The principal of a Brooklyn high school that forced children to study from home so 2,000 migrants could move in has criticized parents who criticized the decision.
“How dare anyone say I don’t care about kids,” James Madison High School principal Jodie Cohen told parents in a Zoom call on Tuesday, the New York Post reported.
Parents were outraged after their children were ordered to learn from home Thursday as migrants were evacuated from Floyd Bennett Field because of a heavy rainstorm. A day later, on Friday, the students returned to the school building.
“I don’t understand how people who have never come to a Zoom like this can use an opportunity like this evening to throw mud,” Cohen said, according to the Post.
Cohen told parents on the call that she made the decision to move the children to remote learning earlier this week because she didn't know when classrooms would be ready again after the migrants were bused back to their shelters .
James Madison High School Principal Jodie Cohen has criticized parents who criticized her decision to let children learn from home
Students at James Madison High School in Brooklyn were forced to learn from home after a last-minute decision allowed migrants from the southern border to sleep outside at school because of harsh weather conditions
Shocking footage showed hundreds of asylum seekers sleeping on the floor of the school auditorium.
Clips obtained by show the groups of young and old migrants taking up space in the school's large room surrounded by their belongings.
Alina, a mother of two high school children, was among the many parents, grandparents and local politicians who protested outside the facility on Wednesday.
She told : “My child texted me around 1pm saying school was closed tomorrow.”
“They will have distance learning because the migrants will sleep in the auditorium and the gymnasium.”
“It was crazy. We are not against migrants, but this is illegal. This illegal border crossing and everything that affects us all. And the worst thing is that it affects our children.”
The concerned mother added: “The border should be closed.” We should not allow illegal immigrants to come into a country like this.
“And our children are affected because education is already at the lowest level.” The distance learning of the past few years shows that it was not the best for us.
Shocking footage shows hundreds of asylum seekers sleeping on the floor of a Brooklyn school auditorium after children were kicked out of classes so 2,000 migrants could move in
Clips obtained by show the groups of young and old migrants taking up space in the school's large room surrounded by their belongings
Many parents, grandparents and local politicians protested in front of the school
Connie Donahue (left), who has two grandchildren at the school, said at the protest: “I'm angry.” I'm absolutely angry.
“I don't want to allow my children to participate in any activities tonight. “I don't want to because I don't think the school will be adequately disinfected.”
Councilor Jamie Williams said outside the school: “It's not me who's letting them get away with this. “We've been there from day one. From day one. We were on the ground. So we need to ask this question at a higher level of scale.
“We need answers from the federal government and all relevant authorities.” This is not a one-person issue. Everyone who is an elected official has a responsibility to act.
“As a parent, I can tell you this.” My daughter attends James Madison. She is at home. She has signed up and they need to submit missing work.
“What we are seeing here today is unprecedented.”
Connie Donahue, who has two grandchildren at James Madison High School, said at the protest: “I'm angry. “I'm absolutely angry.
“I am upset that I have to live in a city where the priorities are so messed up and they are depriving our children of education that has been at risk for the last three years because of Covid.”
“And they lose another day of classes because there are other places to accommodate the migrants.” “I'm not saying leave them out in the cold,” she added.
Adams eyed the gymnasium, where the migrants were sleeping on the floor. They were brought back to the animal shelter at 4:30 a.m
Locals in Brooklyn gathered outside James Madison High School today
Many were informed about the migrants at the last minute – and noted that they were worried about the sanitary situation, as many of those camping at the school were previously homeless
Mirgants search clothing at Floyd Bennett Field
Officials feared Floyd Bennett Field would be flooded and sent the migrants to the school to sleep
Eric Adams, proud of the decision, visited the site on Tuesday evening and then shared photos on X showing him inspecting the gymnasium where the migrants would sleep.
The decision has outraged many New Yorkers, who say it is further evidence that Adams is prioritizing the thousands of migrants who have come to the city over tax-paying residents and their families.
When asked about the controversial decision, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said the incident was “not OK.” [her] District' on Thursday when a reporter asked if she agreed with thousands of high school students being kicked out of Brooklyn this week to accommodate migrants.
Ocasio-Cortez had previously sharply criticized Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, accusing them of “crimes against humanity” as the two Republican governors bused hundreds of migrants to Manhattan and Washington, DC brought.
After deflecting the question Thursday, Ocasio-Cortez said, “I think it's very clear here that the most important thing is to find a facility that can accommodate these people.”
“I don’t expect this to be a long-term solution, it shouldn’t be a long-term solution,” Ocasio-Cortez added.