Parents Allege Some Staten Island Students Tested For COVID-19 Without Their Consent

The parents of some school students in Staten Island alleged the New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE) randomly tested their children for COVID-19 without acquiring parental consent.

Mike Reilly, New York State Assembly member who represents the South Shore of Staten Island, said last week several parents informed him about the actions of the NYCDOE.

"Earlier this afternoon, I shared preliminary information pertaining to several incidents where New York City public school students were tested for #COVID-19 by the New York City Department of Education despite not having consent from the student’s parent or guardian," Reilly wrote in a Facebook post. "I am aware that the Office of the Special Commissioner of Investigation is looking into the matter, but that doesn’t mean we can’t demand greater accountability going forward."

Reilly said he sent a letter to the Department of Education Chancellor Richard Carranza demanding parents receive a better explanation regarding the same. In the letter, he also said the NYCDOE should explain to the parents the procedure their medical staff followed when it came to selecting students for tests.

"I know many of you are frustrated and worried about this and so many other issues that are affecting the New York City public school system this year," the post read. "As the parents of two public school students, my wife and I are in the same boat as many of you. Chancellor Carranza is also a parent. I hope that, after he reads this letter, he will begin to see these issues through the lens of a public school parent — until then, nothing will get better."

The NYCDOE issued a statement in response. "This should have never happened and we are adjusting our protocols to ensure it does not happen again," Nathaniel Styer, a spokesperson for the NYCDOE, told WABC-TV. "For example, we are taking additional steps to make sure staff are using the most up-to-date consent lists during random testing, which is a critical part of keeping in-person learning safe and healthy for students and staff."

The NYCDOE said consent forms were sent to parents. However, it added, only 72,000 or 20% of the total forms were returned.

One parent told the station her parental rights were violated after the school district tested her daughter for the coronavirus without seeking her approval. "I didn't agree to anything," the unidentified mother said. "I didn't consent to anything, so it that sense I feel like my parental rights were violated."

Hundreds of thousands of students returned to their in-person classes as their schools reopened between late September and early October, with experts weighing in on the possibility of the educational facilities becoming super-spreader sites for the coronavirus. Experts are looking forward to ramping up efforts to keep the schools from significantly contributing to the further spread of COVID-19.

New York City has reported at least 259,484 coronavirus cases as of Tuesday with 23,994 deaths, according to the New York Times database.