Public Comment 

Questions submitted by Anne M. LaValle 2/5/22

Who in the District made the official decision to implement mandatory, universal masking for students, teachers, staff and visitors to WCSD Buildings?

On what date?

By what authority?

According what specific criteria?

(Please note the question refers to “specific criteria”; not vague and ever changing “guidance”.)

Please respond to each question individually; ie, please do not substitute criteria for authority as they are distinct components of the decision making process.

Is the requirement a mandate?

A policy?

A contract/ESSER grant condition?

Did the Board of Education formally vote to adopt the requirement? 

On what date?

What are the enforcement criteria and consequences for non-compliance?

By whom were they determined and where are they detailed?

Is the Board President privately soliciting individual Board Member opinions on mask-wearing either on his own behalf or on behalf of the Superintendent in violation of; or in order to avoid Open Meetings Law and requirements that the public is aware of such decision-making processes?

Did the District and or the Board of Education implement universal mask-wearing in compliance with the District’s Reopening Plan as approved by NYSED and as a condition for receiving American Rescue Plan - Elementary and Secondary Schools Emergency Relief Funds (ARP -ESSER Funds); and in accordance with Commissioner Rosa’s statement in the attached image?

I am formally requesting that these questions be answered publicly at the next Board of Education meeting scheduled for February 28, 2022, or sooner, and on the District Website and that all associated internal correspondence regarding the decision to adopt universal masking requirements for students, teachers, and staff be made available for public viewing ASAP.

Response:  

In 2020, NYSED required that the District draft and publish a Reopening Plan for the 2020-2021 school year and required that the District involve a number of stakeholders in the school community in this process. Based on that input, the District finalized and shared its 2020-2021 Reopening Plan in August 2020. The minutes of the August 19, 2020 meeting where the Board ratified the Reopening Plan are available for your reference Click here for 8/19/2020 Board Minutes.  

For the 2021-22 school year, NYSED still requires that districts maintain a Reopening Plan outlining COVID protocols. Some revisions were made to the plan to reflect the guidance at the time, and the revised plan was published on August 17, 2021. That Reopening Plan remains in effect at this time.

The Reopening Plan is on our homepage and can be found here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vRZ7VSP_olnf5TXTxrwMNy5ySfFazDOxsYUL3zrpEqOs_wydkcWchkRU0Po-90W87xryfhHtCujbhag/pub. 

Thank you for your submission.