New York City public schools are set to reopen early next month. On August 13th, city officials held a roundtable meeting with ethnic minority media at City Hall to introduce the city government’s policies for the upcoming school year. This includes directions on campus safety, anti-bullying initiatives, support for immigrant families, as well as plans to expand after-school and community services.
Melissa Aviles-Ramos, the Director of Education in New York City, emphasized that schools should be spaces for learning and healing, not places where students and families feel fearful. Regarding the recent passage of a new regulation by the City Council to open school playgrounds, Keith Howard, the Director of the Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD), stated that they will work with the School Safety Office, the New York City Police Department (NYPD), and non-profit organizations to ensure public spaces are safe. In addition to increasing uniformed police officers and data tracking, the city government has introduced the “Safe Passage” program, where community members help escort students to prevent community violence.
In terms of combating school bullying, Director of Education Aviles-Ramos pointed out that New York City public schools have a zero-tolerance policy and promote student-led anti-bullying campaigns and training on “Respect Everyone,” so that both teachers, students, and parents can recognize and address bullying incidents.
Addressing concerns from some immigrant families regarding enforcement actions by ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement), Manuel Castro, Director of the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA), reiterated that New York City’s sanctuary city policy remains unchanged. All city agencies and employees must comply and are not allowed to inquire about or report immigration statuses.
Furthermore, the city has allocated over $120 million this year to expand immigration legal services to provide consultation for residents in need, helping them understand viable options and legal risks.
During the question and answer session at the roundtable meeting, a reporter asked who would pick up the children if parents were detained by ICE.
Jess Dannhauser, the Commissioner of the Administration for Children’s Services (ACS), responded that the city has not seen widespread occurrences of this situation. In case parents are worried about being detained by immigration authorities, they can designate a guardian and complete necessary paperwork in advance. If ACS gets involved, priority will be given to arranging for family members or community members who are familiar and caring for the children to take care of them and ensure safety.
Aviles-Ramos added that all families should ensure that their child’s “Blue Card” information at school is updated in case of emergencies, clearly defining pick-up permissions. If the designated pick-up person is not listed on the Blue Card, the Department of Education and schools cannot release the child to them.
Dannhauser mentioned that they have enhanced their services in recent years, receiving over 350 calls every month from teachers, counselors, or parents seeking support for drug abuse treatment, domestic violence intervention, and assistance with food and essential supplies. The Administration for Children’s Services hotline 212-676-7667, offers consultation, prevention, and assistance services (FAP) for students and families. This hotline is frequently listed in official city and school documents as a counseling channel and provides services in Chinese. Parents can call this number to seek assistance or arrange support for school and family-related issues.
Since 2022, over 50,000 asylum-seeking children have entered the New York City public school system, leading to an increase in total enrollment post-pandemic. Aviles-Ramos emphasized that new immigrants not only enrich the school culture but also foster empathy and a spirit of mutual aid among peers in some schools.
To meet the demands for after-school programs, the Department of Youth and Community Development and the Department of Education are promoting a city-wide after-school service initiative, investing $331 million over three years to add 20,000 spots. This year, they have initially added 5,000 spots in 40 schools and community organizations with the long-term goal of achieving universal after-school programs, allowing willing families to participate.
Addressing concerns from parents regarding paper notice overlooked easily, the Department of Education has launched the “Family Connectors” program to train parent leaders to share various resources at school and community events, including after-school activities, legal aid, and social services. Commissioner Dannhauser added that the Family Enrichment Centers will provide multilingual information and community engagement activities to establish a network of trust and support.