BY JASON COHEN
When COVID-19 began, the
mayor and the governor couldn’t
agree on when to close schools.
Months later, the elected offi cials
are now in disagreement about
when schools should reopen.
Today, the mayor announced
plans to have “blended
learning” this fall with remote
and in-person classes, but Cuomo
said no decision will be made until
the fi rst week of August and is
against President Donald Trump
pressuring him to reopen.
The federal government does
not decide if NYS schools reopen
— the state does.
We will make that decision
based on the science and the
data.
A decision will be announced
in the fi rst week of August.
— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGov-
Cuomo) July 8, 2020
However, Bronx teachers feel
that going back in two months is
not the right decision. Dan Gannon
and Christine Montera, history
teachers in the south Bronx,
spoke with the Bronx Times about
this pressing issue.
Montera, who has taught for
10 years at the East Bronx Academy
on Southern Boulevard, feels
it’s still not safe to begin in-person
learning.
“I disagree with the mayor,”
she said. “This whole pandemic
has been them bickering. Schools
can’t be the community center
that takes care of car poverty,
hunger, babysitting and learning.”
If the schools are open at all it
will be a logistical nightmare, she
said. She questioned the logistics of
social distancing for students and
staff and wondered whether they
would sit in one classroom for six
hours a day. Additionally, people
would have to make sure everyone
wears a mask and has their temperature
taken. It will feel like education
is the least of the concerns.
Now that the majority of the
kids have laptops from the city or
their schools, she said that the city
could just continue with remote
learning. By now, most teachers
and students have gotten the hang
of it and the hope is, it can be successful
in the fall, Montera said.
“Who will be in the building,
who won’t be?” she wondered.
“We’re concerned about spreading
(right) The food distribution event was to thank the more than 80 staff members who have
been on the front line caring for one of the most vulnerable population during during the
COVID-19 pandemic. Photo courtesy of Toli Management
BRONX TIMES R 8 EPORTER, JULY 10-16, 2020 BTR
the virus. It feels like smoke
and mirrors to fi gure out how to
get kids and adults back into buildings.”
Instead of sending people back
to school, even if it is one or two
day a week, she stressed that the
Department of Education should
be looking at ways to improve remote
learning.
She told the Bronx Times the
DOE sent out a survey asking
what the teachers needed to make
their classrooms safe. She could
not believe this was a question.
“I’m sorry, my job is teaching,
not disinfecting,” she said. “This
seems to be a pattern with the
DOE. It’s almost disrespectful to
be doing that.”
She added that the city needed
to fi gure out if there are students
that still don’t have laptops.
“How do we get kids devices?”
Montera asked. “How do we set
kids up with the skills they need?
Teachers have to prepare to do
remote learning in a way that
works.”
Gannon, who has been a
teacher for 10 years at Bronx Leadership
Academy in Mott Haven,
said he is confused as to why the
governor and mayor can’t agree on
anything.
He explained that planning for
the next school year does not happen
overnight. In actuality, it begins
in April. Yet, on July 8, educators
and parents were left in limbo
and that is not right.
“It preparing for the school
year takes a lot of time and effort,”
he explained.
Gannon feels if people go back
to school on a limited basis, the
staff and parents would be at risk.
He agreed with Montera and wants
to stick with virtual learning for
now.
The Bronx was the epicenter
for COVID-19 deaths and 10 of his
students had family members that
died from it. Furthermore, if people
can’t eat inside restaurants, he
said that it would probably not be
safe to return to school.
“It just doesn’t make sense to
me that New York is going to have
students back in the classroom,”
he said.
There are also the academic issues.
Many kids were passed last
school year and the question is
whether or not they are prepared
for the next grade. If students need
to be held back, he questioned how
they will fi t into classrooms with
younger kids if people are supposed
to socially distance.
Ultimately, the DOE, United
Federation of Teachers, the mayor
and governor need to work something
out, Gannon said.
“I just feel like they’re trying
to put a square peg in a hole,” he
said. “If I was a parent and I had
to send my kids to a high school in
the Bronx right now I would want
documentation on how this will
work.”
Teachers say
‘no’ to school
BX educators say to
continue remote learning
History teachers Dan Gannon and Christine Montera who are against the mayor’s plan to reopen schools.
Courtesy of Gannon and Montera
Toli Management and Councilman Mark Gjonaj distributed food to employees at Amber Court of Pelham Gardens
(above) On June 4, Toli Management and Councilman Mark Gjonaj distributed food from the
1515 Williamsbridge Rd. McDonald’s to employees at Amber Court of Pelham Gardens
Photo courtesy of Toli Management