STATEN ISLAND, NY – Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11) on April 4 led her local colleagues, including New York State Assemblyman Michael Tannousis, in calling on New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE) Chancellor David Banks to reverse the City’s vaccine mandate for NYC public school students in response to reports that NYC may reconsider its guidance. Currently, the City is requiring all public school students to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to attend prom or participate in extracurricular activities.

“As one of the most highly anticipated nights of students’ high school career, prom is a milestone event that students have been forced to miss for the past two years,” the lawmakers wrote. “We, as elected officials, urge you to re-evaluate your recent vaccine policy on public high school proms to reflect the easing of mask and vaccine mandates throughout our city at-large.”

Last week, New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced the city’s decision to roll back vaccine mandates for professional athletes and performers, but not for law enforcement or city employees. Malliotakis called this decision a “snub to the working class.”

The lawmakers added: “During a time when our city and our nation are proactively trying to return to normalcy, city officials cannot turn a blind eye towards our youth while picking and choosing who vaccine mandates apply to. If New Yorkers are allowed to eat at restaurants indoors, attend school, go to movie theatres, and work out at the gym without any proof of vaccination, public high school extracurricular activities should be open to all students, regardless of their vaccination status.”

A full copy of the letter is available online: https://adobe.ly/3JdGklZ.