Mayor Bill de Blasio: Good morning, everyone. Every day, I'm going to be talking to you about what we need to do to move this city forward. Every day, I'm going to be talking to you about a recovery for all of us, how we reach every part of this city and keep moving forward. And we all know nothing is more important in our recovery than our public schools. We know that as our public schools come back, our city comes back. We had a great day yesterday, reopening our middle schools. Amazing day, just filled with spirit and hope and a sign of things to come in New York City. Today, 1,200 New York City schools opened. A sign of our rebirth. So, we know how important it is to move our school system forward. And for the last three years, we've had extraordinary leadership of the New York City public schools by our Chancellor, Richard Carranza. For three years, he's given his heart and soul to the kids of this city, and it's been a labor of love. I've worked shoulder to shoulder with him. I've seen it. And a lot has happened in these three years to move us forward. This is a school system today with the highest graduation rate in the history of New York City. This is a school system today where academic achievement keeps moving forward, but not just in some places all across our school system. This is a New York City today where we're closing what has been called previously, the achievement gap. We're bringing more fairness and equality. We're helping uplift students of color and helping them move forward like never before. And that was our challenge before COVID. We now face a deeper challenge with a COVID achievement gap. This is going to be all of our business going forward. Bringing back our schools, bringing back our kids, helping them catch up, and then move forward academically, but also addressing and supporting them emotionally.
I'm going to turn to the Chancellor for his announcement. He is turning the page and going on to a new chapter in his life and we're going to miss him. But I’m also going to be introducing to you in a few moments a new leader from our school system, someone who has worked her way up and is ready to lead this school system, and someone with an extraordinary story of her own. And when I introduce to you Meisha Ross Porter, I'm going to tell you a true New York City story of success. And this is going to be a story also of continuity because it's important to know that Meisha Ross Porter in her journey was elevated from principal to superintendent by our first Chancellor, Carmen Farina, and then from superintendent to executive superintendent by Chancellor Richard Carranza. So, this is a story of people who share values, who believe in the same things, who do the same work supporting each other, and the torch being passed from one to the next. With that – and it's a bittersweet moment and someone I admire so much, our Chancellor. And we have been through it all together. I think that's a fair statement.
Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza: Yes, sir.
Mayor: I admire everything that you've done for our city. I admire your heart and your passion for justice and equality. And it has been a very tough year and I know you have felt it deeply. And somehow you found a way to keep providing leadership for our families and our kids. But I also know it took a toll, and I admire you for everything you've done. And we thank you and we're going to miss you, but we're going to be feeling the effects of what you've done for the kids in New York City for many years to come. And now introduce our Chancellor, Richard Carranza.
Chancellor Carranza: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. This is a very bittersweet moment for me. I came to New York City three years ago with a mission to help the Department of Education reach its full potential and, of course, to serve and to lift up all, not just some, but all of our public school children. And while the work is never done, we have created a lot of important change together. New York City public schools are the strongest schools I've ever seen. They are home to the most powerful teaching I have seen in my over 30 years as an educator. Our teachers and school staff take an equity-centered belief and approach so that our students can feel seen and heard, but most importantly, believed in.
Just yesterday I visited the South Bronx Academy for Applied Media to see public service announcements that middle school students had created about issues that were important to them. And in our discussion, I didn't just hear their research and their citations, I witnessed their strong, critical thinking skills and how they were making sense of the world, a world that's changing before their very eyes. I heard all the wisdom and passion of children who know their voices’ value. Students who are getting a great education and who believe in all the things that they can do with that great education, students who are already connecting what happens in the classroom with their lives outside of school. Our children are where children can – our schools are where children can develop their dreams and then chase those dreams regardless of the language they speak or the neighborhood they live in. I'm proud of what we've accomplished over the last three years.
Our seniors have continued to break their own records with rising graduation rates and college enrollment rates. We have capped the length of suspensions and implemented restorative practices in the largest school system in America. We make true progress in dismantling structures and policies that are products of decades of entrenched racism like suspending school screens. And we finally brought mental health into the spotlight and made it a major priority, which has been tremendously crucial during this pandemic. The change we've created together will help lift up generations of children to come. And I want to be really clear that this is because of the incredible work of the entire Department of Education family.
