NY councilman: Nonpublic schools should get supplies against coronavirus

“To date, I am not aware of any effort on the part of DOE to contact our nonpublic school communities to offer resources and assistance, said New York City Councilman Mark Treyger.

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
A disinfection company sanitizes a closed school against the spread of coronavirus in Lebanon (photo credit: REUTERS/ALI HASHISHO)
A disinfection company sanitizes a closed school against the spread of coronavirus in Lebanon
(photo credit: REUTERS/ALI HASHISHO)
New York City councilman and Education Committee chair Mark Treyger called on New York City’s Department of Education to supply all of New York City’s school, public and nonpublic schools alike, with basic hygiene supplies, resources and assistance to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in schools.
“The New York City Department of Education (DOE) and the City Administration need to proactively reach out to all public and nonpublic schools to offer to provide hygiene supplies, soap and hand sanitizer, to combat the transmission of coronavirus (COVID-19)," said Treyger in a statement.
“To date, I am not aware of any effort on the part of DOE to contact our nonpublic school communities to offer resources and assistance. I continue to hear from school staff and parents that our schools are not currently adequately supplied with basic sanitation materials – and that is not acceptable," Treyger added.
 
“As always, basic hygiene should be practiced, but the DOE must take the initiative to protect and safeguard all students across all five boroughs. It is vital that our school system prepare as much as possible to ensure that all public and nonpublic schools have all of the basic hygiene resources readily available to them with or without a public health warning,” he concluded in his statement.
Maury Litwack – executive director of Teach Coalition, a project of the Orthodox Union – praised Treyger's statement, saying that “we applaud Councilman Treyger for speaking out on behalf of the nonpublic school community.
“Disease outbreaks, like COVID-19, do not distinguish between public and nonpublic schools, and all of New York City’s children are entitled to attend schools that are equipped with the supplies and materials needed to guarantee the highest possible level of protection. This is a matter of public health,” he added.
On Saturday, Governor Andrew Cuomo declared a state of emergency in New York State after the number of confirmed coronaviruses cases rose to 89, including 12 in New York City, The New York Post reported.