Census ends early, offi cials unhappy
Biaggi, Bailey said that early end to count is unfair to struggling Bronxites
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BRONX TIMES REPORTER,28 OCT. 30-NOV. 5, 2020 BTR
BY JASON COHEN
While trick-or-treating will be
permitted, Halloween will be quite
different this year due to COVID-19.
The city recently released guidelines
stressing the need for social
distancing, handing out candy outside,
wearing masks and no large
gatherings or parties. But parents
may be wondering how children can
enjoy one of their favorite holidays
during this challenging time.
Montefiore Child Psychologist
Dr. Polina Umylny told the Bronx
Times that the day filled with candy
and costumes could cause many
youngsters to be upset.
“It’s important for children’s development
that they have opportunities
to just be kids,” Umylny said.
“So much of this year has been focused
on sadness, loss and fear, it’s
important that children have the
chance to embrace and enjoy typical
celebrations, even if things may
look a little different. We can prepare
children now so that they can
still enjoy a day they look forward
to all year.”
Umylny stressed how important
it is for parents to follow the CDC
Halloween guidelines. The doctor
explained that many of these
kids have been shuttered inside for
months, dealing with family members
dying or being sick and likely
have been looking forward to a
night out of candy, friends and getting
dressed up.
While some parents may let their
children go trick-or-treating, others
may not. The holiday will affect
each child differently, she said.
“I think some children are going
to look frustrated and sad,” she said.
“It may feel like a loss.”
Umylny suggested families establish
new ways to enjoy this Halloween,
like a candy scavenger hunt at
home or a Halloween-themed family
movie night.
“I think parents are definitely
anxious about letting their kids
do the traditional Halloween,” she
commented. “At the same time they
don’t want to create disappointment
for the kids.”
Preparing for and celebrating
this holiday during the pandemic
may help youngsters deal
with Thanksgiving, Christmas
and Hanukkah.
“I think it’s important that we
don’t underestimate children’s
capacity to deal with change,”
she said.
BY JASON COHEN
For months, elected offi
cials in the Bronx held
events promoting the census
not knowing if the cut off
date to fi ll it out was in September
or October.
While the Census Bureau
announced that the deadline
was extended until the end
of the month, the Supreme
Court ruled in favor of the
Trump Administration and
ended it suddenly on Oct. 13.
Many local pols, including
Senators Jamaal Bailey
and Alessandra Biaggi, expressed
their displeasure
with the Bronx Times.
“It is extremely hurtful,”
Bailey said. “They
didn’t even want to abide by
the judge’s order to keep it
until Oct. 31.”
Bailey was angry that the
federal government would
do this in the middle of a
pandemic. He said that while
people were struggling to get
by and thought they had another
month to fi ll the census
out, the Administration
axed it.
“This federal government
has been disinterested in
trying to count each and every
person,” he said. “Unfortunately
we’ll have to wait 10
more years to be counted.”
According to Bailey,
the NYC census count was
at roughly 60 percent. He
contributed that low number
to lack of knowledge,
COVID-19 and the fear of
being undocumented.
President Trump initially
wanted a citizenship question
on the census, but the
courts ruled that was not allowed.
However, many people
were still wary about fi lling
out the census, he said.
“I think a lot of people
still live in fear,”
Bailey stressed.
Additionally, Bailey
noted that during the past
seven months, millions of
people have quarantined inside
and did not want to interact
with people due to the
pandemic. So when someone
was knocking at their
door, they may not have answered.
The senator said
that the census also exposed
the digital divide and the
amount of people that lack
Wi-Fi or computers to fi ll out
the census.
He stressed that outreach
for the 2030 census cannot
wait until then and instead,
must take place throughout
the next decade.
“We have to start planning
for 2030 now,” he said.
“In the best of worlds, a reasonable
government looks to
leave the October deadline
and if needed, extend it.”
Biaggi shared her colleague’s
sentiments. After
the government kept changing
the deadline, she was angry
they ultimately decided
to end the census early.
The senator said that the
government is supposed to
be there for the people and
their actions showed their
lack of care.
“The intention of the federal
government was to create
confusion,” she said..
Biaggi pointed out that
places like Idaho and West
Virginia have 99 percent of
the population counted and
she feels if given more time,
NYC could have gotten closer
to those numbers.
While she agreed with
Bailey that COVID-19 and
the fear of being undocumented
played a role in less
people fi lling it out, Biaggi
placed the blame at the foot
of the government.
“When you keep moving
the deadline it doesn’t help
politicians who are trying to
do outreach,” she said.
Senators Alessandra Biaggi and Jamaal Bailey are angry that the 2020
Census count was ended early. Photos via nysenate.gov
Halloween during COVID
/nysenate.gov