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Petition against vaccine mandate for Vernon school staff has close to 1,000 signatures

Vernon School District has not yet decided whether to make COVID-19 vaccines mandatory for staff
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An online petition against having a vaccine mandate at the Vernon School District has garnered close to 1,000 signatures as of Friday, Nov. 19, 2021. (Jennifer Smith - Morning Star)

A petition opposing vaccine mandates at the Vernon School District (SD 22) has garnered nearly 1,000 signatures.

The Change.org petition was launched by “concerned citizens of the Vernon and surrounding School District 22 catchments” and as of Friday morning 990 people have added their name.

“We are parents, teachers, education assistants and community members whom are against the mandating of vaccines of our educators and school staff. We would like to let you know that we do not support a vaccine mandate of any kind against COVID-19. We believe in freedom of choice and would like to bring it to your attention that a forced vaccine mandate violates a multitude of human rights,” the petition reads.

“The personal choice of whether or not to be vaccinated against COVID-19 should have zero bearing on employment or how staff are treated within the education system.”

Individual school boards have been left to decide whether to make vaccines mandatory for their staffs, and as of yet the SD 22 board has not made a decision.

However, a survey of SD 22 staff on their vaccination status shows that overwhelmingly, staff are in favour of getting the jab; 92 per cent of those surveyed said they’ve already received two doses.

The Morning Star has reached out to the school district for comment.

READ MORE: 92 per cent of Vernon school staff vaccinated: survey

READ MORE: Health Canada approves first COVID-19 vaccine for kids aged five to 11


Brendan Shykora
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Brendan Shykora

About the Author: Brendan Shykora

I started as a carrier at the age of 8. In 2019 graduated from the Master of Journalism program at Carleton University.
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