Parents file lawsuit against de Blasio to fully reopen NYC schools

De Blasio sued over remote learning

A new lawsuit against Mayor Bill de Blasio and the NYC Schools Chancellor is trying to force the city's schools to fully reopen by the end of the school year.

NEW YORK - A group of a dozen public school parents from the Upper West Side have filed a lawsuit against Mayor Bill de Blasio and the New York City Schools Chancellor to fully reopen the city's schools for the end of the academic year.

"We've seen the damage that remote learning has caused children and working families in NYC," said Natalya Murakver, one of the parents filing the suit.

The lawsuit alleges that remote learning and restrictions deprive students of their constitutional rights to a sound education, leaving some kids depressed and suicidal.

As reported first by Gothamist.com, the attorney working with the parents, Jason Mermigis, has already filed about half a dozen lawsuits against de Blasio and Governor Cuomo about a range of COVID restrictions.

At a news conference earlier this week, Mayor de Blasio announced that more than 50,000 students across all grade levels have opted into a return to classrooms, bringing the total number to about a third of the city's nearly 1 million students with some form of in-person learning.

"I'm content that we offer the opportunity several times for kids to come back, this is the group of families that want their kids back," de Blasio said.

In a statement about the new lawsuit, the Mayor's Office told FOX 5 NY: "We have more students in classrooms than any other city in America, and all of our schools are open for in-person learning, with the majority offering in-person learning 5 days a week. It’s clear that New York City has set the reopening gold standard for districts across the country."

For now, Mayor de Blasio says the goal is to be at full capacity five days a week by next September.

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