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New York City's nearly 900,000 public school students are heading back to class today, Tuesday, just one day after a historic blizzard buried the five boroughs under up to two feet of snow — and not everyone thinks that's a good idea.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced the reopening Monday during an afternoon press conference, delivering the news with a touch of humor. According to Chalkbeat New York, the mayor told students, "I hope our students enjoy their snow day today and stay warm and safe throughout, but I do have some tough news to share: School will be in person tomorrow. You can still pelt me with snowballs when you see me."
While the travel ban has been lifted, Mayor Mamdani is still urging New Yorkers to stay off the roads as much as possible. "If you choose to drive, please exercise caution, travel slowly, and be mindful of others on the road," the mayor said in a post to social media. "We continue to advise New Yorkers to stay safe and stay indoors as much as possible."
The storm, which triggered the city's first blizzard warning in nearly a decade, dropped between 16 and 24 inches of snow across the five boroughs. Parts of eastern Staten Island were buried under more than two feet. The storm also downed trees across SoHo, Greenwich Village, Bushwick, Brooklyn, and the Highbridge section of the Bronx, and knocked out power for thousands of customers in Far Rockaway, Queens. On Staten Island, crews worked to free buses that had become stranded.
Despite the widespread disruption, city officials say they are ready. Kevin Moran, the acting deputy chancellor for operations, said cleanup crews have been working nonstop. "We will make sure we're down to asphalt and concrete sidewalks at every school," he said. The New York City Department of Sanitation cleared more than 1,600 crosswalks, 419 fire hydrants, and nearly 900 bus stops overnight, with more cleared by Monday morning.
Chancellor Kamar Samuels of New York City Public Schools echoed that reassurance, saying all schools had been working overtime to ensure buildings are clean and safe for students, according to New York Family.
Not everyone is convinced. The teachers union is pushing back hard, warning that reopening so quickly could put students and staff at risk. "No one should jeopardize their safety to report to work," the union said. More than 150,000 New Yorkers — including teachers, students, and parents — have signed an online petition urging the mayor to switch to remote learning for the day.
James Lecce, Sr., a parent, summed up the frustration many families are feeling. "It's very bad out here. It's slippery. It's a mess," he said. "I think they deserve an extra day home. At least one more day."
About 150,000 of the city's students rely on yellow school buses, which school officials say are expected to run on their normal schedules. A hazardous travel advisory, however, remains in effect, and non-emergency vehicles are still being advised to stay off the roads where possible. Snow lingered into Monday night, with additional accumulation and wind gusts of up to 40 miles per hour expected.
Monday marked the first traditional snow day for New York City schools in years. Since the pandemic, the city had shifted to remote learning during severe weather to comply with a New York State requirement to provide 180 days of instruction. New York State Education Commissioner Betty Rosa offered waivers to districts that canceled in-person classes Monday. With the snow day, New York City is now on track to offer only 175 days of instruction this school year.
Alternate-side parking remains suspended through the weekend. Property owners have until 8:30 p.m. Monday to clear a four-foot path from their properties or face a fine. New Yorkers can check when their street was last plowed at nyc.gov/plownyc.
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