City’s plan to temporarily house migrants in school stand-alone gyms put on hold until necessity arises
Without much if any notice given to parents and students, the City moved to transform selected stand-alone gyms into temporary shelters for housing 70–80 asylum seekers in each. P.S. 18, P.S. 132, and P.S. 17/M.S. 577 were selected for this purpose in North Brooklyn. A source from P.S. 17/M.S. 577 reported that on the night of May 15 a busload of men arrived. However, shortly after they got off the bus they boarded the bus again and were taken to Staten Island.
A florescent green flyer was taped to a lamppost on North 5th Street in front of the school that informed P.S. 17/M.S. 577 parents there would be a rally there the morning of May 16, before school started, to protest the City’s plan to take gym access away from the students. A second rally would be scheduled for May 17.
The flyer stated parents were not notified of the gym’s new use, and that this would mean the students would no longer have access to their indoor gym or outdoor schoolyard. It also listed questions: How long would the schools be used for this purpose, what is the Mayor’s plan for the next three months, what security would be provided, etc.?
Also, on May 16, Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso and NYC Council Member Jennifer Gutiérrez toured the shelter set up in P.S. 17/M.S. 577’s new stand-alone gym; they saw more than 70 cots each with a bag of toiletries.
“I only learned this past weekend that three standalone school gyms in my district would be used to shelter migrants. I was not consulted prior, and I’ve been focused on ensuring that school leadership and families were informed and there is little disruption for our kids,” said Gutiérrez
A statement about the use of school gyms as a transitionary shelter for migrants was signed by Gutiérrez in addition to NYC Council Member Lincoln Restler, NYS Assembly Members Maritza Davila and Emily Gallagher, and NYS Senators Kristen Gonzalez and Julia Salazar. “The use of our school facilities is far from ideal, the people who may occupy them are not doing so by choice. … These folks have been through hell.” The statement also urged for a comprehensive plan from the city, state, and federal governments. “This is not just a NYC issue — it affects all of us.”
The second rally at P.S. 17/ M.S. 577 began around 8 a.m. on May 17.
“There’s another protest?” asked a student
“Yep. Today and every day,” answered another student.
Some brought homemade signs. The PTA brought extra signs for those who needed one.
The march began on Roebling to North 4th Street then down North 4th street to where the new stand-alone gym was. On the fence near the gate to enter the schoolyard by this gym was a handwritten sign that said, “Keep our kids safe.” NYPD officers were posted at the gate and outside the entrance to the gym. The march continued on Driggs Avenue to North 5th Street, then along 5th to Roebling. The ralliers marched around the school three or four times.
The students chanted: “We want our gym back!” and “Let us play!”
A Fresh Direct truck stopped and blew its horn in solidarity, and the students and parents cheered back.
A sign held by one of the M.S. 577 students read, “Waited two years to play in the gym with my friends and now it’s all ruined. No more boxing, no more football, no more track, no more basketball.”
Parent, Jessica Tedesco said, “The kids don’t feel safe. They are taking away their gym. They are taking away recess, they are taking away school activities, and we feel that is unfair to the kids.”
Jazabell, a middle schooler and Jessica’s daughter, said softly, “It just feels weird you know. School gyms are not shelters.”
The loss of the gym at this point in time to some is like reopening scar tissue from COVID-19’s lockdown. The students are getting reacquainted with the benefits of a full in-person education experience, only to be denied that again for another reason.
Virginia Vu, a P.S. 17 PTA mom, reminded the group that they weren’t against the asylum seekers, just that they shouldn’t be housed at schools, which would negatively impact the students.
Several signs said, “We support asylum seekers, but not at the school.”
Even though the school year is nearing its end, migrants housed at school gyms during the summer could impact Summer Rising (the NYC Department of Education’s academic and enrichment programming during the summer). It was looking unlikely that schools that housed asylum seekers would remain sites for Summer Rising.
At the end of the rally, Vu told the parents that the PTA would be organizing drives for care packages to be given to the asylum seekers. She also mentioned that there were no plans for another rally. She and other parents were getting concerned that this was attracting those with hostile opinions about the migrants, and they didn’t want to enable a platform for that. So, they would take their campaign online.
On May 18, Mayor Eric Adams placed a hold on the plan to house asylum seekers in school gyms. However, according to the City this idea isn’t totally off the table if the need arises.
As of this writing there has been no press release from the mayor’s office laying out a plan to utilize schools.
The Greenline 