Taking it outside

Seventeen short days before the most closely watched school reopening in the nation, Mayor de Blasio and Chancellor Richard Carranza came forward with big plans to expand outdoor learning throughout the five boroughs, finally answering pleas that teachers, parents, this Editorial Board and others have been issuing for many weeks now.

Beginning this week, the chancellor and mayor say, principals can submit a request for learning space in streets and parks near schools. Proposals submitted by Friday, Aug. 28 will, the promise goes, get responses by Sept. 4, after a review by five other city departments.

No one said reopening the nation’s largest public school system in the midst of a pandemic would be easy. But de Blasio and Carranza’s belated and reactive planning has made the task far, far harder than it needed to be.

Yet to be explained: Protocols for testing teachers and students for coronavirus. The city encourages teachers to get screened and promises 24-hour turnaround, but that’s as far as guidance goes.

Yet to be detailed: Information on specifically who qualifies and how for 100,000 new child-care slots intended to make hybrid learning possible for many families.

Yet to be delivered: PPE promised to some schools across the city.

Yet to be fixed: Ventilation problems that plague many classrooms.

Yet to be outlined: Who will be teaching kids at home while their teachers are busy with in-person instruction.

Does anyone still study Shakespeare? “I wasted time,” said his Richard II, “and now doth time waste me.”