St. Sebastian Catholic Academy in Woodside (Photo: Queens Post)
Nov. 16, 2020 By Allie Griffin
Catholic schools in Queens and Brooklyn will remain open for in-person learning even if New York City public schools shutter due to a spike in COVID-19 cases, the Superintendent of Catholic Schools for Brooklyn and Queens announced Sunday.
Queens and Brooklyn Catholic schools will continue to provide in-person instruction five days a week, regardless as to whether Mayor Bill de Blasio shuts down in-person classes for public school students — something he warned could be just days away.
The Brooklyn Diocese — which also represents the borough of Queens — has had children in school buildings for more than two months without issue and will continue to do so, Superintendent Dr. Thomas Chadzutko said.
“For more than eight weeks, we have been able to maintain in-person learning for our students, mostly five days a week, and we intend to keep doing so going forward this school year,” Chadzutko said. “We know how critical it is for the development of our students to keep our schools open.”
The superintendent made the announcement as the city’s seven-day rolling average positivity rate nears the 3 percent threshold de Blasio set as the marker to close public schools.
The city’s seven-day positivity rate was at 2.77 percent on Saturday — a slight dip from a day earlier when it reach 2.94 percent, according to city Health Dept. data.
De Blasio has held firm on his promise to shutter in-person learning at public schools if the rate reaches 3 percent.
Chadzutko, meanwhile, said all 69 Catholic schools and academies across Queens and Brooklyn will stay open for their students.
“Our children want to be in the classroom and we want them to be there for as long as safely possible,” he said.
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2 Comments
This is a totally irresponsible position which could lead to more COVID cases in our community. Sure, we want all kids to be in school. But at what cost? At the cost of their health and the lives of their parents, grandparents and neighbors?
It is distasteful and dangerous that the Brooklyn Diocese chooses money (tuition) over the lives of its families and the families of non-Catholics in Queens and Brooklyn who have no say in the matter.
I believe there was someone who once said, “Love your neighbor as you love yourself.” Guess that doesn’t apply here!
So you are blaming children for the spread of covid? Not the many maskless people out and about or indoor seating and dining at restaurants, or the over crowded stores… you are a moron!
I send my children to Catholic school and am pretty happy with the many measures they are taking to prevent the spread. It’s a lot more than what the stores and restaurants are doing… so.. they are all about business and wanting the money. I would rather spend my thousands of dollars on a school that follows cdc guidelines and get inspected by the DOH daily rather than a night out I sit out with friends and expose myself to covid! By the way… that tuition pays for the teachers salaries!! They get NO help from the city or funding like public schools and I will add that those Catholic school teachers get paid a hell of a lot less than public school teachers… SO IT IS NOT ABOUT MONEY! It’s about giving our kids a safe education! For the record! If I felt it was getting worse, I can easily transition them to remote and still pay tuition for that education!