County Superintendent of Schools Patricia Gunderson announced on November 15th, that the Lassen County Board of Education has passed a resolution requesting that the Covid-19 Vaccine for students and staff not be required. Here is the text of that resolution, which was forwarded to the state level.
“Resolution Calling for State Officials to Not Require the COVID-19 Vaccine for Students and Staff
“WHEREAS, California Governor Gavin Newsom announced October 1, 2021, that California would be the first state in the nation to require all students to be vaccinated; and
“WHEREAS, Governor Newsom’s announcement stated students will be required to be vaccinated, or complete an approved exemption form for in-person learning, starting the term following FDA full approval of the vaccine for their grade span (7-12 and K-6); and
“WHEREAS, Governor Newsom is directing the California Department of Public Health to add the COVID-19 vaccine to other vaccinations required for in-person school attendance; and WHEREAS, COVID-19 vaccine requirements will apply to all “pupil(s) of any private or public elementary or secondary school(s)” (HSC section 120335(b)); and
“WHEREAS, this mandate will be a condition of in-person attendance (HSC section 12033(f)), and any student who is not vaccinated, or does not complete an approved exemption form, may remain enrolled in independent study but may not attend in-person instruction; and
“WHEREAS, Governor Newsom has directed adults be held to the same standards as students for the COVID-19 vaccine; and
“WHEREAS, Governor Newsom ‘s announcement states that the current verify-or-test requirement for staff will be converted to a vaccine mandate no later than when the first phase of the student requirement becomes effective; and
“WHEREAS, the Lassen County Office of Education and Lassen County Board of Education support local control and decision-making; and
“WHEREAS, the Lassen County Office of Education has operated in-person learning safely since reopening in August 2020 with limited vaccine availability for children and no vaccine mandate; and
“WHEREAS, Lassen County parents and community members have expressed concern regarding the lack of parental and personal choice, along with the lack of research on long-term impacts on children for the COVID-19 vaccine.
“NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Lassen County Board of Education asks that the State of California legislature uphold the constitutionally-guaranteed right to provide informed consent before proceeding with any medical procedure of residents of the State of California for themselves and their children, as well as to allow for parents, students, and staff to have choice in the matter by recommending and not requiring the COVID-19 vaccine for students and staff of TK-12 grade Local Education Agencies.
“BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Lassen County Board of Education will petition the State of California that the COVID-19 Vaccine be a recommendation and not a requirement for students and staff. This Resolution will be shared with the offices of California Assembly Member Dahle, California State Senator Dahle, Governor Newsom, the Lassen County Department of Public Health, and the California Department of Public Health.”
