Albany, N.Y. Aug. 24, 2021 — New York State United Teachers President Andy Pallotta issued the following statement today on Gov. Kathy Hochul’s announcement of new state universal masking and vaccination policies for schools:
“Gov. Kathy Hochul brings a breath of fresh air to Albany, and she already is taking decisive action to bolster health and safety in our schools. We support universal mask wearing as part of a layered mitigation strategy that also includes robust COVID testing, contract tracing, proper ventilation and other strategies recommended by public health experts. We also support the governor’s move to require regular COVID testing for school staff who are not yet vaccinated. It’s critical that educators continue to have a voice in the implementation of vaccine requirements and other COVID policies at the local level.”
