A large storm with heavy rains and high winds descended on New York City early in January and caused a lot of disruption for its residents. Among the many disruptions, a major one was the displacement of nearly 2,000 migrants. The migrants were living at Floyd Bennett Field but had to leave to avoid flooding from the storm.
As it was unexpected, the city officials moved them to James Madison High School. The school is located roughly five miles away in the borough of Brooklyn. However, the parents of the school’s students did not like this new development.
This is because the school cannot carry out its normal activities with that many people on the premises. Therefore, Principal Jodie Cohen had no choice but to switch to remote learning temporarily. He sent a message to parents confirming that students will attend classes online for that day.
“To ensure a smooth transition for families temporarily sheltering overnight in the building, our school building will be closed on Wednesday, January 10, and school will be in session remotely for all students,” Cohen said. “Students should plan to log on and participate in their classes from home.”
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However, the parents wasted no time to show their disappointment and disapproval. The New York Post reported that the parents screamed profanities at the school buses as they arrived with the migrants.
“How do you feel? Does it feel good? How does it feel that you kicked all the kids out of school tomorrow? Does it feel good? I hope you feel good. I hope you will sleep very well tonight!” a parent named Michelle screamed.
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A father of another child also asked the incoming migrants, “How do you feel stealing American tax money?” Parents were not the only ones who weren’t happy with this decision. The school’s gym teacher was also upset and asked, “What I want to know is why I’m here?”
Several advocates for the migrants also expressed their displeasure with the move. For example, the Legal Aid Society and the Coalition for the Homeless condemned the “very traumatic and disruptive” evacuation to the school in a joint statement.
“This last-minute evacuation further proves that Floyd Bennett Field – a facility mired in a flood zone, miles from schools and other services – has never and will never serve as an appropriate and safe place to shelter families with children,” a statement by the association read.
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However, some other people had varying opinions. They believed the migrants just needed a more secure shelter for a couple of hours and didn’t plan to stay for a long time. They also mentioned that the people need to be a little more accommodating to the migrants who are displaced around the state.
Furthermore, their stay at the school was temporary and a preventive measure from the potential flooding. Truly, the migrants did not spend up to a day at the school. The buses took all of them back to their tents, and the school was able to resume its regular activities.
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