Metro

Parents enraged as schools stay open during dangerous storm

Parents, teachers and school kids lashed out Thursday morning at schools Chancellor Carmen Farina for keeping public schools open as a huge Nor’easter slammed the city.

“Why the public school system is open today in these conditions is astounding. Putting the lives of teachers, administrators, and most importantly, children, in danger by telling them to travel in this weather (many roads are still unplowed) is incomprehensible. Chancellor Farina and the DOE staff: you have some serious explaining to do,” said James Hong on the Department of Education’s Facebook page, which had hundreds of negative comments.

“My legal question: Is the “chancellor” going to be personally responsible for any injuries or unfortunate deaths that may occur to students and teachers from her imbecilic decision?” asked Beth Joy.

“Fariña. With your 30 years of experience in the school system … You should know better. Shame on you,” blasted Jenn Grigio.

“Someone needs to sue the city for endangering the kids. Not to mention the staff. Come on, aren’t there any smart lawyers in NYC? Or do they send their kids to private schools that are closed?“ added Jill Windt Moore.
Teachers union chief Michael Mulgrew, also piled on.

“I understand the desire to keep schools open. The only thing that trumps that is safety. Having students, parents and staff traveling in these conditions was unwarranted. It was a mistake to open schools today,” he said in a statement.

Principals union President Ernest Logan agreed.

Paul Martinka
“The decision to open or close schools during severe storms is not a simple one, but today’s decision should have been simpler than most. With heavy, and sometimes blinding, snow falling on the city, and winds gusting up to 35 miles an hour, no child, teacher or administrator is safe negotiating their way to school by foot, public transportation or automobile,” Logan said.

Twitter was also abuzz with complaints.

“new york city public schools are open….in this type of weather..well i guess today im happy to say thank god i live in new jersey,” a woman named Kat tweeted.

“The idiot de Blasio leaves New York City schools open despite travel advisory,” Melissa Clouthier wrote on Twitter.

“New York City schools should’ve been closed today!!!!! What were you thinking!!!! No more votes for u!!!” tweeted nerm.

“if you want New York schools open then put chains on New York City school buses I’m a school bus driver and it is horrible,” Mike Bosco added on Twitter.

Farina announced Wednesday night that schools would remain open – despite a travel advisory urging people to stay off the roads.

She later defended the decision.

“If people can go to work, then kids can to school,” she told ABC. “Many of our kids don’t get a hot lunch and, in many cases breakfast, unless they go to school. So it’s still a parent’s decision whether they send their kids to school or not. My decision is where the kids are safest and the most taken care of, and the answer to that is in schools.”

Paul Martinka
Some parents scoffed at that explanation, saying they were insulted at farina’s contention that kids can only get a decent meal in school.

“Madam Chancellor, Our public schools are not a day care center neither a soup kitchen for our children. Your decision to keep them open on those basis is ridiculous and outrageous. You care nothing for our children. AND HOW DARE YOU TREAT US LIKE A STARVING PEOPLE! LET IT BE KNOWN THAT WE DO NOT NEED YOUR SCHOOLS TO PUT A HOT MEAL ON OUR CHILDREN’S TABLE. YOU OWE US AN APOLOGY!!!” Frankie “KewlJazz” Rivera posted on Facebook.

Farina did cancel field trips, and Thursday morning ordered that after-school activities would also be cancelled.

But for some, it was too little too late.

“Really?! You don’t want to keep them warm and feed them dinner?” cracked Benedetta Barnabo Cachola on Facebook about the after-school announcement.

Mayor Bill de Blasio – who took heat from many residents for his handling of snow-removal efforts during previous storms this winter – defended the decision.

“The Sanitation Department was able to get out there all night and get ready for this,” de Blasio told WPIX while shoveling outside his home in Park Slope. “Roads will be in pretty good shape so we thought it was right to go ahead with school.”

A state legislator who represents parts of Brooklyn and Staten Island also chimed in with a shot at the administration.

“The City of New York got it wrong today. The decision by Chancellor Fariña to keep all public schools open was misguided. The visibility and weather conditions are very poor and the safety of New York’s students should be paramount when making a decision on school closures,” said GOP Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis.

The City Council, meanwhile, postponed all four committee hearings that were scheduled for Thursday.

Most suburban schools closed, and Catholic elementary schools in the five boroughs were also closed.

But Catholic high schools in the city can make their own decisions, the Archdiocese said in a statement.
“The 48 Catholic high schools in the Archdiocese of New York decide individually about closing or delaying

school opening, based on local conditions. Each school posts its decision on the school website,” the statement read.