To prevent the spread of coronavirus public, private and parochial schools for all ages are closed in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. More than 30 other U.S. states have taken similarly drastic measures.
New York Mayor Bill de Blasio on March 15 agreed to close schools for the near future. The mayor said at multiple press conferences that he won’t attempt to reopen schools until April 20 — and that, ultimately, they may not be able to reopen in time to salvage the calendar year.
Gov. Cuomo said all other schools around the state, as well as daycare centers, will also be closed for two weeks starting March 18. Westchester, Suffolk and Nassau had already announced plans to close their public and private schools, which began March 16.
Nassau County Executive Laura Curran said students who receive meals at their schools will continue to receive them under a “grab-and-go” program.
Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone said administrators and teachers would “still have access to school buildings for local district planning, distance-based education purposes, temporary grab-and-go meal programs and childcare issues.”
After saying for days that closing schools in the state was “inevitable,” Gov. Phil Murphy closed all schools statewide for at least two weeks starting Wednesday, March 18. Murphy said that the closure could easily last longer as well.
