Citing a 7-day average COVID-19 positivity rate that surpasses 9 percent in New York City, the solidarity caucus of the United Federation of Teachers (UFT) is calling for the New York City Department of Education (DOE) to follow through on the Governor’s guidance and transition to fully remote learning for all NYC public schools.

The UFT wrote in a press release dated Jan. 3 that both Governor Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio recently suggested ditching the 9 percent threshold, a move the union finds alarming. “Governor Andrew Cuomo remarked that data shows schools are ‘almost without exception’ safe for students and staff alike. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said this week that New York City public schools ‘can and should’ be kept open since they have partially reopened earlier this month – boasting that recent testing showed just a 0.68 percent coronavirus positivity rate in schools.”

Meanwhile, the union had said the problem was that the school system’s positivity rate only appears low because it is based on a random sample of staff and students, versus the higher citywide rate comprised of individuals who are self-reporting, many of whom are often already symptomatic. “Though our elected representatives may play fast and loose with statistics, the inescapable reality is that as citywide rates increase, so do instances of COVID exposure at schools.”

UFT said that reopening after the Thanksgiving recess exemplified the dangers of entering school buildings with citywide rates exceeding 3 percent. The union added that during the two weeks when buildings opened in December, a total of 272 DOE buildings temporarily closed due to coronavirus cases among students and staff, and over 1,000 had classrooms shut down. “Well over half of reopened City schools and Learning Bridges sites were affected in some way by COVID,” the UFT said.

The union went on to say that the testing program, previously reported on by Norwood News, and “touted as a secret weapon against COVID for schools” also had its share of problems, saying, “Students and educators are randomly tested in each open school building once a week, and the monthly total of those tested must add up to 20 percent of the school’s total population.”

The union said that the testing regime, including the frequency, quality and reliability of results, is largely considered “a joke” by New York City educators and parents. “The test turnaround time that was promised to be 24-48 hours, is taking closer to 5 days. This means that people who might be positive for COVID-19 are reporting to work and school without quarantining at home,” the union said.

UFT added that, in Europe, medics were starting to see “whole wards of children suffering from COVID for the first time,” during the pandemic. “There is clear evidence that this new, highly infectious strain of COVID is affecting much younger children with no underlying health condition,” the union said.  “Additionally, the CDC has reversed its prior statement that schools are considered safe. Dr. Anthony Fauci advises Americans to avoid indoor gatherings and indoor dining for the near future.”

The union said after examining the city’s safety plan and taking into account the track record of city officials thus far, public school educators affiliated with the second-largest caucus of the UFT concluded that too many students, families and staff will become sick if the current position of keeping schools open is maintained, irrespective of how high the infection rate is in New York State or New York City.

The union is continuing with a petition,  Petition · Andrew M. Cuomo: Cuomo and de Blasio Must Close all school buildings in NYC NOW! · Change.org, which has gathered over 1,500 signatures, thus far.

In response to a request by Norwood News for comment, a representative from the New York State Department of Health said, “While we see community infection rates increasing, infection rates inside schools typically have been much lower. This is a decision that’s been left to local school districts, so they should look at the data, talk with families, teachers and staff, and determine their next steps.”

Meanwhile, as a general comment on UFT’s overall press release, Miranda said, “We have the gold standard in safety measures including weekly testing and mandatory face coverings, and don’t hesitate to temporarily quarantine a classroom or building in order to keep schools safe. Elementary and District 75 schools will return for in person learning on Monday as we continue to closely monitor metrics across the city.”