To all my colleagues at the Department of Education. It is incredibly hard to say goodbye to you. And in my culture, we don't say goodbye. We say, hasta luego, until we see you again. You are the most dedicated, hardworking colleagues I have ever had the privilege of working with. And it's been my privilege to be your colleague. I know the pandemic has not been easy for you or for any New Yorker. And make no mistake, I am a New Yorker. While not by birth by choice. A New Yorker who has lost – a New Yorker who has lost 11 family and close childhood friends to this pandemic and a New Yorker who, quite frankly, needs to take time to grieve. I feel that I can take that time now because of the place that we are in and the work that we have done together. We have created safe learning environments for the children of essential workers. We've delivered over half-a-million devices for remote learning. We've served 80 million meals to New Yorkers and reopened nearly all of our schools ahead of every other school system in America. We have stabilized the system in a way that no one thought possible. The light, my fellow New Yorkers, is truly at the end of the tunnel.
And I can't think of anyone who would be better to lead this work and take up this mantle and serve New York City's – serve New York City's children as the next New York City Schools Chancellor, than Meisha Ross Porter. She's a born and bred New Yorker. She eats drinks, sleeps, and thinks at all times about New York and the children of New York. She's dedicated her lifetime to serving the children in New York. And I am so proud that this mayor has chosen the first African-American Black Chancellor to take the baton. It's been an honor of a lifetime to serve as your Chancellor, and from the bottom of my heart I want to thank you for the opportunity to serve your and my children.
Mayor: Well, we pass the torch now. And again, this is a story of New York City and the greatness of New York City. Because when you hear the story of Meisha Ross Porter, you hear about someone who cares, someone from this city who wanted to really do something for children who she understood because she lived their lives too. Born and raised in Southeast Queens, moved to the Bronx, fell in love with the Bronx, and became a fighter for the Bronx. Meisha is someone who understands what it is to go through everyday life without privilege and to have to earn and then fight for every single step. Meisha’s heart always told her to go where the need was greatest. And so, as she kept elevating in her career, she didn't say, ‘send me someplace easy.’ She always wanted to be where she could do the most good, particularly for kids who looked like her. And she made that choice throughout her career. But very early on, those around her noticed that she was not just a typical educator. She had something special. From her first experiences as a teacher, leaders took notice and they kept indicating her, singling her out as one of the leaders of tomorrow. When it was time to choose the prestigious fellowships and the opportunities for further advancement, one after another after another turned to Meisha. A lot of great leaders and educators saw in her someone singularly able not only to lead academically, but to bring her heart and soul to the mission in a way that everyone could feel, that all the teachers around her, everyone who worked in school buildings could feel, that kids could feel, parents could feel. It's something – this work, this precious work of educating our children, it's work of the mind, but it's also a work of the heart.
And Meisha has both in such extraordinary measure. She became a renowned principal in the Bronx. And as I said, Chancellor Carmen Farina, when looking for new leadership, saw what Meisha brought and made her a superintendent. When Richard Carranza became our Chancellor and he looked to restructure our system and create a stronger leadership structure, he elevated Meisha Ross Porter to executive superintendent for all of the Bronx. And the Bronx alone, the number of schools, number of students in the Bronx would be one of the largest school districts in the nation if it stood alone. And over these last three years, Meisha has led it with incredible ability. Someone who really listens to the community, helps people have a sense of common direction, brings people together. She is someone who has fought for those who have not gotten their fair share, and she believes in excellence and education, but also fairness and equality in education. And she's lived that. She's made it come alive.
And yes, she will make history as the first African-American woman to lead the New York City public schools in the entire history of New York City. And as we all know, this is by far the largest school system in America. So, this is a moment of national importance that an African-American woman will take the helm of the nation's greatest public school system. I am so proud as a New Yorker of this great New York City success story. I'm so proud that once upon a time, a young woman believed she could do something great and uplift folks who've been left behind. And then she proceeded to do just that. And at this crucial moment, we need continuity, and we need strength. We need a leader who understands what's going on, on the ground and is going to see us through to the next step, opening up our high schools and then bringing back our whole school system strong in September. And I am absolutely certain of her leadership. And it is my honor to introduce to you the next Chancellor of the New York City public schools, Meisha Ross Porter.
