Vaccines mandate for B.C. Interior, North school staff challenging to implement: trustees

While the provincial health officer is urging schools in B.C.’s North and Interior to consider bringing in vaccine mandates for staff, the head of the trustees association says it won’t be as simple compared to other regions.

In her briefing Tuesday, Dr. Bonnie Henry said the province is supportive of mandates in the Interior and North “particularly because of the risk in the community right now.”

“We don’t want children to be getting sick … We know how important it is for families and for the growth and development of children to have in classroom schools,” she said.

However, head of the B.C. School Trustees Association, Stephanie Higginson, says it’s tough for smaller communities because they have to consider staffing levels before adopting a mandate that could result in fewer teachers being able to work.

“School district staff, just like every sector right now, they are stretched thin, and they are tired. And we are going to make sure that we are directing every resource we have in the areas that it’s going to make the biggest difference in the communities we serve. So these districts will work closely with their medical health authorities to determine the best way to support their communities.”

Related Articles: 

• Chilliwack school board decides against vaccine mandate for staff

• Vancouver teachers not mandated to get vaccinated, board decides

• B.C. school vaccine guidelines don’t go far enough, says parent

Stephanie Higginson says school districts across the Interior and North are currently looking into if a vaccine mandate would work for them and are weighing the “gain with the risk.”

“I know the boards across the North and Interior continue to work on this and they are working closely with their local medical health officers to understand the implications on their own communities and the schools within them,” she said.

“This is not an easy issue. It’s a very complicated one. And I think that most importantly, being able to continue to offer educational programming is first and foremost at the front of the decision-making. And of course, in this time, being able to do that safely. So they’re going to have to weigh a lot of different factors and move through this complicated issue, step by step, because that’s really the only way to do it.”

However, she’s urging all teachers to get vaccinated– especially in places where there are higher COVID-19 case counts — adding it’s the best way for schools to continue doing in-person learning.

“Particularly people who have children in the unvaccinated category under 12 (years of age),” she said. “If you have children in your home, or you work with children who are in that unvaccinated age group, you really do have a professional responsibility.”

Last month, the province issued guidelines for school districts to implement their own vaccine policy.

At this point, no school districts have implemented a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for school staff in the province and several have announced they will not have one.

Burnaby, Surrey, Vancouver, New Westminster, and Chilliwack have all announced they won’t be mandating the vaccine.