The Ligonier Valley School District vaccinated over 180 employees this week, but according to the Director of Education, it wasn't with the help and leadership of the state of Pennsylvania.
"The state has been absent during this crisis in the terms of leadership, quite honestly," said Ed Moran. "And by the government I mean the governor's office, the state legislature, Pennsylvania Department of Education, Pennsylvania Department of Health."
Moran went on to say that the state told them that it was a local decision. "Come on. That's not leadership. A local decision for a school district, guys, is who do we hire for teaching positions? Now that's a local decision. Do we raise taxes? That's a local decision. How we manage a global pandemic... that's not a local decision."
Earlier in the month when the Department of Ed said, even if you are in a substantial county, you can begin bringing children back. Fabulous. But to do that you have to bring your adults back, your teachers back, your custodians back, your bus drivers back. Now, how do you keep them safe?"
Moran said they just began making calls. "We called the state, we called hospitals, we called FEMA; somewhere, somehow we shook something loose and we were contacted by LVRX Pharmacy."
According to Moran, that call came on a Thursday night and by Sunday morning that had a vaccination clinic set up and 182 employees were vaccinated. The recipients included teachers, custodians, cooks, bus drivers and aids.
You can listen to the full interview with Moran below.