Buffalo, NY (WBEN) In less than a month students, teachers and staff will be headed back to school buildings and classrooms across New York State amidst updated and still to be finalized COVID precaution plans.
One local teachers union head says he agrees with the state education department's recommendations as the school year begins in a few weeks. He says masking in school is a good idea.
West Seneca Teachers Association President Joe Cantafio says he's happy Education Commissioner Betty Rosa stepped up. "We want to have our kids in schools every day, and we want it to be safe. The state can't just back away and not give guidance, and I'm happy the state tried to give us a road map," says Cantafio.
He believes the state is going by the science and the CDC guidelines. He adds New York has an advantage. "Because we go into school later than in other parts of the country, and some of the private businesses that have started to put different mitigation strategies in place, we have the benefit of learning from them in seeing what works and what doesn't," says Cantafio.
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Cantafio says he's comfortable with the recommendation of masks in schools for everyone. "Last year, when the students were told to wear the masks, they were cooperative. They just wanted to be in school. We want to be in school, and I think masking has proven to be one of the ways we know we can get kids back in school every day," says Cantafio. "It's a simple thing we can control, so if that's what it takes to get our kids back in school, not just for the social, emotional and educational reasons for our students, but for our families to return to work and normalcy."
Cantafio says he's seen the success with masks required in schools in other parts of the country. He also notes children under 12 are still not eligible to get the vaccine.