Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo has given the green light for school to start in less than five weeks, answering a question that had been weighing on parents, teachers and superintendents.
But there is still one unanswered question: What will that look like?
Some think schools will reopen as planned, with most students learning partly in buildings, and partly at home.
Others think the governor's latest requirements for providing plans for remote learning, Covid-19 testing and contact tracing and conducting parent meetings could mean that schools might have to start with distance learning for all.
"He punted, if you will, to the districts. I think all the things he is asking districts to do really forces our hand, most of us, into a remote start," said Joe Cantafio, president of the West Seneca Teachers Association.
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He said gyms aren't open and sporting events are being run without fans, "and yet you're going to take kids and put them into buildings that have poor ventilation and are built for social interaction?"
The Buffalo Parent Teacher organization thinks Buffalo should start all classes remotely.
"This situation is still an emergency. We are still in a pandemic, after all," said Rachel Dominguez, co-chairwoman of the organization. "When we have additional funding, COVID-19 testing, and contact tracing, we can talk about putting people into buildings, and we should begin with our students with special needs and our English Language Learners. We will continue to partner with BPS to make a plan that keeps as many people safe as possible."
Parents will get the chance to tell the district what they think with meetings Cuomo wants the district to hold. Cuomo said Friday that smaller districts should hold three parent meetings, while Buffalo should conduct five, and every district should have a meeting with teachers, all by Aug. 21.
"I think most school districts have engaged families in a meaningful way or at least plan to," Hamburg Superintendent Michael Cornell said. "I think most districts have had meaningful engagement with the teachers and employee groups."
He said the governor's requests for meetings and posting of plans should not pose a significant barrier to opening in September.
Cuomo said it is vital for districts to get the support of parents and teachers, or neither would show up.
The state's largest teachers union said a poll showed 50% of its members are reluctant or unwilling to go back to the classroom. Cuomo said Friday districts cannot force students to come back if their parents do not want them in school, and teachers won't come back if they do not feel safe.
"I don't think you want to get into a legal battle with teachers," Cuomo said.
NYSUT and the United Federation of Teachers also called for the state to issue clear protocols for how and when school districts must close their buildings, calling for a 14-day shutdown if there is a positive case in the school.
Many parents remain leery of sending their children back to school in person.
"I hope that all school districts will be compassionate enough to offer flexible options for all families when they reopen, permitting parents to choose between full in-person learning, hybrid classes, or a fully remote option," said Heather Hartel of Orchard Park, the mother of two children. "School districts should work to provide for all families, not just the ones that fit into their preferred plan."
“The bottom line is this,” said Philip Rumore, president of the Buffalo Teachers Federation. “When it comes to Buffalo, the decision of whether to go back or not go back is a decision that should be made jointly by parents, teachers and school staff as to whether the plan is safe for everybody and academically sound."
Some educators were left wondering about the testing and contact tracing component of their plans, since they would rely on the Erie County Health Department for those components.
The testing procedure makes sense, but there is little guidance on how to accomplish it or who will fund it, said Peter Stuhlmiller, president of the Ken-Ton Teachers Association.
"The growing concern, especially given some of the flash points we’ve seen around the state in past week, is how ready are we really going to be to make sure that the conditions in the building are healthy and safe for kids?" he said.
"The school districts can't do those tests," said Frontier Superintendent Richard Hughes, adding that if quick tests are not available, schools could find themselves in the same place they were in March when they shut down.
"The difference between now and March is, all of us have masks," Hughes said.
