At the beginning of the 2021-2022 school year, the New York City Department of Education released a COVID-19 map that showed all the cases in public schools across New York City. The map used to be full of dots for the first four months of the school year. It depicted what was happening at each school regarding the virus. However, the map is now empty.

For the first four months of the school year, the map showed whether a there was a COVID-19 case, if a classroom was closed, or more importantly, if a school was closed.

Cases continue to rise, and many students are still not in school because they have tested positive or are afraid of catching it. Unfortunately, many schools are also not alerting students of new cases. 

Students are being handed at-home testing kits and then sent back to class. The DOE could provide better testing and could provide a remote option for students/teachers who are immunocompromised.

The DOE has also started changing rules to keep students/staff in school while ill with COVID-19, which may be unsafe for immunocompromised students and staff. The DOE is putting everyone in danger to keep students in school. 

Students are having a hard time coming to school and completing work while sick with COVID-19.

Students are struggling, and the DOE is watching the struggle.

Graphics By: Akiah James