New Yorkers call for flip-flopping Bill de Blasio to resign as he hails 'return to school' for JUST pre-kindergarten and some special education students after last-minute decision to postpone in-person classes for a second time

 New Yorkers are calling on Mayor Bill de Blasio to resign as he hails Monday's return to the classroom for just select students after delaying in-person classes for schools in the city.

The return to NYC schools on Monday wasn't the one anyone planned for after a last minute decision to postpone, for the second time, in-person classes amid the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Only pre-kindergarten and some special education students have now ended a six-month absence from school buildings. 

Schoolchildren in kindergarten through 12th grade started the new school year Monday, but fully remotely, the same way students in Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston and many of New York's other urban districts have.  

Mayor Bill de Blasio greeted pre-K students at a school in Queens on Monday and praised the 'air of energy and spirit' among teachers and pupils

Mayor Bill de Blasio greeted pre-K students at a school in Queens on Monday and praised the 'air of energy and spirit' among teachers and pupils

Students will now return to the classroom on September 29 and October 1 for high school students. 

De Blasio announced the new timeline last Thursday alongside leaders of the city's teachers union who had sounded alarms that schools could not open safely.

De Blasio faced calls on Twitter to resign on Monday after last week delaying the return to schools for the majority of students

De Blasio faced calls on Twitter to resign on Monday after last week delaying the return to schools for the majority of students

De Blasio said Monday he was confident the new dates would stick.

The majority of the more than 1 million public school students in the city will be in the classroom one to three days a week and learning remotely the rest of the time.   

The Mayor greeted pre-K students at a school in Queens and praised the 'air of energy and spirit' among teachers and pupils.  

'To see those children so engaged, so happy to be there, it was truly inspiring,' de Blasio said. 'This year was special... because we've had to overcome so much.' 

He also tweeted: 'There's nothing like the first day of school. Welcome back to our 3-K, Pre-K and District 75 students starting in-person learning today! 

'This school year will look different. Make no mistake though, that our goals are the same. A safe environment, a strong learning curriculum and the continued spirit of community.'

'Pure joy': NYC mayor celebrates partial reopening of schools
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His Twitter was immediately inundated with calls to resign from angry New Yorkers. 

'First lesson of the school year: Resign,' one tweeted. 

Another said: 'Teachers and principals are going above and beyond. You should be ashamed of yourself. Just resign.'  

After a fidgety spring of online pre-K, Jessica D'Amato's 5-year-old son has been so excited about going back to in-person school that he keeps asking: 'When am I going to kindergarten?' 

First the answer was September 10 before being pushed to Monday and then September 29 - much to the family's frustration.  


'I think that all the students are really, really at a disservice right now - because of the uncertainty, because of the lack of in-person instruction,' D'Amato said.

She wondered why the city is still grappling with the staffing shortages cited for the latest delay after having months to plan, and how likely it is that the extra days will solve the problem.

'I can't see how they're going to fix the issue in a week, and I'll be very upset if then they push it again,' she said, 'because this kid needs to be in school already.' 

The rate of COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations plunged after an April peak and has largely flattened this summer across the state: New York has seen an average of 1% of daily tests coming up positive since June.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio does a social distancing elbow bump with four-year old Oliver as he welcomes students to Pre-K at Mosaic Pre-K Center in the Queens on Monday

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio does a social distancing elbow bump with four-year old Oliver as he welcomes students to Pre-K at Mosaic Pre-K Center in the Queens on Monday

New York City Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza, right, talks at a news conference at the Mosaic Pre-K Center while Mayor Bill de Blasio, left, listens on the first day of school

New York City Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza, right, talks at a news conference at the Mosaic Pre-K Center while Mayor Bill de Blasio, left, listens on the first day of school

Still, New York City has seen a slight tick up in hospitalizations and infections this month.  

Before the latest delay, teacher Chloe Davis had spent last week bracing to welcome her fourth-grade class at P.S. 536, reassured on one level upon seeing the newly cleaned and painted building but so anxious at times she broke down crying. 

Chief among her worries is keeping her students from picking up the virus and bringing it home to their families.

'Four or five months ago, thousands of people were dying,' said Davis, who takes the subway to her school in the Bronx, 'and the pandemic is still around. The virus is still there and we´re still in the midst of a pandemic.' 

Daniel Leviatin, a fourth grade teacher and school librarian at P.S. 59 in the Bronx, sees no reason to push students back into buildings and believes the city squandered the chance to address technology issues and improve distance learning over the summer.

'Every single moment of the planning of this and the way it's been unrolled, is a mess,' Leviatin said.

He and Davis said they know other large districts will be watching to see what happens when the students finally return.

'You know how at hospitals and things, they'll do research and they'll pay the participants?' Davis said. 'I feel like I'm like part of that, but I didn't sign up for it.' 

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