Nanaimo Ladysmith Public Schools is in the process of developing a procedure to mandate its employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
According to a press release, the school district held a special meeting Thursday, Jan. 20, when the school board decided on implementing B次元官网网址渁 vaccine mandate to help protect the health and safety of both students and staff,B次元官网网址� with SD68 staff directed to create applicable guidelines.
The administrative procedure B次元官网网址渨ill be consistent with the K-12 Sector Guidelines for Vaccination Policies and the B.C. Public School EmployersB次元官网网址� Association Template Operations Procedure,B次元官网网址� said the press release, and related unions and joint health and safety committees, First Nations, community partners and parents will be consulted.
The procedures will ensure the district is able to accommodate people with medical exemptions, under both B.C.B次元官网网址檚 human rights code and CanadaB次元官网网址檚 charter of rights of freedoms.
Charlene McKay, school board chairperson, said the decision was influenced by information from the B.C. Public School EmployersB次元官网网址� Association.
B次元官网网址淲hen those documents came in right before winter break, itB次元官网网址檚 a significant amount of information,B次元官网网址� said McKay. B次元官网网址淪o we took a look, we went through everything B次元官网网址� [had] several discussions, considered the internal surveys that we had done before and then decided to move forward with a procedure for vaccines.B次元官网网址�
The district noted that it plans to implement a procedure and communication plan as soon as possible. Scott Saywell, district superintendent and CEO, is anticipated to have the procedure complete B次元官网网址渨ithin the next few daysB次元官网网址� and the implementation process takes six weeks, McKay said.
B次元官网网址淔ollowing that, we have to be looking at the vaccination status collection of our employees, which is something that weB次元官网网址檒l do ensuring we maintain privacy,B次元官网网址� said McKay. B次元官网网址淎 testing regime would begin following that six-week period. Anybody thatB次元官网网址檚 unvaccinated would undergo testing twice a week B次元官网网址� Essentially itB次元官网网址檚 looking like right after spring break, weB次元官网网址檒l have everything in place and ready to go.B次元官网网址�
Jeremy Inscho, Nanaimo-Ladysmith teachersB次元官网网址� union president, wondered about the value of the mandate. There is an agreement with the B.C. TeachersB次元官网网址� Federation and BCPSEA that if any district implements a vaccine mandate, teachers can get vaccinated and share their status, take unpaid leave or submit to regular testing at no cost, he said.
B次元官网网址淓veryone who can get vaccinated, should,B次元官网网址� said Inscho. B次元官网网址淲e know there are some people who canB次元官网网址檛 and thatB次元官网网址檚 OK and we can work around that and thereB次元官网网址檚 some people who wonB次元官网网址檛 and it turns out that the work-around for those who canB次元官网网址檛 is the same for those who wonB次元官网网址檛, so IB次元官网网址檓 not sure that bringing a mandate will really encourage a lot more people B次元官网网址� to get vaccinated.B次元官网网址�
Jeff Virtanen, president of CUPE Local 606 education support workersB次元官网网址� union, said heB次元官网网址檚 happy there will be consultation with the school district.
B次元官网网址淎t the end of the day we donB次元官网网址檛 want anybody to get fired for not being vaccinated B次元官网网址� Whether the unvaccinated have to go through testing, get remote work or whether they take a leave, thatB次元官网网址檚 what I want to see,B次元官网网址� said Virtanen. B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 want to see us stray to far from what seems to be working at this point, but as you know with Omicron, everything seems to be changing so fast.B次元官网网址�
McKay said the district is prepared for backlash that may come from the decision.
B次元官网网址淚 think itB次元官网网址檚 important to really highlight the fact that this is just about our employees,B次元官网网址� said McKay. B次元官网网址淚t doesnB次元官网网址檛 have any impacts on students. We firmly believe that everybodyB次元官网网址檚 entitled to their opinion, but this is the next step that we believe we need to take.B次元官网网址�
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