Mad or nah? N.I.C.E. Stories

‘Mad or Nah?’: Philly residents react to school district’s reopening and ventilation plan

Tamara Russell

February 3, 2021

FILE - In this Sept. 29, 2020, file photo, school staff greet students as they arrive for In-person classes outside Public School 188 The Island School in the Manhattan borough of New York. President Joe Biden says he wants most schools serving kindergarten through eighth grade to reopen by late April 2021. But even if that happens, many schools in urban areas that serve high concentrations of minority students are likely to stay closed. (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File)

In less than a month, the School District of Philadelphia will attempt to reopen its school buildings for in-person learning to K-2 students. The Philadelphia Federation of Teachers has publicly objected to this plan and has stated they want teachers and school staff to be vaccinated before returning back-to-school.

The conversation about back-to-school has intensified over the weekend after a picture of the district’s plan to increase ventilation — window fans attached to wood boards — went viral and drew mockery and concern.

Well folks, here are the “high-tech, mechanical window devices” (aka, FANS) that @SDPHITE told the @PHLschoolboard were going to fix all the #PhlEd ventilation problems. They look like the kind available in any hardware store. @APPSphilly @ParentsUnitePHL pic.twitter.com/Rrkb8P4S2y

— RacialJusticePhilly (@Philly_RJ) January 29, 2021

Tamara Russell, aka Revive P.O.C., talked with a handful of locals about the district’s reopening and ventilation plan and whether window fans are enough.

Part of the series

Mad or nah?

‘Mad or Nah?’ is an original woman-on-the-street interview series from Revive Radio that asks Philadelphians about issues impacting their everyday life.

View the series