NYC Schools Will Reopen In September, De Blasio Says

NEW YORK CITY — Mandatory masks. Class sizes slashed to uphold social distancing. Staggered schedules to prevent crowded schools. Deep cleanings. Hand washing stations and hand sanitizer stations.

Those are the broad strokes of a plan to bring students back into classrooms this fall after months away to prevent the coronavirus' spread, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Wednesday.

And schools will reopen, de Blasio said.

"Schools will be opening in September," he said.

Or maybe not, at least according to Gov. Andrew Cuomo's office. It released a statement after de Blasio's announcement that all-but undercut his authority.

Going back to school is a call for the state to make, not a local government like New York City to make, said Cuomo's spokesperson Dani Lever in the statement.

"Of course the state consults with local stakeholders and when it comes to opening schools in New York City we will consult with parents, teachers, health officials and local elected officials — but the Governor has said any determination is premature at this point and we will need to see how the virus develops," Lever wrote.

Bickering between de Blasio and Cuomo is nothing new, but it presented a potential wet blanket for teachers, parents and students who coped with an unprecedented school year after the new coronavirus pandemic kept them all home from March onward.

It appears parents are ready to have their kids return to school after months cooped up contending with remote learning.

De Blasio said about 450,000 parents responded to a Department of Education survey on returning to schools. Of those, 75 percent want their kids to go back to school in September, he said.

But returning to school requires public health measures to ensure it's safe, de Blasio said.

Each school will have a maximum number of students allowed in at a time for social distancing, de Blasio said. That means some schools likely will have staggered schedules, he said.

Inside schools, face coverings will be required and provided to students who don't have them, he said. There will be hand washing stations, hand sanitizer and regular "deep cleaning," he said.

Carranza said the city's education department will send their plans to the state this summer.

De Blasio promised that parents and students will receive announcements well in advance.

Cuomo's office said everyone should expect a "new normal" when schools return, but left the question as to when up in the air.

"The Governor hopes schools will reopen but will not endanger the health of students or teachers, and will make the determination once we have more current information," Lever wrote. "We value the opinion of local politicians and the state's 700 local school districts as to what should be done, but the public should not be confused on this important decision that has practical consequences for many."