The Bedford Central School District Board of Education said it was informed by local police authorities and community members that large groups of Fox Lane High School students attended large gatherings this past weekend, without regard for social distancing, masks and "all of the health and safety measures we have all been asked to follow as we continue to combat the COVID-19 pandemic."
"To say that we are disappointed in those students who partook in these activities is an understatement," the board wrote in a statement posted on the district's website. "There is no justification for putting themselves and others at significant risk."
The local authorities provided the school board with the names of students they were able to identify as having participated in these gatherings this weekend.
"The district has shared the names with the Westchester County Department of Health," the board stated. "The WCDOH will be cross-referencing the list of those in attendance with those already quarantined last week."
The names of students identified as having been in attendance at the large gatherings, were shared with the Fox Lane High School administration, the school board said.
"We are authorizing the FLHS administration to place those students who attended these gatherings on remote learning," the board said.
The remote learning, which begins on Tuesday, Sept. 29, will continue for a minimum of 14 days, "meaning that no student on this list will be permitted to return to an in-person, hybrid schedule prior to Oct. 13," the board said.
Each student who is placed on remote learning must submit a letter of clearance from their health care provider or the WCDOH in order to return, the board stated.
"We recognize that we only have the names of those provided to us by local authorities," the board added. "If other students were present at these large gatherings or other events unaligned with COVID-19 protocols, we expect those students and families to do the right thing.
"That means self-identification to the FLHS administration to be included on the list of those placed on remote learning beginning Tuesday, Sept. 29 with the earliest date of return to hybrid, in-person learning being Oct. 13."
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