Potential bus drivers' strike looms over beginning of NYC school year
New NYC school year facing new troubles
With the potential threat of a bus drivers' strike looming and thousands of migrants and asylum seekers set to enter New York City's public schools, it could be a bumpy start to the school year in the Big Apple. FOX 5 NY's Chris Welch has the story.
NEW YORK - New York City public schools Chancellor David Banks struck an optimistic tone Wednesday in describing what he calls the "potential" school bus strike— primarily because discussions appear to be ongoing.
"This is a very good thing," Banks said. "When both parties are talking they’re not striking."
Department of Education officials say right now the only days they know buses will run are Thursday and Friday of this week. They believe the negotiating parties are meeting again Friday afternoon.
What’s making things murkier is the fact that city officials are not in the room.
"The Department of Education is not at the bargaining table for this agreement," Banks reminded reporters Wednesday at a start of the school year roundtable for the press. "This agreement is being negotiated between bus companies and the ATU (Amalgamated Transit Union)."
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If bus drivers strike, 80,000 students would be affected. That’s more than half the city’s public school busing population— a large percentage of which are students with special education needs.
"Rest assured we are not sitting idle," Banks said.
The city’s contingency plans include emergency metro cards for subway and bus trips for families affected and prepaid vouchers for rideshares. Education officials say a remote learning option for students who can't make it to school is not under consideration.
Banks did say that even though buses will run on Thursday for the first day of school, there may still be delays and disruptions. He says as of Wednesday, not all families have received their specific route information, and he’s asking them to be patient.
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Further complicating the start of the new school year is the addition of more than 100,000 asylum seekers to the metro since last Spring, many of those families with school aged children.
But Banks says right now the city’s schools can handle it.
"We have room across our system."
But he says there will be more of an effort to spread students around to prevent overcrowding at specific schools.
School supplies for migrant children
New York City public school students are set to return to class this week, and that will incude thousands of migrant and asylum seeker children who have arrived in the city over the last year. FOX 5 NY's Lissette Nunez spoke to a local group that's making sure those children have everything they need to succeed in the new school year.
Bottom line — he says the city has a duty to educate all kids who are here.
Michael Mulgrew, President of the United Federation of Teachers, shared that sentiment at an event Wednesday morning.
"We need to take care of these children in front of us. So that’s gonna be the challenge all year," Mulgrew said.