A ruling on whether teachers and other staff in Princeton schools will have to be vaccinated against COVID-19 could come as early as the end of October, according to Gordon Swan, chair of the Nicola-Similkameen School District.
Swan told the Spotlight the matter has so far been discussed by trustees in-camera.
“No decision has been made at this time, as we need the guidelines as a starting point…It’s complex,” he said.
On Oct. 7, Premier John Horgan announced that a vaccine mandate for school employees would be left up to individual districts.
“There is a responsibility for elected representatives who put their hand up and said, ‘I’d like to be on the school board’ to inform themselves about the best way to protect their employees and the children within their district,” he said at a press conference
Swan has “mixed feelings” about the province’s direction. “We are the employer under the School Act so it’s good that government has acknowledged that. That said, I would have preferred a coordinated approach…rather than a patchwork of 60 variations across the province.”
The local school district is currently consulting with numerous stakeholders including the education ministry, unions and First Nations representatives.
Richard Jensen, head of the Princeton District Teachers Union, said he fully supports a vaccination mandate in schools.
“The union is in favour of the mandate. Teachers are in favour of the mandate,” he said.
“I am glad that the province had the foresight to provide medical exemptions for teachers who may be immune-compromised, and I am confident that the union and the district will be able to work together effectively to ensure that everyone is protected.
“It wasn’t that many months ago that teachers were begging to be included in vaccination roll outs for frontline workers. Teachers want a safe workplace. They want as much protection as possible for themselves, their students and the community.”
READ MORE: Summerland was once known as Nicola Prairie
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