First day of school in NYC marred by technical issues

The first day of school in New York City hit a snag Monday morning as the Department of Education’s health screening website appeared to be down. The website with the health screening that teachers and students are required to complete daily before entering schools wasn’t loading, or was very slow, just before the official start of the school day.

For many students, Monday is the first time they have been back in a classroom in 18 months after the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the nation’s largest school system in March 2020.

Mayor Bill de Blasio has been touting the return to classrooms for months, but the spread of the Delta variant has led to an array of issues ahead of the reopening, including concerns over vaccinations, social distancing and a lack of remote learning.  

There is no vaccine mandate for students over the age of 12 who are eligible to receive the shot. About two-thirds of students aged 12 to 17 have already been vaccinated, according to the city.

Caption TBDChristopher Sadowski

But teachers are required to be vaccinated â€" and they have been given until Sept. 27 to get their first dose.

The directive has proven challenging with 36,000 Department of Education workers â€" including more than 15,000 teachers remaining unvaccinated as of last week.

The United Federation of Teachers has been fighting portions of the mandate and scored a win against the city last week when an arbitrator ruled the city needs to provide accommodations to DOE staff with medical conditions or religious beliefs that preclude them from getting a COVID-19 vaccine.

A teacher surveys her classroom in preparation for the upcoming start of school.Michael Loccisano/Getty Images

The city has also faced pushback from some parents who want to keep their children home.

Unlike last year, New York City officials say all-remote learning won’t be an option this school year.

The city kept schools open for most of the last school year, with some students doing a mix of in-person and remote learning. The majority of parents chose all-remote learning.

Staff prepare school hallways for students in NYC.Michael Loccisano/Getty Images

Students who are quarantining due to COVID-related illnesses or are granted medical exemptions will be allowed to learn remotely. Those who are vaccinated and asymptomatic won’t have to quarantine if there’s a positive COVID case in their classroom.

Among the protocols the city is enforcing for the reopening includes mandatory masks for students and staffers, 3-feet social distancing and upgraded ventilation systems.

The city’s principals union â€" the Council of School Supervisors and Administrators â€" has already warned many buildings will lack the sufficient space to enforce the 3-foot rule.  

Source: NYPOST

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