ALBANY, N.Y. — Governor Andrew Cuomo hosted a conference call Thursday afternoon to provide an update on the state’s COVID-19 response.
During the conference call, Governor Cuomo added some additional comments about schools reopening for the 2020-2021 academic year saying that districts must work together with parents and teachers during reopening discussions.
Cuomo said that, “Whatever the school district says is irrelevant; if parents say they're not going to send their kids back to school and if teachers say they're not going back.” Cuomo added that both groups need to be included more in the back to school planning process.
The governor also stated that they are not going to open any school unless the viral transmission rate remains low.
"We will have a threshold decision in terms of the viral rate spread, region-by-region across the state. We're not going to open any school unless the viral transmission rate says we have the virus under control."
Earlier this week, comments by Cuomo on schools and testing had superintendents scratching their heads and some wondering if something else is going on when he asked: "How are you going to test the students? How many are you going to test per day?"
The governor’s decision on whether to open schools for the 2020-2021 academic year is expected by weeks end.