NYC student-athletes rally to be allowed to play again

Coronavirus update for NYC

ByEyewitness News WABC logo

Saturday, February 6, 2021

NYC student athletes rally to be allowed to play again

Dozens of student-athletes rallied across New York City in hopes to push Mayor de Blasio to let them play.

FORT GREENE, Brooklyn (WABC) -- Dozens of student-athletes rallied across New York City in hopes to push Mayor de Blasio to let them play.

It has been almost a year since they were allowed. Now, they demand an equal playing field, since athletes on Long Island, as well as other places, have been given the go-ahead.

On February 1, high schoolers around New York State were allowed to return to interscholastic sports, but not in New York City.

Gates remain locked at Brooklyn Tech High School athletic field, and on Saturday they rallied for the opportunity afforded to other schools across the state.

All over the five boroughs, students rallied to return to athletic fields, courts, and the classroom. They were joined by parents - and Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams joined outside the Barclays Center.

Governor Cuomo left the decision to restart school sports with local municipalities, but in New York City, middle and high schoolers are not yet back in classrooms.

However now, many high school gyms are being used as community vaccination sites, and many students have to learn remotely since November when the mayor closed schools until further notice. Elementary and District 75 were allowed back, but middle and high schoolers say they have been left hanging.

Mayor de Blasio will make an announcement about middle schools later this month, but right now there is no plan to get high schoolers back into the classroom