UFT President: NYC School Reopening Safety Plans “Not Enough”

Are New York City schools really ready to safely reopen?

United Federation of Teachers (UFT) President Michael Mulgrew issued the following statement in response to New York City's proposed safety plan for reopening school buildings in September 2020:

"The standards the city proposed — for protection, testing, and closing of schools and classrooms — are not enough.

"We need randomized testing of school communities throughout the year and a vigorous contact tracing system that gives schools test results and a course of action with a 24-hour turnaround.

"What’s more, even if there are stronger safety standards in place, we still have grave concerns about the city’s ability to enforce them effectively in every school. Right now, this is not enough to protect students and staff."