keeping the public schools open today despite near blizzard conditions in parts of the city. deborah feyerick is working this part of the story. what are people sayi ining aboue new mayor of new york? >> reporter: a lot of people not happy. it is raining right now. this is a part of the complication of getting around the city. the schools were opened. but as of 4:00 today there was only 45% attendance. that's still half a million kids but that doesn't deny the fact that majority of parents kept their kids home today. with snow and rain making driving and walking challenging, new york city mayor bill de blasio defended his controversial choice to keep open the city's nearly 1500 public schools. >> you think of 1.1 million kid, so many people depend on the schools as a place for their kids to be during the day, a safe place, a place where they're not only taught but they get nutrition and they're safe from the elements. so many families have to go to