Incoming Schools Chancellor Meisha Ross Porter: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I am so honored for this opportunity. Thank you, Chancellor Carranza. It has been a great joy and privilege to lead and to learn from you as a leader. And I want to thank the Mayor and the Chancellor for seeing me. And what I want to promise to all of the New York City families, students, educators, that I will see you in the same way that folks have seen me. I want to thank my husband and my family for being here to support me in this moment. And I want to also thank my New York City Department of Education family, because this moment isn't about me. It's about the story of us and what we're going to do together to move this system forward. I grew up in South Jamaica, Queens. My mom is a teacher and what I learned first from my favorite teacher, my mommy, is the importance that one teacher makes in the life of every young person. And I learned that from my mom. I learned that from my aunt, Brenda, who was my pre-K teacher. I learned that from my first grade teacher, Miss Perlman. And I learned it from Ms. [inaudible] the English teacher who saw me when I was having my own personal struggles as a 10th grade student in high school.
And because of all of that, I know with certainty, it's my duty and responsibility that I've carried with me my whole life to lead forward and lean in and see every student and create opportunities for them in every moment that I possibly can. And the Bronx, well you know me. I've dedicated my life to service in the Bronx. I've dedicated my life to education in the Bronx. I started as a youth organizer with a youth group called Take Charge, Be Somebody in Highbridge with Omar Ortiz, RobinMarie Dessereau, Cindy Bautista and Michelle [inaudible] and we created the first public youth council, elected youth council in Highbridge in the Bronx. And then we had an opportunity to move and become a part of the Bronx Center Plan. And as young people, 18, 19 and 20 years old, envision a school. We got to do that. And then the greatest thing that happened was that school opened, and thanks to my friends at the Urban Assembly, the organization that started the school, New Visions, who we were part of round two of New Visions schools, we opened the Bronx School for Law, Government, and Justice. The school that uniquely sits on a court campus, creating an opportunity for young people. And this was our vision from the beginning, to create the opportunity for young people to learn the inner workings of the court system by being a part of it, but not going through it. And I can tell you that's what we talked about is young people. And so, I look forward to doing that.
And then I just had the opportunity to be a school founder, a teacher and assistant principal, and a principal, and then Chancellor Farina tapped me to become superintendent, and then my dear, great friend and colleague, Chancellor Carranza tapped me to be executive superintendent. And now our Mayor has tapped me to be Chancellor. And so, I am so honored, and this is the great privilege of my life in this – at this moment. You know, as I transitioned as a leader in District 11, the greatest honor that was bestowed upon me was when one of my principals, Principal Erica Tobia, who is now Superintendent Tobia, looked at me and said, ‘what I appreciate about you is that you remember what it was to be a principal.’ And that's what I promise to do to never forget what it meant to be in a classroom with students and planning lessons and thinking about what was important for them. And especially in this moment for teachers who are grappling with remote classes and in-person classes. I promise to never forget that. For school leaders who are managing so many multiple asks, but centering children first. I'll never forget that. And to our district leaders who are ensuring that supports and resources are being poured to schools every day, I will never forget. And that's what this moment is about. And at the end of that day – at the end of the day, it's about the tireless dedication we have to every student, every step of the way, it's about early mornings and late nights doing all the work, you'll never see – that no one will ever see you do so that we can show up so that we can create opportunities at school for students to learn each and every day.
But more than anything, it's the endless joy that we saw yesterday in the Bronx when we greeted students at Principal Joe Biernat's school, Leaders of Tomorrow. And they told the Mayor and the Chancellor and I, how excited they were to be back to school, not just because they were in school, but because they wanted to connect with their teachers, they wanted to connect with each other. And that was what – that's what makes this moment so important to me. Primarily, as Chancellor, my job will be to remove the barriers, to direct resources where they're needed most, and communicate clearly around our shared goals and commitments at every school, in every neighborhood, in every single borough. I'm ready to hit the ground running and leave New York City schools to full recovery. It won't be easy, but clearly, I've never done anything easy. But we've come so far since March and Chancellor Carranza and the Mayor have laid an incredible foundation. And the cabinet, at the central office, are ready and raring to go.
