NYC School Principals Reject Mayor’s Call for Outdoor Classrooms Amid Crime Wave

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) is facing stiff resistance from nearly two dozen principals over his plan to hold classes in nearby city parks at the start of the school year.

Normally they’d likely be receptive to the idea, but the prospect alone of a youngster picking up a used syringe, or worse — getting shot — is intolerable.

Principals in the Bronx’s District 7 fired off a letter expressing concerns for their students.

The New York Post’s Selim Algar, Georgett Roberts, and Kate Sheehy report:

“Our District has been in the grips of a wave of gun violence that is dangerously affecting and can further exacerbate the safety conditions for all members in our Learning Community,’’ the educators wrote.

“A few days ago, a woman was shot to death in front of one of our district schools,’’ the principals said — apparently referring to Patricia Vasquez, 25, who was killed early Saturday outside PS 1 and Alfred E. Smith HS in the Melrose section in District 7.

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“Most of the parks next to the schools which we use for recess belongs to the Parks Department has to be cleaned daily as syringes and other drug paraphernalia are constantly found there each morning among broken beer bottles, urine etc.,’’ the letter said.

On Tuesday, The Post found at least five syringes littering the playground at PS 18 on Morris Avenue in District 7 in the South Bronx — and five more of the used drug instruments along the sidewalk outside, as three to four spaced-out, disheveled derelicts hung around the fence.

Much of the Bronx is represented in Congress by Democrat Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

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AAN Staff