Brooklyn 7th Grader Challenges DOE Scheduling Plan
A 12-year-old Brooklyn student, Isaac Regnier, is spearheading a campaign to urge the New York City Department of Education (DOE) to drop a contentious scheduling plan that mandates a one-day school week before the Christmas break.
Online petition garners support
Isaac, a seventh-grader at IS 96 in Bensonhurst, launched an online petition two weeks ago that has already amassed over 6,400 signatures. The petition calls on Chancellor David Banks to “Fix the NYC Schools Calendar” by canceling classes on Monday, Dec. 23, and extending the academic year by one day to Friday, June 27.
Isaac’s proposal and concerns
Isaac’s petition argues that the one-day school week is impractical, predicting low attendance on Dec. 23 as many families will start their winter vacations early. He is also worried that the lack of students and teachers will disrupt classroom learning and annual holiday parties.
Isaac initially tried to address the issue directly with Mayor Eric Adams and Chancellor David Banks, but received no response. Undeterred, he enlisted the help of his family and created the online petition. His father, Michael Regnier, expressed pride in Isaac’s initiative and hopes for its success.
Legal and historical context
Isaac proposed to add an extra day at the end of the school year to ensure NYC schools meet the 180-day requirement under New York law, avoiding the risk of losing state funding. A similar scheduling issue occurred in 2019, when city school teachers successfully petitioned to keep schools closed on Dec. 23.
Bronx high school teacher Carl Abend plans to sign the petition, predicting that keeping schools open on Dec. 23 will be problematic as many teachers will take vacation days. Councilman Justin Brannan, a former DOE director, also supports Isaac’s proposal, advocating for common sense in scheduling decisions.
DOE response
City Hall spokesperson Amaris Cockfield praised Isaac for his civic engagement, but encouraged all students to attend school on Dec. 23. The DOE has yet to make a final decision on the matter.