“While our borough is still dealing with unsafe roads, inadequate snow removal and lingering storm impacts, the mayor’s decision to reopen schools tomorrow is both irresponsible and reckless.

Staten Island’s snow removal response was not adequate. The city waited too long to begin plowing, secondary and residential streets were not treated proactively, and far too many neighborhoods remain uncleared. Families should not still be digging out while the administration pushes forward as if conditions are normal.

The City failed to properly prepare and respond to the storm—and now it is compounding that failure by forcing schools to reopen before Staten Island is fully safe and accessible.

Families across Staten Island are still navigating hazardous conditions. Many neighborhood streets remain uncleared, transportation routes are unreliable and parents are being forced to make last-minute decisions about how to safely get their children to school.

Reopening schools under these circumstances shows a clear disconnect from the realities on the ground. The safety of our students, teachers and school staff must come first—and right now, the city has not demonstrated that conditions are safe.

Staten Island deserves better. I strongly urge the administration to reconsider this reckless decision and ensure that schools reopen only when our streets are fully cleared and our communities are truly prepared.”