China Overseas Chinese Network, November 19, according to the American Overseas Chinese News Network, on November 18 local time, New York Mayor Desire de Blasio announced that New York City public schools will be closed again on the 19th and all students will be transferred to distance learning.
For most Chinese parents who have chosen online classes, they feel numb to this, and pointed out that the lack of teachers in public schools in downtown Flushing during the epidemic, whether online classes or attending school, children’s academics are worrying.
In addition, Chinese parents are even more worried that closing schools again will hinder the holding of special high school entrance exams and gifted classes.
Zhu Baoling, chairman of the Council of Chinese Parents Association, said that because most Chinese parents pay more attention to epidemic prevention and health and safety, Chinese students take more online classes.
Faced with the rebound of the New York City epidemic, the city government decided to close the school again and take online classes for all members. Chinese parents have become numb to this.
During the epidemic, school policies are changing, and Thanksgiving is approaching, many Chinese parents think it is better to follow the government's decision.
Most Chinese students in Flushing choose online classes, and most of their families are helped by grandparents to take care of their children. Therefore, closing the school again has little effect on Chinese parents in Flushing.
Zhu Baoling pointed out that there are still some parents who report that whether it is online classes or two or three days of class at school, students cannot learn as well as before the epidemic.
At the same time, the school is still short of teachers, many old teachers choose to retire, a teacher has to do several subjects.
There is a shortage of teachers in public schools in downtown Flushing, and chemistry teachers have to teach English across sciences, which greatly reduces the learning effect of students.
Zhu Baoling also said that Chinese parents pay more attention to whether the closure of schools again will affect the smooth progress of special high school entrance examinations and gifted class examinations, which will directly affect their children's entrance to middle school and university entrance.
Dong Hui, head of the Queens Residents Union, said that according to his knowledge, only about 10% of Chinese parents choose to let their children go to school. However, most white families in some areas have a strong desire to go to school.
Therefore, he believes that the city government should not close all public schools in New York City in a “one size fits all” manner. The city government can delegate power to schools so that schools can decide whether to switch to online classes based on the actual situation of students.
For Chinese parents who have chosen online courses, their deeper concern is whether the mayor and the Education Bureau will once again delay or hinder the holding of special high school entrance exams and gifted classes on the grounds of closing schools.
(Zhang Jing)