New York City experienced blizzards on Thursday, and schools were kept open by the NYC administration. New York Mayor Bill de Blasio was criticized for not following New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s lead, when Governor Cuomo declared a state of emergency.
Elected officials and teacher’s unions called de Blasio’s decision to keep schools open a mistake, as the city was preparing to be engulfed in more than a foot of snow. Al Roker, the NBC weather anchor, published tweets complaining about this, even while he was busy covering the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.
The Today show weather anchor started with a tweet where he questioned why the other schools surrounding NYC were closed. He also expressed worry that a child may have to be hurt in the blizzard before NYC changes their “goofball policy”. His next tweet was addressed to New York City schools and the New York City Mayor’s office, and he mentioned that his daughter’s NYC public school was being let out, and he ended with asking NYC schools and the NYC Mayor’s office if it was worth endangering the children?
Mayor de Blasio stated in a press conference Thursday morning that New York is unlike other cities, and it doesn’t shut down in the face of adversity. He defended his decision to keep the schools open, by explaining the State’s declaration. He explains that when NY Gov. Cuomo declared the state of emergency, it meant that the state and the city is allowed to do certain things regarding the situation. He continued by saying that with the information that they had, they knew clearly that the city was functioning properly, and that city agencies were doing their job.
With all of this information, the Mayor’s office decided to keep schools open, since parents would need their children in school so they could go to work.
Roker tweeted a forecast, predicting that de Blasio would only have one term in in office as New York Mayor.
How dare @NYCMayorsOffice@NYCSchools throw NWS under the school bus. Forecast was on time and on the money
— Al Roker (@alroker) February 13, 2014
I knew this am @NYCMayorsOffice @NYCSchools would close schools. Talk about a bad prediction. Long range DiBlasio forecast: 1 term
— Al Roker (@alroker) February 13, 2014
Why are schools all around NYC closed? It’s going to take some kid or kids getting hurt before this goofball policy gets changed
— Al Roker (@alroker) February 13, 2014
Mr. Mayor, I could never run NYC, but I know when it’s time to keep kids home from school
— Al Roker (@alroker) February 13, 2014
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