Teachers Want to Be Vaccinated Before Schools are Allowed to Reopen
MARCUS PARTIDA (Staff Writer)
California Governor Newsom believes schools can open without all teachers having the vaccine, but educators are pushing back in hopes of prioritizing the health of the staff and students. According to the LAist, local teacher’s unions including the Alhambra Teachers Association (ATA) want the Governor to focus on keeping the students and staff safe rather than focusing on returning kids to school. They believe that the state is not doing enough to prioritize health.
“It is important for teachers to get vaccinated before going back to the classroom,” English teacher Melissa Fu said. “This is not just for the health and safety of the teachers but also for the well-being of the students and their families.”
Newsom says his push to reopen schools, even if not all teachers are vaccinated, is because he worries about the students’ well-being at home. Many others agree and believe that the best option is to get schools open as soon as possible. To take care of the health issues, Newsom wants schools to follow safety guidelines and get some of the teachers vaccinated.
“I would feel safe if there were extra precautions taken,” sophomore Isabella Zeller said. “I do think we should return to school as soon as it is safe. Students need social interactions with other people their age.”
Some teachers argue that following the health regulations set by the state would be difficult, especially with the younger grades. Therefore, they think it is best to get all teachers vaccinated before reopening. The LAist also reports that these teachers think it would be “irresponsible” to reopen without getting the teachers vaccinated.
“We want our kids back in school, but we also want to make sure that our teachers are vaccinated,” ATA President Tammy Scorcia said.
Teachers also worry about their own safety, as students and other teachers can contaminate them, too. If schools were to reopen before the teachers were vaccinated, those who do not have the vaccine could be at a major health risk.
“I would not feel safe if schools were to reopen before all teachers were vaccinated,” chemistry teacher Antonio Kim said. “I would, however, still go into work if the state mandates that schools reopen.”
AUSD has not set an exact date for the return to in-person schooling. In the mean time, the district is asking parents to complete a re-opening survey (available on the district website) by Mar. 4.