It seems proof of vaccination for SD72 employees isn’t on the syllabus.
The Campbell River School District has decided against mandating COVID-19 vaccines for staff. The decision was made during a special in-camera meeting on Monday, Nov. 8.
“Throughout the pandemic, our board has been committed to following the guidance and expertise of our health professionals and our decision today is based on the most current information provided by these experts,” said John Kerr, SD72 board chair.
On Oct. 22, B.C.’s Education Ministry shared new guidelines to support K-12 boards considering staff vaccine requirements. But at the end of the day, it said trustees can make decisions around policies that work best for their communities.
That said, the school board is pointing to information provided by the North Island Medical Health Officer, showing that communities served by the school district have high vaccination rates that continue to rise daily.
In fact, it finds over 88 per cent of those eligible already have received one dose, with 83 per cent now fully vaccinated.
“And while a vaccine mandate for K-12 staff is one of many interventions available, health officials advised it would have a limited impact on transmission rates because of the already high community vaccination rate, adherence to public health measures, and the fact that schools are not a primary source of COVID-19 cases within the community,” SD72 states in a news release.
As well, it says it considered how a vaccine mandate could impact the delivery of education and education programs.
The school board also reviewed the K-12 Sector Guidelines for Vaccination Policies developed by the Ministry of Education, BC Public School Employers’ Association and the provincial advisory group.
“We have a responsibility to keep schools open while providing a safe learning environment. Public health has assured us that our schools continue to be low-risk settings and we do not need 100 per cent vaccination rates for safe operation; as evidenced by the fact that since March 2020, the district has had COVID exposure notices but no known cases of in-school transmission,” SD72 added.
“While we are not mandating staff vaccination at this time, our board continues to encourage all who are eligible to get vaccinated and supports Island Health’s vaccination efforts.”
NEWS: Campbell River School District will not mandate COVID-19 vaccination for staff https://t.co/DDwaspjBv0
— School District 72 (@CRSD72) November 9, 2021
