For Hurricane Sandy, Mayor Bloomberg Is Putting Children First Again

That wacky DOE is at it again. I just got an email from Dennis Walcott saying that emergency workers should report at 8 AM tomorrow. What are emergency workers? Well, emergency workers are pretty much any city employee who volunteered to be one. I got 4 or 5 calls and several emails asking me to be one.

However, at the bottom of the message was this:

At this time, we expect City government and schools to open on Monday. 

So not only are those teachers who volunteered to help expected to do so--they're also expected to report to their regular jobs. That way, apparently, they can be at two places at once. Pretty impressive feat for people denied the raises all other city workers got between 2008 and 2010.

But that's not the only thing these visionary leaders have planned. If people report to these shelters, they will be there along schools in session. I suppose having dozens, if not hundreds, of strangers milling about while children are supposed to be studying does not pose a potential problem for Mayor Bloomberg. After all, his kid didn't attend a public school anyway, so why should he care?

The other thing that has not crossed Mayor Bloomberg's mind is the unpredictable nature of nature itself. What if everything is fine Monday morning, but the storm picks up later in the day? You know, when the kids are walking or taking public transport home? That, of course assumes there will even be public transport. Does Bloomberg think it's a good idea for students to use their own schools as shelters, grouped with their school friends rather than their families?

Why not? Neither his kids, nor the kids of his rich pals attend public schools.

All agency employees are requested, beginning after 11 p.m. on Sunday night, or on Monday morning, to watch local news, or check nyc.gov or the agency's web site, for the latest information before leaving for work on Monday. 

That's very considerate. As I live in a flood-prone area, I don't even think I'll be home tonight. I don't know whether I'll have electricity, or internet, or the latest information. But like all of New Yorkers, even if I did, I wouldn't be able to plan for what could very well be the most significant storm of our lifetimes.

And neither will the children Mayor Bloomberg puts "first," or any of their families.

Update: MTA will begin shutting down at 7 PM tonight, and will be completely shut down by 3 AM this morning. 

UPDATE: City schools CLOSED tomorrow!