School District No.57 (SD57)’s board of Education announced at its public board meeting Tuesday night (Oct. 26) that it will not yet be making a decision regarding a COVID-19 vaccination policy within schools.
Board Chair Sharel Warrington explained the board needs time to “go slow and get it right” before it can make any decisions.
On Oct. 8, the provincial government announced it would leave it up to B.C.’s 60 school boards and independent school authorities to decide whether to develop COVID-19 vaccine mandates as a condition of employment for teachers and other school staff as a workplace heath and safety measure.
Premier John Horgan said vaccine mandates should be a last resort for workers in B.C. schools and that local school board trustees know better than the government what’s best for their communities.
On Friday (Oct. 22) the provincial government released guidelines to help school boards make a decision regarding mandatory vaccinations for staff, which the SD57 board initially reviewed on Monday.
During the meeting, Warrington clarified that the board would not be using the word “mandates” but will be following the guidelines to develop a vaccine policy.
“What we have been tasked with is to look at those guidelines and ask how do they impact the health and safety of our students, how would any changed impact the health and safety of our employees, and we need to do that in a very thoughtful and a deep way,” said Warrington.
The provincial guidelines are designed to help school boards build a framework for developing vaccine policies. That starts with gathering data to determine the number of unvaccinated staff, either through voluntary self-disclosure or accessing public health data on vaccinated adults.
Trustees would also be required to seek legal advice and consider privacy issues and implications of Charter rights, human rights and employment and labour case laws.
“It is very important that we go slow and that we get it right and now we have been given a path forward from the Ministry,” said Warrington.
She said what the board wants to keep top of mind is that the decision is in relation to the health and safety of students and employees.
“Any impact on learning and working within our schools must be seriously considered before any policy decision is considered,” added Warrington.
Before any decisions are made, boards are also required to consult with employee groups, First Nations and Parent Advisory Committees, and other partner groups.
Boards would also have to give unvaccinated staff advanced warning of a vaccine policy before it takes effect and trustees would have to review operational plans to ensure any negative effects on student learning will be minimized.
“We need to be working with our partner groups in how we address any policy development that we have,” said Warrington.
“The most important thing is that we must continue to encourage all of our employees who can be vaccinated to be vaccinated. We know that vaccination is important. It is the most effective way to prevent serious illness.”
Warrington said no decision on policy can be made until these discussions can take place adding that the board will have to go carefully and diligently through the process.
“There is information out there that is leading people not to trust the science, not to trust what we need to know to make those good decisions so there’s an education piece that needs to be addressed as well.”
On Monday afternoon (Oct. 25), a group of about 150 people protested in front of the school board offices on Ferry Avenue, expressing concerns over a possible vaccine mandate in the district.
In-person public comment at the board meeting was closed due to provincial health orders, however, the board provided an opportunity for comment through written submissions.
“We do have a number of letters that were written to the board, and we all know the angst in the community around the vaccine mandate, and we all know there are a number of people who are extremely concerned about the board's actions and how we are going to proceed,” said Warrington.
She explained that because many of the letters received were in “the same vain” Secretary-Treasurer Darlene Patterson would read out one submission to the public.
“I strongly oppose the suggestion of vaccine mandates. There are many reasons why someone cannot or will not get vaccinated. I feel there is a growing hatred or division between unvaccinated and vaccinated folk and this division is servicing no one, not the children, not the vaccinated workers and not the unvaccinated workers. I know there is a lack of staffing all around and this will only make it worse. At schools we teach our children about discrimination and injustice please don’t go down the path of discrimination and injustice,” stated the letter writer.
“View your coworkers and employees as people trying to do the best for themselves and their families and not selfish, illiterate anti-vaxxers. I really do fear for the future if we allow government or employers to make such private and personal decisions where does this end? If we allow this precedent to go through what does this mean for the world our children will inherit. Please do not fire able and good members of SD57 because of private and healthcare decisions they are making.”
Warrington added that the board would be making every effort to respond to the submissions it’s received.
- with files from Ted Clarke, Prince George Citizen
