September 15, 2021
Dear BKW families:
Apparently, there has been some confusion over the role of the School Resource Officer regarding the implementation of the mask mandate for schools issued by the NYS Department of Health on August 27.
To be clear, the District must comply with the mandate. Students, staff, and visitors to the buildings have been cooperating, which is greatly appreciated. The School Resource Officer does not have a role in the implementation or enforcement of the mask mandate. School policies are the school’s responsibility to enforce, including the mask mandate. The SRO will not arrest students for not wearing a mask in school. The role of the SRO in our district is to help to keep our students safe, support students, and to present a positive role model to students.
As students seek to figure out the complex world around them, it is easy to understand how they may misinterpret the role of the SRO in a school setting and the differences between the role of the school and the law enforcement agency in handling mandates versus laws. To reiterate, the SRO will not play a law enforcement role in the mask mandate.
Thank you for your ongoing support.
Sincerely,
Timothy Mundell, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools