No COVID Vaccine – No In-person Classes At UB

The summer of 2021 is more than halfway over and as we all celebrate the fun things and events around Western New York the upcoming school year is looming. Anxieties are high as we wait to see exactly what will happen for most children and faculty and staff at schools around Buffalo and Western New York. But at least one college in Buffalo will require vaccines for those who will attend classes in person in the upcoming semester.

We already know that the University at Buffalo and most SUNY schools will require masks at any event indoors and large gatherings on their campuses. It was announced earlier this week that any student who intends to participate in-person learning at the University at Buffalo will need to have a vaccine against COVID-19.

According to a post on the University at Buffalo website pertaining to COVID-19 here is what they are saying.

Students who do not meet the vaccine requirement by the deadlines will be immediately resigned from all courses with an in-person instructional component and will be assigned a grade of "R" for those courses. Students are financially liable for all courses unless they have dropped or resigned by published deadlines.

We are ready for the upcoming school year and had purchased multiple masks for our kids. We have one attending a nursery school and another attending kindergarten this fall and they will require our kids to wear masks when they attend in person learning this fall.

When we purchased our masks this past week, a stranger gave us a bit of unwanted knowledge and their opinion about masks and kids in school. While I understand this is a hot topic for many people, it is the schools decision and the districts decision to require masks and if our kids are going to attend, we also need to adhere to their policy.

There is a push to unmask kids at school but it seems as though that is falling on some deaf ears as we approach September. The hardest part is getting the little kids to keep their masks on properly. However our oldest son seems to be comfortable with his mask and actually it is weird for him when he does not have to wear one to school.

The Erie County Fair is halfway through and once it is over that pretty much signals the end of summer and the beginning of what will be a chaotic fall and school year here in Western New York.