A Complicated School Re-opening

NEW YORK— My mother, Connie Mejia, prepared to re-open her school PS.IS.18 in Manhattan on September 13. She is the principal and wanted opening day to run smoothly. That morning she stood outside wearing her school t-shirt and waving orange pom-poms to welcome everyone back. “It was so warming to see all the students and teachers in person again after what seems to be centuries. My goal was to make the students and their families feel welcomed. Anything we can do to add color, sound, comfort, and happiness is worth it,” she said.

In the weeks leading up to the start of school, I watched her nervously gather items for the first day of in-person classes. She stocked up on crucial supplies like sanitizers and masks to ensure that the 30 teachers in her school were ready. “I didn’t want my teachers to be empty-handed when it comes to masks and sanitization. I always let them know that my door is always open if they need anything,” she said.

Principals like my mother and her friends say they felt that the New York Department of Education (DOE) did not prepare them well enough for their return to school. Changing guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and DOE kept them wondering what would happen. There weren’t clear guidelines about what to do and how to proceed with the in-person school year.

The de Blasio administration’s late August order that mandated vaccines for the city’s 150,000 teachers, custodians and cafeteria staff made things confusing. The mayor announced that all school staff must receive their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine by September 27, but the unions went to court to block the order. On Friday, September 24, a judge in the U.S Second Circuit Court of Appeals blocked it from going into effect and said a three judges appeals panel would hear the case.  The  case was heard by the federal appeals court and the judges said the vaccine mandate could go into effect.

Many teachers in my mother’s school are vaccinated and want to continue teaching their students. “I got my vaccine, and other teachers must do too. It makes others unsafe,” Mrs. D said. She teaches kindergarten and asked us not use her real name. But she questioned the changing information. “These announced regulations don’t make it better for everyone. It put me on edge every time a newer mandate has been announced,” she said.

Other teachers like Mr. H, who teaches special education to grades five and six, shares the same concern. He asked us not to use his name, but he praised my mother and questioned vaccine hesitators. “It’s fine to be concerned about your rights, but don’t let it affect others. If you refuse to do anything, it can affect everyone and makes you a liability. Everyone needs to be on the same page, and lucky for me, your mother’s actions and protocols are making me feel safe and excited to continue teaching during these times.”

My mother also worries about what will happen if teachers stay out of school. “Unfortunately, we are kept in the dark with critical information on who’s vaccinated. But recently we were … asked to speak with people individually to remind them that September 27 is their deadline. Luckily, in our school there is only one person with a medical condition that’s trying to figure out how to return to work. I’m happy it’s just one person, but this educator is a special ed teacher, and her children will be without services, and it will be difficult finding a good replacement. Funny enough, even substitutes teachers refuse to be vaccinated.”

Although the mandate is official and teachers have until 5:00 pm on October 1 to receive their first vaccine, my mom and others are still waiting to see if the mandate holds or if the DOE, CDC or the mayor call for any more changes.