With schools finishing out the academic year by way of remote learning, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced New York state is collaborating with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation on a plan to take advantage of technology to reimagine education.

“The old model of everybody goes and sits in the classroom and the teacher is in front of that classroom and teaches that class and you do that all across the city, all across the state, all these buildings, all these physical classrooms. Why, with all the technology you have?” Cuomo said.

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Critics wary of Gates’ influence over national education policy quickly pushed back with a letter urging Cuomo to abandon the plan.

“Since the schools were shut down in mid-March, our understanding of the profound deficiencies of screen-based instruction has only grown,” said the letter signed by three organizations: the New York State Allies for Public Education, Class Size Matters and the Parent Coalition for Student Privacy.

New York State United Teachers union President Andy Pallotta said remote learning will never replace connections built in classrooms between teachers and their students.

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