NYC health department drops vaccine extortion mandate for school sports participation

 

 

THE CITY 

Students who participate in a range of extracurricular activities including sports will no longer face a COVID vaccine requirement, Mayor Eric Adams announced Tuesday, ending the only mandate that applied to public school students.

In August 2021, the city announced that students participating in “high risk” extracurricular activities must be vaccinated against the coronavirus, a policy that covered roughly 20,000 students in the Public School Athletic League who play sports ranging from bowling to basketball. It also included students in chorus, band, and musical theater programs that weren’t part of their regular course loads.

Adams scrapped that requirement on Tuesday along with the vaccine mandate for private employers just before receiving the latest bivalent booster in front of reporters. But other vaccine requirements affecting public schools still stand: All staff must be vaccinated, including coaches who are employed by the city, and so must any visitors to school buildings, a policy that some parents have criticized.

City officials did not present a clear explanation about why the vaccine mandate is being peeled back in some contexts but not others.

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“I don’t think anything dealing with COVID is — makes sense,” Adams said when asked about dropping the vaccine mandate for private employees but keeping it for public ones. “You make the decisions based on how to keep our city safe, how to keep our employees operating by taking the vaccine.”

 Sounds like Adams knows how stupid, spiteful and wrong this vaccine mandate is but doesn't have the guts to abolish it entirely. Truly the most compromised elected official in this town.

Eric Adams officially starts two-tier worker vaccine mandate system exempting/benefiting pro athletes and entertainers

Ex #FDNY firefighters who were laid off due to the mandates confront the New NYC health commissioner and NYC Mayor Eric Adams in Brooklyn NY.#NYC #NYPD #vaccinated pic.twitter.com/rA8VgT1EZK

— Viral News NY (@ViralNewsNYC) March 24, 2022

 

Forbes 

 New York City will exempt performers and athletes from its Covid-19 vaccine mandate for private-sector workers, Mayor Eric Adams announced Thursday, allowing unvaccinated professional athletes like Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving to play at venues across the city.

Adams announced Executive Order 62—which he said was signed and is effective immediately—during a press conference at Citi Field.

The mayor said “we’re making [this change] because this city has to function,” as he noted the need for more employees and tourists to improve the city’s economy.

Adams also said the change will allow New York City’s players to be on “an even playing field,” and will affect venues such as the Barclays Center, Yankee Stadium and Citi Field.

Adams lifted the city’s vaccine mandate for customers in indoor venues earlier this month, but left vaccine regulations in place for private-sector employees, meaning New York City athletes could not compete unvaccinated.

The previous rule did not apply to unvaccinated players on competing teams who traveled to New York City for away games, leading NBA Commissioner Adam Silver to ask city officials to review the “oddity” last month.

Several labor unions criticized Adams for lifting the mandate for wealthy and famous performers while leaving vaccination rules in place for other employees in the city, including public-sector workers. “There can't be one system for the elite and another for the essential workers of our city,” Harry Nespolli, chair of a group of unions representing about 350,000 city workers called the Municipal Labor Committee, told the Associated Press.

The exemption comes amid pressure from the sports world ahead of the NBA playoffs and the MLB’s opening day next month. Due to his vaccination status, Irving has only been playing during away games since returning to the Nets this season, although he was allowed to attend the Nets’ home game as a spectator. The NBA has a vaccination rate of about 95%, while the MLB has the lowest vaccination rate among the four major U.S. sports leagues, ESPN reports.

Little Bay Park soccer fields need work

Dear Parks Department,

Attached are photos of the Little Bay soccer fields. As you are aware, the CYO uses these fields for soccer programs that benefit the children of the surrounding communities. We have been trying for years to get these fields repaired and or replaced, let alone maintained.

Several years ago the fields were plagued with contaminated soil (placed there by the Parks Department in an attempt to raise the level of the field) which contained dirty diapers, used syringes, as well as other contaminants. Last year, we had to deal with large rocks and pockets of holes all over the fields. Now this! We understand their is money to replace at least one field if not both. In the interim, this is what our community and our children have to deal with. Your assistance in re-mediating this field ASAP would be greatly appreciated. As you are aware soccer season is fast approaching and practices have already been scheduled.

Mind you, this is a soccer field that is scheduled to be used by over 600 community children beginning this week. The wood chips and the tire groves that are over 6 inches deep should not be here.

Thank you,
Alfredo Centola
Malba Gardens Civic Association
Community Activist

Principal's war on sports?

From the NY Post:

Insisting her "edict" is to get kids graduated, Martin Van Buren HS Principal Marilyn Shevell has declared war on athletics, outraged students, parents and coaches charge.

Last week, Shevell stormed out of a PTA meeting in the Queens school's auditorium after announcing the girls and boys basketball teams could play no games at home this fall. Last year, she slashed home games to one for the girls and three for the boys.

Shevell also barred classmates and their par ents from attending last year's games to cheer for their "Vee Bees." And just in case any specta tors showed up, she had the bleachers bolted to the gym wall so they could not be used.

Parents and students packed last Monday's PTA meeting, where Shevell ousted a Post reporter.

"She was upset. The subject was sports, and the parents wanted home games," said Diana Payne, whose daughter plays basketball. "Ms. Shevell made a statement that her edict was to get the students graduated in four years."

When parents continued to question Shevell, she walked.

Parents say Shevell has used various "excuses" for the cutbacks -- including a broken gym divider, asbestos in the gym ceiling and fights at prior games.

But when questioned by The Post, city Department of Education officials said the wall had been fixed a month ago, there is no asbestos problem, and there have been no melees -- or even any home games -- this year.

Bloomberg panders to Queens Irish

From Irish Central:

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg told a large gathering of footballers from the Shannon Gaels club and their families in Queens on Saturday, October 17, that it is “time Queens had an Irish football field.”

Bloomberg, who attended the first annual Shannon Gaels field day at Sunnyside Gardens, said, “We are in very early stages of the process but we are cautiously optimistic that we can get it (a GAA pitch) done.”

Admiring the Sunnyside Gardens, Bloomberg said, “This is a great event and Sunnyside Gardens is a great park, but I think it’s time Queens had an Irish field to call home. How about you?”

Bloomberg said that the Queens Parks Department sat down with members of the Irish community to discuss options last week.

“We’re still in the very early stages, but we’re all optimistic,” said Bloomberg.

“The Irish have helped make this the greatest city in the world and I want to see more Irish come here … and more immigrants from around the world.”

Although no specific site has been decided upon, Staunton said the commissioner of the Queens Parks Department welcomed the proposal pitched to them last week with open arms.

Staunton and members of the Shannon Gaels hope to secure a six-acre site on city property.

If you're an American black or Hispanic kid that wants to play football, the Parks Department kicks you off your home field. If you want to create park land in your neighborhood so kids have a place to play, Parks tells you to take a hike. If you're fresh off the boat and want to play your version of football during an election year, the Parks Department and Mayor dedicate city property to accommodate you.

Tweeding at its most blatant.