BRONX, N.Y. - They live in different Bronx neighborhoods. Their children are different ages. They are all heavily involved in their kids’ educations. Most are members of their local Parent Teacher Associations and Community Education Councils. Yet when it comes to the schools, they feel they are often left in the dark.  

What You Need To Know

  • In total, schools have over 950,000 internet-enabled devices. Students not penalized for not having device

  • Attendance policy will remain largely the same. Remote-learners must be virtually present

  • Every school building must designate space to be used as an Isolation Room

  • Schools will need to close if the percent of positive tests in New York City is equal to or greater than three percent using a seven-day rolling average

“If you are not talking to the CEC’s, the PTA’s, who are you talking to when it comes to the parents,” asked Farah Despeignes. 

So NY1 put their questions to the city’s Education Department. 

Norma Miner wants to know what is being done to help families that do not have a laptop or iPad for remote learning. She said her daughter sometimes has problems using hers. She wants to know if her daughter will be penalized when she cannot get online.

“It doesn’t let you. It said 'not joined.' And it goes right back,” said Miner as she demonstrated that she could not log in. 

DOED said it has lent 300,000 iPads across the city, is sending out more, and that no student will be penalized for a lack of a device. The agency did not say whether a student with device problems would be marked absent, saying only that students must be virtually present on their remote learning days.

The moms are also uneasy about the COVID-19 testing consent form, which allows the school to test students. They want to know what will happen to their children’s personal information.

“Once they have the swab, they have your genetic structure in their hands, as well as all that entails,” said Angela Torres.

The city said the test results are considered confidential and that access will be limited to the department, the city and state Health Departments and the company conducting the tests.

The moms are all concerned about social distancing and potential exposure to the coronavirus.

The DOE said every school must have an isolation room, for students showing symptoms. They are held there until they can be tested and picked up by a guardian. The rooms must be large enough to allow 6-feet between children. The schools are also required to have a back up isolation room.

There are some questions the city did not answer, including will there be social distancing on school buses, can families opt out of testing, and will individual schools be closed if more than three percent of the tests are positive?

The moms all say they wish they had more of a say in the process.

“NYC DOR and everyone in it needs to remember they for work us. We don’t work for them. We need to be at the table, making the decisions that they are taking in their hands for our children,” said Lourdes Jibodh.

The moms stay in touch with one another, but all say the city should do a better job to keep parents informed.