Smullen Statement on Mask Mandate Extension

“For the governor to continue forcing school children to comply with an unconstitutional mask mandate is irresponsible. These misguided mask policies were designed during a pandemic and applied to the state in a one-size-fits-all fashion.This type of New York City-driven policy should not be blindly applied to the rest of New York State. After two years on the front lines fighting this virus, our school districts and local departments of health know what is best for their people.These mandates are hurting our kids’ academic performance and are taking the joy out of learning as we transition to an endemic that we have to learn to live with.Our children have suffered enough, and it is unthinkable that New York will be the only state to continue inflicting this trauma onto them.”