NY Parents Outraged as James Madison High School Converted to Shelter for Illegal Immigrants
New York parents have expressed outrage after being told that students at James Madison High School would be forced to learn remotely on Wednesday as the public school is used as a temporary shelter for nearly 2,000 illegal immigrants.
The immigrants were evacuated from the tent shelter set up at Floyd Bennett Field and relocated to the high school to escape a winter storm that was expected to bring heavy winds and potential safety hazards. However, the move has received backlash from Brooklyn parents and residents who want to know whether or not learning will be disrupted for every future severe weather event.
Zach Iscol, the New York City Office of Emergency Management Commissioner, said that the city is “doing this out of an abundance of caution because of the high winds.”
Locals, however, told CBS News that the decision to remove students from their classes was “inexcusable” after “all they’ve been through with COVID.” Another resident said that the city has to “come up with another solution” adding, “They cannot do this to school kids.”
Migrants were taken to James Madison High School on Tuesday and woke up before dawn to be bussed back to Floyd Bennett Field at 4:14 a.m. Wednesday morning.
New York City Councilwoman Inna Vernikov questioned the timing and manner in which the relocation was carried out, stating, “I’m sympathetic to migrants, to have no idea why they removed during the night. Those people have kids — 4:15 in the morning? School is closed anyways. They could’ve stayed here until 6 or 7 a.m.”
In a video posted to X (formerly Twitter), the councilwoman further explained, “Madison is a scan school” where students are scanned for weapons upon arrival, before entering school grounds, “but the migrants got to bypass that as per the NYPD.”
“A lot of law enforcement and other agency resources have been poured into this situation tonight. Also, these children are being moved from place to place and will be forced to wake up at 4:30am to leave the school to go elsewhere,” she added. “Unacceptable situation for all!”
Frustration further escalated when parents learned that students would have to submit a request if they wanted to be taught over Zoom, a video calling platform; otherwise, students were expected to submit assignments with no supervision, assistance, or guidance.
“My son woke up for the first period. His teacher didn’t show up. He waited for the second, no teacher,” one mother told CBS News.
Classes weren’t the only things asked to “pivot” either; sports practices, after-school activities, and even the school dance, previously scheduled to take place Wednesday, January 10, were canceled or postponed to accommodate the migrants.