I pledge to our students, to young people, I'm indebted to you as a leader, as a teacher, as a principal. And I promise we'll do everything to reopen schools, starting with high schools, we're ready to go. We'll expand the learning opportunities and do more to address trauma and academic needs, because we know that that is very real. And we just heard the heart of our Chancellor as he grapples with his own trauma, because we know it's a real and important thing for us to address. To our families, we'll improve communication and build up trust. I've heard you, I've been in town halls and conferences and Zooms and Zooms and Teams. We will continue to build on investments we've made in your children, our children, because every child deserves a rigorous, high-quality education where they see themselves in the curriculum every single day. And to our staff, to our teachers, our principals, our school aides, our paraprofessionals, our guidance counselors, our kitchen staff, our custodians who've made our buildings shine, our school safety officers who've been at the front lines greeting folks every single day, to every single person who works at the New York City Department of Education, we will listen closely so that we can do the work where we need to do. And that's in our school buildings, in our classrooms with our students. We’re going to build-up communities together. And we're going to bring people together to serve students. And to our many, many advocates and community leaders, because what I've said over and over again, this moment is not about what the school system will do alone, but it's about what New York City we'll do together to invest in our children. And so, to our many advocates and community leaders we will partner with you to keep making New York City a better place for all children. I'm ready to get to work. I am so honored, so honored, to serve in this role, and I understand greatly what it means for it to be me. And to all the little girls out there, I'm saving a seat for you. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Thank you, Chancellor Carranza. Chancellor, hasta luego. We are joined at the heart and at the hip. Mr. Mayor, let's go. Let's do this. I'm ready.
Mayor: Amen. Amen. Thank you so much, Meisha. And congratulations to you and congratulations to your whole family, including – I didn't know that it was your aunt who was your teacher, too, and your mom, obviously, was your teacher. And they should be very proud of this moment of what they nurtured and fostered in you. But again, this is a New York City success story. New York City public schools have produced our new Chancellor. The people of the Bronx, I know there's particular pride in the Bronx when one of their own moves up to the highest level. So, it is a great day for the Bronx as well. But thank you. I can hear the energy you're ready to bring to this right now, right now. And we're going to need every ounce of it as we continue to bring back our schools.
I'm going to say it, and I keep saying it – supply, supply, supply. This is what we need. I'm talking to folks in the White House regularly. Our team is constantly talking at the federal level, state level. We're working with colleagues in the Congress to get us more supply. And look, again, even though we have not had the supply we deserve and need, we keep making progress. As of today, from day one, 1,675,556 vaccinations in New York City. That is a very good thing, but we can be doing so much more. Yesterday we set a record, and this is encouraging because it's a sign of what could be, if we were given the supply – 61,971 vaccinations just yesterday. Do the math. I keep saying we could be at half-a-million or more than half-a-million per week if we had the supply. Here's further evidence. We keep building up and building up, let's get the supply we deserve so we can really move this forward and bring this city back strong. Five million people, five million New Yorkers need to be fully vaccinated by June. That's our goal and we can make that goal happen.
One of the things that we're seeing, which is particularly troubling, is as we're finally starting to turn the corner, we're seeing an uptick in hatred directed at Asian-American New Yorkers, and this is thoroughly unacceptable, and we will not stand for it. We will fight it. A few days ago, I gathered some leaders of the Asian communities of this city, including Congressmember Grace Meng, and the head of the Asian American Federation, Jo-Ann Yoo. And we spoke about hate crimes. We spoke about discrimination, how to fight it in this city. We need everyone to be a part of this, and I know the vast majority of New Yorkers will join us. But even as we're sounding the alarm and calling for people to band together to stop hate, we had a horrible incident yesterday, a horrible act of violence against an Asian-American man out of nowhere, just pure hatred. The suspect has been apprehended, but we're hoping and praying for this man as he fights for his life. What an injustice on every level. This community has been through so much and suffered so much discrimination during the COVID era, continue to see these acts of justice. So, we need to stand up together. We have to stop Asian hate. Tomorrow at one o'clock a Federal Plaza, there's a rally. I'll be there. And I'm encouraging all New Yorkers who can, to support this effort in any and every way, because we have to stop Asian hate. We have to stop these attacks on a community that is part of the heart and soul of New York City. So, please everyone let's stand together. That's what will move us forward.
Okay, let me do the indicators for the day. Number one, daily number of people admitted to New York City hospitals for suspected COVID-19, today's report 280 patients. 63 percent confirmed positivity level, hospitalization rate 4.14 per 100,000. Number two, new reported cases on a seven-day average, today’s report 3,183 cases. Number three, percentage of people testing positive citywide for COVID-19, today's report seven-day rolling average, 6.86 percent.
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