February 14, 2014
By Stephanie West
Keeping schools open yesterday February 13th during a severe winter storm was an irresponsible decision by Mayor Bill de Blasio and Chancellor Carmen Farina, said Parent Union President Mona Davids. The safety of students and all those who work in schools was put at risk, continued Davids.
“I don’t care if Macy's is open during a snow storm, " said Ms. Davids a Bronx public school parent. "I care about the safety of our children and school workers. Chancellor Farina comparing Macy's being open as a valid reason to keep schools open during extreme storms, is as insensitive as former Chancellor Cathie Black stating that parents should use birth control to alleviate school overcrowding. The Chancellor's comment was flippant, condescending, and completely disrespectful to parents," continued Davids.
"I can certainly understand the DOE’s desire to keep schools open as often as possible. But the simple fact is that snow days are built into the system because sometimes it’s just too dangerous to travel to school," said
Staten Island public school parent Sam Pirrozolo.
