March 18, 2022
The Honorable Governor Kathy Hochul
Governor of New York State
New York State Capitol Building
Albany, NY 12224
Dear Governor Hochul,
As Board of Education members and elected officials in the North Babylon Union Free School
District, we are excited about the most recent changes in regulations regarding COVID
protocols in schools that you released on March 2, 2022. Today, we are writing to you to ask
that you reconsider the mandatory surveillance testing of unvaccinated staff members in
schools. As we move to a less restrictive school environment due to low infection rates and
increasing vaccination rates, we now allow visitors in our buildings to provide programs for
our students and staff as well as parents to participate in their childrens’ education. As we do
not have the right to ask about their vaccination status, we in fact, may be allowing
unvaccinated, untested individuals into our school buildings creating a disconnect between the
regulation and its intention of creating a healthy and safe environment for our students. To
continue our positive path back from the pandemic, we have supplied our staff with home
tests, provided health and safety protocols regarding their use, and have written protocols
regarding how to respond to possible COVID exposure and illness. We believe these protocols,
along with dropping infection rates, have given us the opportunity to create a very positive
learning environment for our students. It is now time that we request that you end
surveillance testing as it is out of line with current guidelines and regulations as well as
creates a divide among our staff that is unnecessary. Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
North Babylon Board of Education
Mr. Matthew Lucchetti -President
Mr. Jeffrey Myers Vice President
Ms. Heather Rowland- Trustee
Mr. Robert Scheid- Trustee
Ms. Keisha Rivers - Trustee
Mr. Daniel Caroleo - Trustee
Ms. Theresa Callahan-Caroleo- Trustee
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