Students aren’t the only ones unhappy about New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s decision to resume in-person classes on Tuesday. Officials in Staten Island, which saw some of the highest snow totals in the city, bashed Mamdani’s announcement Monday afternoon to have the nation’s largest school district reopen fully. “Numerous roads are impassable, and people have to walk in the middle of the street because the sidewalks are completely blocked by at least two feet of snow,” Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella said in a statement. “Schools should absolutely remain closed tomorrow.” Storm Team 4 5 hours ago How much snow did we get? See the totals that fell near you Commuter Alert 5 hours ago Transit updates: Tuesday service plans for NYC subways, NJ Transit, LIRR, Metro-North Weather 12 hours ago Blizzard '26 among top 10 biggest snowstorms in Central Park history — could make top 5! The teacher’s union also advised its members to exercise caution navigating the Tuesday morning commute. “No one should jeopardize their safety trying to report to work,” the United Federation of Teachers wrote in a letter to its members Monday. “Make the decision that is best for you and your family tomorrow. Your safety comes first.” A spokesperson for the city’s Department of Sanitation told NBC New York that they had plowed “more than 99 percent” of all city roads at least once, and that they would continue their efforts to plow and salt roads repeatedly through the night in order to make them “passable and safe.” The spokesperson added that the department would be dedicating 65 additional snow removal pieces to Staten Island to assist with the cleanup there Staten Island Councilman Frank Morano said that he can “appreciate that commitment” from the DSNY, it still doesn’t change how people feel. “The calls coming into my office tell a clear story: parents and teachers are worried about how they are going to safely travel tomorrow morning,” said Morano. “Staten Island is not Manhattan. We are a car-dependent borough with hills, narrow residential streets, and long travel distances to schools. When streets are not fully cleared, safety becomes a serious concern.” Most suburban districts in the area announced a second day off for students. A Change.org petition had already collected more than 100,000 signatures by 6 p.m. calling on the city to pivot to remote learning for Tuesday instruction. ...read more read less