More than a dozen school districts in Los Angeles County are now considering mandatory COVID-19 vaccines for students.
Thirteen school districts, including Beverly Hills, Alhambra and Whittier, are considering the idea of requiring eligible children to get the vaccine in order to attend school.
“It’s absolutely wrong. I disagree with it,” a Beverly Hills parent told KNX. “The government cannot make you put a vaccine in your body that does not have any long term data.”
Some parents told KNX they would pull their kids out of school if a mandate goes into effect. Others said they support the idea to protect children of all ages, including those who are under 12, who are ineligible for the jab.
So far Culver City is the only school district in L.A. that has a mandate in place. Superintendent Quoc Tran released revised protocols last month, which included a deadline of Friday, Nov. 19 for eligible students to provide proof of vaccination.
In addition to Beverly Hills, Alhambra and Whittier, the other districts that have indicated interest in following in CCUSD’s footsteps are: Baldwin Park, El Rancho, El Monte Union High, Los Angeles, Lawndale, Los Nietos, Mountain View, Norwalk, Paramount, South Whittier and Walnut Valley school systems.
While the L.A. County Office of Education overseas 80 districts, Superintendent Debra Duardo said it does not have the authority to issue a countywide vaccine mandate. Duardo said individual school systems can choose to take that step and enforce it on their own.
At a Wednesday press briefing, the L.A. Daily News reported that Duardo said school systems have long required students to receive certain vaccinations.
“Students are required to get their Tdap and polio and other vaccinations to ensure public safety, so school districts are able to require their students to be vaccinated,” she said.
L.A. County Department of Public Health Director Dr. Barbara Ferrer said the health department is not planning to issue a countywide order for students, but it will work with districts.
“We’re very anxious to just work with the individual school districts about what strategies make sense at those school districts,” Ferrer said.
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