Valerie Caraballo says she will not be sending her daughter to school at PS 172 Beacon School of Excellence Wednesday in protest of Mayor Eric Adams’ plan to house asylum seekers at city public schools.
“There needs to be, again, a proper plan of action before they just start pushing over migrants to locations that are not livable for tem. And two, it's not safe for our kids,” Caraballo said.
PS 172 in Sunset Park is one of 20 schools the mayor says he is considering using as a shelter to deal with the migrant crisis.
If the city goes ahead with the plan, migrants would be housed in the gymnasiums at these schools because they have gyms that are in buildings separated from the schools.
The principal of the school said Tuesday if the plan goes through, two security guards would be placed on school grounds 24 hours a day and seven days a week.
A representative from the Mayor’s Office joined an emergency PTA meeting at the school Tuesday. Dozens of parents and students showed up to voice their safety concerns not only for the students, but for the migrants.
“I mean, we don't know who's coming in. We don't know any history. Basically, we don't know anything. So at the end of the day, our main concern is the safety for children,” Miguel Chico, the father of a student at the school, said. “It's inhumane for them as well. There's no bathrooms in there. There's only one door exit out. That's a fire hazard.”
A representative from the Mayor’s Office said portable showers and bathrooms will be installed in the gym if migrants are housed there.
Parents plan to rally once again in front of the school come Wednesday morning.