De Blasio defends decision to keep schools open during snowstorm

UPDATED 2/13/14, 7:13 P.M.: Mayor Bill de Blasio came under intense criticism yesterday from parents, the teachers’ union and some of his political allies yesterday over the city’s decision to keep public schools open despite blizzard-like conditions in the morning hours.

Even popular NBC weatherman Al Roker joined the second-guessers’ chorus, prompting de Blasio to retort: “It's a different thing to run a city than to give the weather on TV.”

The mayor said uncertainties from pre-storm weather forecasts influenced the decision-making, but added that he would reconsider procedures for making the calls.

“Our job is to make a decision that’s always a tough decision and with always, by definition, imperfect information,” de Blasio said at Office of Emergency Management headquarters in Brooklyn.

“This storm sped up,” he said. “This storm has more accumulation than was expected.” Nevertheless, he said, “I still think we did the right thing.

Many — though not all — parents didn’t think so.

“It's dangerous for the children to be out here in this weather,” said Teri Young, of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, who has two boys, aged 9 and 12.

“Whoever is making these decisions, I disagree with them completely. It's small children,” she said.

Tina Downer, 49, kept her 17-year-old daughter home from Tottenville High School on Staten Island.

“I’d rather know she’s safe in the house rather than traveling in the streets that are not safe,” she said.

Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña startled the news conference with de Blasio when she said: “It is absolutely a beautiful day out there right now.”

The storm had paused. But about an hour later, her spokesman emailed reporters that a town-hall meeting Fariña planned to attend was canceled “due to inclement weather.”

De Blasio said that on Wednesday night the National Weather Service, had predicted as few as three inches by the morning rush hour, when children would be en route to school, or “we could have four or five or more.” Some parts of the city had close to 10 inches by midmorning.

The mayor noted that the city has closed schools only 11 times for snow since 1978. The Department of Education said yesterday’s attendance was 44.65% of the city’s 1.1 million public school students.

United Federation of Teachers president Michael Mulgrew said that de Blasio and Fariña got it wrong.

“Having students, parents and staff traveling in these conditions was unwarranted. It was a mistake to open schools today,” he said in a statement.

De Blasio’s successor as public advocate, Letitia James, as well as his close ally, City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, also chimed in against the decision.

“Closing schools is a very difficult and serious decision to make — and I believe in this instance it was warranted,” said Mark-Viverito.

De Blasio said one factor in making the decisions is parents who have to work. One of them, Lizette Lacayo, 44, a medical assistant of Astoria, Queems, with a 4-year-old and 8-year-old at P.S. 84, said the mayor was right.

“For working parents, it’s really, really a problem if you can’t afford a full-time baby sitter,” she said.

(With Sheila Anne Feeney, Ivan Pereira and Dan Rivoli)

We spoke to parents across the five boroughs about the city's decision to keep schools open despite Thursday's storm.

"It's horrible! It's difficult to get them to school and then get to work." - Jocelyn Cordero, 37, Hell's Kitchen, mother of two children

"Snow is not going to kill nobody. It's not even that cold outside. Why is everybody complaining?" - John Jenkins, 17, East New York, senior at High School of Graphic Communication Arts

"If it's dangerous enough for adults to stay off the roads, the children shouldn't be on them, either." - Arielle Ortiz, 27, Hell's Kitchen, mother of two kids who go to PS 111

"I think it was a terrible decision," to keep the schools open. "Kids should be able to stay home instead of traveling in this mess." - Barbara Newsome, Hell's Kitchen, son goes to PS 111

"Perhaps online or on TV networks it's a big buzz, but honestly here in the neighborhood everyone seems to be taking it in stride." - Lisa Leighton, parent of student at PS 321 in Park Slope

"I'm happy they had school today because I had work. Personally, I feel like if it's a hassle for you, just keep your kids at home" - Ruth Genn, parent of student at PS 321 in Park Slope

"My first thought was, this is ridiculous, there's a blizzard out. ?. "I had concerns about the teachers and other staff being able to get to school safely. I wondered if they're going to end up with one teacher taking over multiple classes or watching movies in the auditorium, which would have been not great." -Ari Ben Eli, Cobble Hill, parent of students at PS 29

"I live a few blocks away but it was still horrible coming here. I'm curious to see what they're going to do tomorrow." - Jennifer Kenny, 36, mother of kindergartener at PS 234 in TriBeCa

"For us at PS234 it's OK because it's generally residential, but I can't imagine what they're doing in the outer boroughs." - Stacy Roger-Gordon, 46, parent of student at PS 234

(Sheila Anne Feeney, Shawn McCreesh, Dan Rivoli and Perry Santanachote)