B.C. says vaccine mandates could be coming for teachers, school staff

VICTORIA (NEWS 1130) — After B.C. announced a vaccine mandate for 30,000 government workers, many are questioning why teachers are not on that list.

Many have called for a vaccine mandate in schools, which would require all teachers and staff to be fully immunized, as COVID-19 cases in school-aged children continue to climb.

On Tuesday, Health Minister Adrian Dix offered a glimmer of hope to the parents who say they want everyone working with their children to have their COVID-19 shots.

Dix says he has heard the concerns from parents, and a potential vaccine mandate in schools is now being considered.

“We know there is a desire expressed by people in school communities for mandates in education, and as such the education ministry [and] my colleague, Minister of Education Jennifer Whiteside, is immediately convening an advisory committee,” Dix said Tuesday.

Related Articles:

• B.C. mandates vaccines for 30,000 provincial employees

• B.C. hospitalizations rising, records 593 COVID-19 cases

• Employers at industrial sites in Northern B.C. should ‘absolutely’ mandate vaccines: Henry

The committee will work with the BC Public School Employers Association quickly to develop common principles and the potential implementation of a vaccine mandate.

But at the moment, the province is putting the weight of that decision on the school boards, and has not promised a province-wide mandate.

“If boards wish to explore a vaccine policy independently we would strongly encourage them to work with the [BC Public School Employers Association] and their local partners,” he said, adding, “I think it’s an important measure to make people safe and we are encouraging everybody, in ever possible way, to get vaccinated.”

Related video: 

A Surrey parent is among those questioning why this is taking so long, especially since the idea has support from the BC Teachers’ Federation.

“Parents have been contacting trustees, they’ve been contacting the superintendent and we keep coming across multiple barriers. Tossing us back and forth like ping pong here. The BCTF agrees that they would support such a mandate, so what is it that’s stopping them?” Rina Diaz said.

Diaz has two teens attending Frankfurt Secondary in Surrey and sits on the district’s parent advisory council. She attended a virtual meeting Tuesday with the education minister, along with other parents from all 60 school districts, but few details were shared about when her district could see a new policy.

“We would have just hoped that initiative would have been taken sooner, not later. After the parents are voicing out their concerns and the case numbers are rising, so it’s a reactive approach instead of a proactive one.”

Diaz is also disappointed she wasn’t able to ask a question about the need for stronger ventilation in schools.

Here’s the statement provided by the Ministry of Education when asked how soon CAN vaccines be made mandatory in all #BC schools.#bced #bcpoli @NEWS1130 pic.twitter.com/hObBAKZdwi

— Marcella Bernardo (@MBernardoNews) October 6, 2021

RELATED: Vaccine mandates for B.C. schools not out of the question: education minister

Anne Whitmore, who sits on the New Westminster DPAC, says all three of her kids had to get tested after a COVID-19 exposure was reported on the first day classes resumed at their elementary school.

“I’ve never seen this many absences. It raises a lot of questions about why are kids absent? Are they COVID sick? Are they sick sick? It’s very disconcerting… I’m not a scientist. I’m not a healthcare professional, but my one job — other than raising responsible human beings — is risk assessment for my kids. To be this far into school and now be looking at what might be needed is very, very frustrating.”

Whitmore says, to her, it’s clear schools across B.C. are not as safe as they could be.

“The provincial mandate like we’ve seen in long-term care, healthcare and for federal employees, it’s something that they can do and provide equal protection across the province.”

Trustees in New Westminster are already seeking legal advice to see if they can mandate vaccines without prior approval from the province.

The BC Teachers’ Federation, which has 45,000 members, is also seeking clarification.

BCTF President Teri Mooring has repeatedly said the union will not oppose a mandatory vaccine policy, so long as it includes accommodations for members who have a valid exemption.