of say 4-5 other people including both family and close friends, when that student comes into contact with another, those "bubbles" are at risk for overlapping. If even 1 of those people learn they are positive for COVID-19, that potentially holds risk for many others to test positive including the people in those "bubbles" and so on. Additionally, the time it takes to actually test positive and find out who a person contracted it from all increase the potential for spreading it without knowing. So correlating these small percentages with low to no risk can be dangerous. And even if those who test positive in schools are considered a minority in the scope of the entire school, district, state, or country, staying home and doing online school to prevent the risk of any students, teachers, and their families from getting sick is a measure that should, for the most part, be taken. Because we can all agree that online school is not always easy, especially for younger students, but it actively protects everyone in terms of public heath.
While many people want things to go back to “normal” it is very important to put people’s health before opening the doors to schools, restaurants, sports, etc. I think it is important to go back to school in person because it will help people with social skills, and many people like to be interacting with others instead of being locked inside their house. However, I definitely think Mayor De Blasio made the right choice by closing down public schools in New York. New York is a very big city filled with millions of people, so by closing down schools, he is trying to lower the spread of Covid-19. Right now, cases have significantly increased, and it is very risky to be outside the house. I agree that it is a smart idea to wait until cases lower again before opening back the schools because it is flu season and that can create a lot of problems. I think if people are wearing a mask, socially distancing themselves from others, it is very unlikely that they will spread or catch the coronavirus.
Overall, I’m glad that what seems to be the right call for the most part has taken place, even with a mere .17% positivity rate. However, I feel that schools shouldn’t have even opened to begin with. The number of cases recently don’t seem to show any sign of stopping in the future and consequently, absolute preventative measures should be taken. This is especially true for some places as bustling as schools. I understand the want to send children back to school ASAP, however, in the grand scheme of things, it’s something that can wait I feel. Eventually, it’s a guarantee people will return, but the rate and speed of that goal is determined by the actions, or I guess lack of actions, now. Forcing it will do no good. Also, as Anoush said, restaurants and the like have more agency in regards to preventative measures involving customers which explains to a degree why they’re still allowed to be open. Of course, I’d want them to stay closed as well, however, their circumstances are understandably different from a school. Hopefully by next year things will look a lot more manageable, but until then, I still think intense preventative measures are required.
I agree with Pritish; it was a mistake for schools to have opened in the first place. Even if the positivity rate among school children is only 0.17%, it is still dangerous for students to attend school in-person. When coming into contact with their families, students can spread the virus to others with a weaker immune system, which increases the risk that they become severely ill with COVID-19. As for restaurants, although I wish they would also close in order to be cautious about the virus, I can understand why they would not want to close. With talks of a second stimulus package stalling in the federal government, restaurants are staying open to remain financially stable.
I do agree that schools should not have been opened so quickly, but am for students to go back safely and as a priority. However, I do find it very problematic that bars were opened. For me, making sure that kids whose education has been heavily impacted by this pandemic, whether because they do not have access to technology or their family have been financially impacted or for other reasons, is more of a priority than adults needing to sit at a bar for a drink. Also, I do find an issue (I really only know about California) with private schools being allowed to reopen, but no plan for many public schools to do the same. Many students that come from lower-income families go to public school, with some relying on the school to give them food to eat. I think that public schools really need to return, especially for those kids, of course, once it's safe. I only find it troubling that bars and private schools are reopened in areas, but there is less help (prioritization) for public schools to have a safe return.
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