By Jackson Wedel, Staff Writer
On October 12 the Sacramento City Unified School District officially passed a resolution requiring all staff members and students over 12 years old in the district to get the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine by November 30. According to the district’s official press release, the decision was made primarily to “best ensure the health and safety of all students, staff, and community”.
Students and faculty members who are not fully vaccinated by that date because of medical exemptions must submit to “regular routine” COVID-19 testing at a rate subject to change based on current testing capabilities and public health guidelines. Meanwhile, those without valid exemptions must enroll in the district’s Independent Study program.
SCUSD Superintendent Jorge Aguilar defended the decision in a press release of his own. “For so many of our students, schools are a safe haven and I recognize that the Board’s consideration of this item is based on our collective commitment to meeting those student needs,” he asserted. “By considering a vaccination mandate for students, we are taking a bold stand to protect public health.”
However, Aguilar acknowledged that the resolution was flawed, most notably in its reliance on the Independent Study program. “A statewide staffing shortage has been exacerbated by the pandemic, and Sac City Unified, like most districts across the state, has been struggling to fill positions so we can meet current demand for Independent Study,” he observed. He feared that the vaccine mandate may drive students away from the district, saying “Families that refuse to get vaccinated may transfer to neighboring districts that do not yet have a vaccine mandate, and students may choose to pursue Independent Study in other districts that have been able to develop more robust remote learning opportunities.”
Despite his concern about its effects, Aguilar emphasized that the resolution would still bring about a positive impact on the SCUSD population. “If in the future we and others in our community look back at this moment and ask why we didn’t take steps to prevent the losses in enrollment, it’ll be because we took action to minimize the threat of COVID to our schools so that we could continue serving our students.”
This SCUSD vaccine mandate came just weeks after the California legislature announced its intention to make the COVID-19 vaccine mandatory for in-person learning as soon as the Food and Drug Administration approved the vaccine for middle schoolers and high schoolers. When he officially announced the plan, Governor Gavin Newsom commented, “Vaccines work. It’s why California leads the country in preventing school closures and has the lowest case rates. We encourage other states to follow our lead to keep our kids safe and prevent the spread of COVID-19.”
In response to both the SCUSD mandate and the state-wide proposal, a group of protestors gathered at the Capitol building on Tuesday, October 18. The protest, known as “Our Children, Our Choice!”, brought in over one thousand people.
The common sentiment during the protest was that it took away people’s right to choose whether or not to get vaccinated. “We both trust you to protect your children. We are here because you deserve that right. If you choose the vaccine, we stand with you. If you choose not to vaccinate, we stand with you,” asserted event organizer Tess Van Dusen in her speech at the Capitol protest, referring to herself and fellow organizer Amber Faddis.
Despite the protest, SCUSD has not changed its plans to mandate vaccines as of now.