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NYC is on the brink of shutting down its entire school system - could be in just a few days unless numbers improve. There has been very low transmission in city schools so far, & there is growing evidence that young children are not superspreaders. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/12/nyregion/nyc-schools-coronavirus.html
BdB has made opening schools a priority. But we could soon see a city where all schools are closed but indoor dining is open and non-essential office workers are still commuting. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/12/nyregion/nyc-schools-coronavirus.html
Here's WHY this is happening: over the summer, when it was unclear if the mayor would have the political capital to open schools at all + the UFT was threatening to strike, BdB decided on a 3% positivity threshold to close schools.
It was meant to be a signal to parents, educators + the union that the city was taking safety very seriously. At the time, average positivity was hovering ~1%, and a 2nd wave seemed very far away. But here we are. In some ways, the city accidentally set a trap for itself.
It's striking to see how many parents are frustrated about this looming school closure, considering how controversial this issue was over the summer. It's particularly brutal for the parents of kids with disabilities and young kids, for whom remote learning doesnt cut it.
It's also striking to see European leaders say that schools are the priority over virtually ever other aspect of public life because kids are suffering without school. In some places in America, acknowledging a lot of kids aren't OK is a somehow a political statement.
There is obviously huge resistance to keeping indoor dining open if schools are closed + there's evidence that indoor dining has led to spread. But let's not forget that many restaurants may not survive without immediate help from the federal govt. So many livelihoods at risk.
