Shannon Patrick is celebrating her daughter graduating from high school. Now, she has to figure out how her son Maximus will get educated this fall when he starts first grade.

Patrick said the city’s “blended learning plan” provides no easy solution for parents, especially for working parents like her.

What You Need To Know


  • Under “blended learning“ most students will be in the classroom two to three days a week.

  • The schools chancellor says students will rotate days they come to school so buildings don’t get overcrowded.

  • Parents can choose remote learning five days a week for their children. 

“Even for parents who do have the ability to work from home, that’s still a lot to manage; being able, you know, to manage the work you are doing to get paid to support the family and take time away to make sure your child is on task doing what they need to,“ Patrick told NY1.

Tina Spaic and her husband are both parents and educators. While they understand the city faces an unprecedented crisis because of the pandemic, they would like their daughter to get the experience of learning in a classroom.

Right now, they said they are leaning towards the option of a few days of remote learning and a few days in the classroom. But they need more information before deciding. 

“We’re both trying to make it work, my husband and I, but we have no idea how we’re gonna do that,“ said Spaic.

Yasin Seluktekin is not sure which option will be best for his two sons.

He is currently out of work and will need to find a job soon. He’s not sure how he will balance that and remote learning.

“Figuring the way through it is going to be the hardest time right now this year,” said Seluktekin. 

One option not on the table: being in the classroom five days a week. 

Parents we spoke to say, from a safety standpoint, even if it was supposedly completely safe, they’re not ready for that either.