The impact of MORE’s current organizational strategies on the issue of school reopening and the demands they are based around have yet to be clearly determined as this is an ongoing issue; it will come down to members’ ability to organize and apply pressure to both the UFT and to New York City, as well as incorporate broad support from both parents and educators, to determine the outcomes of their mobilizing. That being said, MORE’s organization and its surrounding circumstances do have broader significance outside of New York City.

As one of the largest cities in the country, and with the largest public school system in the United States, New York City serves as a natural role model and precedent for the actions of large urban settings around the country seeking to deal with school reopening in the midst of Covid-19. If New York City is able to successfully reopen while dealing with the safety and health repercussions of Covid-19, it will send an implicit message to other large urban cities in support of whatever reopening strategies New York City employs in that success. Conversely, if New York City is unsuccessful in its reopening, other cities will be able to learn from its mistakes and either improve upon its methods or take them as a warning to keep their school systems closed until proper safety protocols, sufficient school resources, and vaccines are widely and equitably available. MORE, as the social justice caucus of the largest local teachers union affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers, likewise has potential to serve as a model for other grassroots organizations in major cities and around the country that are seeking to prioritize safety, equity, and racial justice in the conversation around school reopening. With the release of the new Covid-19 vaccines, the progression of these next few months will be pivotal.