Ed. union big: City’s frighteningly unprepared

City teachers need more time to prepare for lessons and a safe return to the classroom, the city’s largest principals union said Wednesday.

In a letter to Mayor de Blasio and Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza, the head of the Council of School Supervisors and Administrators said teachers and other school staff don’t have enough time to prepare for the return of 1.1 million students to public school classrooms amid the ongoing pandemic.

“Regrettably, the city started the planning process far too late for them to have any faith or confidence that they can reopen their buildings on Sept. 10,” wrote Mark Cannizzaro (inset), head of the council.

The Sept. 8 return date for teachers gives them “frighteningly little time for the preparation and training necessary for these unprecedented circumstances,” Cannizzaro’s letter said.

Gov. Cuomo gave the green light Aug. 7 to reopen every state school district this fall — if the districts’ plans pass muster with the state Health and Education departments.

But Cannizzaro said 6,400 school leaders are still in the dark about how to implement over a dozen highly complicated health and safety protocols. After all individual school plans are submitted this week, as mandated by the governor, they will have less than 15 working days to prepare for the arrival of students.

It’s still not clear when schools will receive personal protective equipment, thermometers, signage, hand sanitizers and cleaning materials.

And it is not clear whether schools in communities hit hardest by COVID-19 will get more help, Cannizzaro said.

“Will we have sufficient staff to schedule both in-person and remote teaching? Do our schools have sufficient bandwidth to support remote instruction? When will we receive proper guidance specific to our students with special needs?” the letter asks.

“These are just a small sample of questions that must be answered for school leaders to provide a safe and successful educational environment for students.”

The letter urges the mayor and Carranza to consider a phased-in approach that would see students return to school remotely on Sept. 10 and in-person by the end of the month.