Parents in New York City are slamming city officials after a Brooklyn high school student was forced to stay home for virtual learning during an immigrant shelter.
Mother Jane Lipkovich told “Fox & Friends” that the decision to “prioritize” asylum seekers over urban families was “really upsetting.”
“For example, why should James Madison and other schools shoulder the burden of the city's immigration crisis?” asked Jayne, who was joined by her daughter Julia on Thursday.
Eric Adams warns of another surge in immigration from Texas, says New York City is at 'breaking point'
Mayor Eric Adams held a press conference on Tuesday about the immigration crisis. (New York City Hall)
“My child goes through a metal detector every day. [Migrants] They came in with suitcases. Is it safe after that? What about vaccinations? They had to come back fully vaccinated. Were they administering vaccinations and background checks on immigrants entering their schools? ”
On Wednesday, nearly 2,000 migrants who had taken shelter in tent shelters at Floyd Bennett Field arrived at James Madison High School on Bedford Avenue, forcing students to switch to remote learning.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams' office said the move was for safety reasons given the incoming storm and the possibility of strong winds. According to the New York Daily News, Adams told reporters. He claimed it was done out of “excessive caution.”
Undocumented immigrants evacuated from Floyd Bennett Field arrive at James Madison High School on Bedford Street in Brooklyn, New York City, during a storm on January 9, 2024. (Gardiner Anderson, NY Daily News, via Getty Images)
Julia discussed how the day went when the students logged on to Zoom without the teacher present.
“I've heard a lot of teachers email me and say if you have any questions, please email me before you attend so you can actually participate,” she explained. “But otherwise, just completing the assignment will count as attendance.”
“This was also a day that could have been spent studying, and I could have prepared better, especially with exams coming up. Instead, I could have stayed home, done my assignments, and interacted with my teachers. It didn’t even happen.”
Mr Jain praised city councilor Inna Vernikov for speaking out about the crisis, but said much of the government was out of touch with the people.
“I think the problem is that the government seems to be prioritizing immigrant families over law-abiding, tax-paying citizens,” Jain said.
The furious parents said: new york post The move was “uncomfortable” and “frightening”, he said.
“The writing was on the wall the moment immigrants started flooding into the city,” said one mother, who only gave her first name as Maria. “It's terrible, and we shouldn't be forcing it on us taxpayers.”
Mother Elina Becker criticized the move to force students to stay home as a “terrible decision” during a rally outside the school that began with a tense exchange with a small number of counter-protesters.
“The school should not be used,” she said, wondering if this would become a “recurring event” for local students.
A local Democratic lawmaker, whose daughter also attends the school, told Fox News that the Biden administration needs to close the border quickly before the crisis worsens.
“This is unfair to our parents. I went there this morning too, and the community is outraged because here immigrants are prioritized over our children and our communities. What happens next?'' Jamie Williams told “The Ingraham Angle.''
Adams' office announced that more than 160,000 migrants have flooded into “sanctuary” cities since mid-2022, some of them arriving by bus directly from Texas. Officials said the city was overwhelmed, and Adams warned that the crisis could “ruin” the city.
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FOX News' Adam Shaw contributed to this report.
