Fellow BoE officers -
I'm the VP of the Lindenhurst BoE, on Long Island. We were made aware of some new restrictions the governor and SED placed on proms & graduations.
We're pretty reasonable, understand that restrictions are needed, but the ones proposed make no sense. I wrote a letter to the governor, legislators and SED, and all of our trustees signed it.
I'm curious what your thoughts are on this topic?
I've also included the text of it below.
4_30 Board of Education Writes Letter .pdf
Please let me know what you think or how you handle this issue!
Thanks!
Ed Langone
Lindenhurst Board advocates for relaxation in rules
related to end-of-year events
The members of the Lindenhurst Union Free School District’s Board of Education recently
penned a letter to state and local officials advocating for a relaxation in rules related to end-of-year
events such as prom and graduation. The letter was sent to Governor Andrew Cuomo, in addition to
the Commissioner of Education, the Board of Regents, the New York State and Suffolk County
Departments of Health, and local politicians including Assemblywoman Kimberly Jean Pierre and
Senators Phil Boyle and John Brooks.
All nine members of the Board signed the letter which states that while they believe that
“the health and welfare of our students, their families and the New York State population at large is
of utmost importance,” they feel that the requirements to attend prom and graduation go too far.
Requirements include all attendees to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test within three days
of the event (six hours if a rapid test is taken), proof of full vaccination status, or proof of a
previously confirmed positive case with a release from quarantine notice.
“This requirement is at best arbitrary, and at most needless, NOT benefiting the public
health, nor even sensible,” the Board’s letter reads.
To support the Board’s objection, the letter reads, “In our district, like many others in the
state, these students have been in classes, in the same physical building, buses, and even personal
vehicles, all along. They may play sports, which now, in the spring season, no longer require any
testing. The staff chaperoning them are the same staff who have been teaching them, coaching them
and advising them every single day since September. Many districts, including ours, conduct
outdoor graduations. The same conditions for prom will be in force unless you change them for
graduation.”
The members of the Lindenhurst Board expressed that they have carried out every
regulation to date that has been issued by state and local agencies. “As reasonable people, we
understand the measures taken in the past, and even recently,” the Board states. “We can see the
value in following them while trying to maintain a level of normalcy for our youth. However, these
latest measures go too far, and for arguably little to no additional value in protecting the health of
our communities.”
The letter concludes by urging officials to lift the mandates immediately as school districts
must plan for end-of-year events.
Trustee Ed Langone said, “We felt that enough was enough and our hope is that if others
agree, they will take the time to write their own messages or make their own phone calls to
advocate for their district’s students and hopefully inspire a change in this regulation.”
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