Watch Live: NYC Mayor Mamdani holds storm response briefing as students return to school
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is holding a briefing as the Big Apple digs out following Monday's historic blizzard.
New York City Public School students returned to in-person classes Tuesday morning.
Mamdani announced his decision Monday afternoon, and was asked almost immediately by several officials - especially those on Staten Island - to reconsider. The borough was pummeled with up to two feet of snow in the historic blizzard.
In Westerleigh, some streets were still clogged with thick, heavy snow, and hadn't been plowed in more than 24 hours, according to New York City's plow tracker.
"Nobody can move. A firetruck can't get down here, ambulance, nothing. Nobody can move. Nobody can go to work. We've got teachers here, we've got police officers here. Nobody can move," one resident said.
Officials said they were stepping up efforts on Staten Island by bringing in "hundreds of pieces of equipment" and personnel to help with the dig out there.
Snow melters will also be deployed to each borough.
A spokesperson defended the decision to reopen schools, saying they are "critical to the stability, health, and wellness of nearly 900,000 young New Yorkers," and cited the meal service, mental health support and child care - along with the education - schools provide.
The mayor again invited upset schoolkids to throw snowballs at him.
"This morning I started my day at PS 29 on Staten Island," Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels said. "I am proud we were able to reopen our schools this morning."
Samuels said 63% of students citywide returned to school Tuesday.
Rare snow day Monday
Monday was a rare, traditional snow day, the first of its kind in years. It was only made possible because New York state granted the city a waiver. By law, the city is required to provide 180 days of classroom instruction per year, and with all the holidays built into the school calendar already, there's not room to take a typical day off without that state waiver, Mamdani previously said.
Officials had also expressed concern about remote learning, saying kids had just had a week off, and many might not have been given the necessary equipment for a remote day in advance.
Some Staten Islanders struggle to get to school
Dropoffs were sparse at PS 18 in Port Richmond on Staten Island Tuesday morning. For some families and teachers, Tuesday's return to school felt like a quick turnaround.
Mamdani said DSNY would deploy extra resources to clear the roads on Staten Island, but some families, teachers and staff found it to be a challenging commute.
"A lot of streets not even cleaned, especially on that corner, people are slipping," one crossing guard said.
"We almost tripped, like, five times. It's just too much," parent Eric Vivianni said.
"We could've gone remote. Why not? We have the system ready to go," a paraprofessional said.
Some 170,000 people signed a petition calling for remote learning Tuesday.
"One more day would've given everyone a chance to clean up and prepare," one person said.
UFT stands with teachers who stayed home
United Federation of Teachers president Michael Mulgrew came out in support of teachers who decided to call out.
"This is the decision about us and our families. If we feel it is not in the best interest of my family, then I don't go in. And that's a decision everybody has to make, and don't worry from that point, because the union will make sure that you are protected and no discipline will come to you because of that," Mulgrew said.
Mulgrew said he was expecting low attendance from both students and educators Tuesday.
And what about the students?
As for the students, and how they spent their rare snow day Monday?
"I was playing snowball fight with brother the whole day," one student said.
Others were ready to return to school.
"I feel happy because now I get to learn, play gym, do science," a student said.
"They feel so great about it. They don't even want to stay at home," parent Ade Remi said.
