Franklin Square/Elmont Herald 02-03-2022

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HERALD

DEADLINE MARCH 1ST

Students learn about weather

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Vol. 24 No. 6

18/21 itc FG Demi Condensed

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A H.S. elective all about Africa At Elmont Memorial, students explore continent’s diaspora and its influence around the world

school. The districtwide elective was first offered during the 2020-21 The history of African school year, when it was taught empires that thrived between the virtually because of the pandem14th and 19th centuries, African ic. culture and its diffusion with Nuara said that students who European and sign up for the Asian culture, and class are often the contributions eager to discover of Black Ameriwhat it focuses on. cans to U.S. society “A lot of students are the topics of a don’t know what to course offered at expect when signElmont Memorial ing up for it,” he High School that said, “and throughkAREEm AGoRo focuses on the Afriout the course they can diaspora, or the Teacher, Elmont really get an inmass movement of Memorial High School depth understandAfricans throughing of African culout the world. ture, which they During the first half of a like.” Nuara said that the class is semester when the class is popular among students, which offered, it focuses on the develop- has become more evident recentment of Africa and the culture ly with the return to in-person of African empires of the past, classes. “Having the students as well as how African culture back in the building, you really has spread throughout the world see the enjoyment level of being through trade, migration and, of in that course,” he said. course, slavery, eventually comThe district began creating bining with other cultures. Later the class before the social justice in the semester, African-Ameri- movement sparked by the killing can culture, and how Black of George Floyd in May 2020, Americans “have added to Amer- Nuara explained, because it ican society,” become the focal wanted to offer a course about point of the class, said Frank the overall history of Africa. Nuara, chair of the social studies department at the high Continued on page 3

By RoBERt tRAVERSo rtraverso@liherald.com

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Courtesy Franklin Square Union Free School District

thE FRANkliN SqUARE School District issued a statement on Jan. 25 that mask wearing was not required that day.

Parents debate effect of masks Ruling left many ‘unclear’ on mandate status By RoBERt tRAVERSo rtraverso@liherald.com

After growing accustomed to the statewide school mask mandate for nearly five months, students at schools in Elmont and Franklin Square, along with their parents, were confused about whether mask wearing remained mandatory on Jan. 25, the day after a State Supreme Court judge struck down Gov. Kathy Hochul’s mask mandate for state schools. Although an appeals court judge suspended the lower court’s ruling nullifying the mask mandate, whether mask

wearing was still required in l o c a l s ch o o l s re m a i n e d unclear to many parents and students, and some continued to debate the effectiveness of masking in schools. “I’m sure that parents and educators are equally frustrated about the conflicting guidelines we continue to receive during the pandemic,” the Elmont School District said in a pop-up message posted to its website early Jan. 25, before the appellate court ruling kept the mandate in effect. The district said that mask wearing would remain mandatory in Elmont schools. “Until we can get clarification

from the State Education Department,” the message read, “the mask mandate remains in effect for the Elmont UFSD.” The Franklin Square district shared a statement with students’ parents early Jan. 25 that said it would cease enforcing the mask mandate in light of the Supreme Court judge’s ruling, which had not yet been suspended. The State Education Department issued a statement at the same time calling on schools to continue to follow the mandate. “Is it for schools? For the state? For Nassau County? It Continued on page 3

e forget about Africa’s impact.


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