New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Wednesday that public schools will reopen for fall with reduced in-person classes, while Vice President Mike Pence said the Centers for Disease Control (“CDC”) would provide “more clarity” on school guidelines.
Mayor de Blasio said that students at New York’s 1,800 public schools will attend physical classes for one to three days a week and will do the rest of their work remotely. The partial reopening plan is meant to allow more space for the city’s 1.1 million students — the United States’ largest school district — and keep in line with social distancing recommendations of 6 feet surrounding each child. Most students will be in class two to three days a week, while others at more crowded schools may be present for just one day a week, de Blasio added. Families may also choose a fully remote schedule at any time.
Vice President Pence said the CDC will soon release new guidance on reopening schools, after President Donald Trump voiced disagreement in a tweet with existing guidelines. CDC guidance issued in May called for 6 feet of distancing between desks, in-classroom lunch, staggered arrival times, mask requirements and daily temperature screenings. CDC Director Robert Redfield said the guidance was not required, but recommended.
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