Guest Opinion | Tina Fredericks: “Vaccines Save Lives”

On Sunday on Meet the Press, the president of the second largest teachers union in the United States, American Federation of Teachers, Randy Weingarten came out in support of a vaccine requirement for teachers. She explained, “Circumstances have changed…It weighs really heavily on me that kids under 12 can’t get vaccinated.” Also, today on ABC’s This Week, the Director of the National Institute of Health Dr. Francis Collins, said that vaccine mandates would make a difference in the fight against COVID-19, “Death rates are starting up again…we ought to use every public health tool that we can when people are dying.”

With the first day of school only days away, the PUSD Board still has a small window to hold a special meeting to vote on a vaccine requirement for employees and weekly COVID testing mandate for employees and students. As an elected Board member, I take the safety of PUSD’s nearly 16,000 students and its 2220 employees very seriously.  On July 29, 2021, I published an op-ed on “Why I Support a PUSD Employee Vaccine Mandate”, explaining how a vaccine requirement for school employees hits home for me, as I am a PUSD parent with a child among the 9,805 PUSD students below the age of 12 ineligible to get the COVID-19 vaccine. On Sunday, August 8, 2021, I published a petition that includes a proposed resolution mandating PUSD employee vaccination and weekly COVID testing of employees and students.

 I, like other PUSD parents, am unclear as to what PUSD plans to do in regards to COVID-19 testing and vaccinations, even with the special access that I have as a PUSD Board member. At the latest Board meeting on August 5, 2021 the Board discussed COVID testing and vaccinations (summarized by this article), but while the Board discussed testing and vaccinations, no official vote was taken. Though three Board members, including myself, expressed support for both mandated vaccinations for staff and weekly COVID testing of staff and students, Superintendent McDonald stated that it would not be until the next Board meeting scheduled for August 26th, two weeks after school opens, when he would return with staff recommendations, leaving many of us questioning what PUSD policies and protocols will be.

Some people might think the fall reopening of schools is just a repeat of the spring reopening of our schools, but in fact, the circumstances have changed dramatically. The pandemic is worse than it was in April 2021 when we reopened schools. Last April, Los Angeles County had less than 7 COVID cases per 100,000. By contrast, in Los Angeles County right now, we are experiencing a high transmission rate with 222 cases per 100,000 (Note: anything over 100 COVID cases per 100,000 puts us in the highest risk category – in the old ranking system, we would be in the purple tier.) Within the past 14 days, according to the LA County Department of Public Health, LA County COVID deaths are up approx. 70%, with cases up 52%.

Even though the pandemic has gotten worse, both the state and the District have made a commitment to in-person learning in the belief that a return to the classroom is important to accelerate learning, promote mental health and address the inequities. I, too, agree with these assertions. However, what this also means is that class sizes may return to what they were pre-pandemic. There will be considerably less emphasis on physical distancing and it will no longer be required. Masks do remain a requirement for staff and students regardless of their vaccination status.

I fully support reopening with largely in-person instruction, but I also believe that the District has an obligation to mitigate the risks to our children and PUSD faculty in every way possible. One of our best lines of defense is vaccination. Most of the new cases of COVID are hitting the unvaccinated. PUSD’s Superintendent, Dr. McDonald agreed at the last meeting that “Vaccinations save lives,” and  Pasadena Public Health Director Dr. Ying-ying Goh stated at PUSD’s July 29th Board meeting, “We know that COVID-19 is a deadly and dangerous disease… but very much so in a setting where many people may not be vaccinated because they are not eligible yet or otherwise.” In other words, with fewer vaccinations, conditions are less safe and more deadly. With more vaccinations, our schools are safer and the possibility of educational disruption, sickness, and death is reduced.

Right now, the District estimates the number of unvaccinated personnel at approximately 80 individuals. While not all of the unvaccinated employees will necessarily be classroom teachers, if even 20 teachers with a classroom of 25 students were unvaccinated, that would mean potentially 500 students would be exposed to an unvaccinated teacher 5 days a week, 6 hours a day.

To those who question whether a vaccine mandate is possible, Santa Barbara Unified School Board and San Jose Unified School District Board recently passed vaccine mandates and/or mandatory COVID testing.

Let’s not forget the 2220 PUSD employees. Vaccinated staff will be interacting with unvaccinated students and staff. I’ve spoken to many teachers and staff members who support a vaccine requirement for employees. They want to work in the safest environment possible for themselves, their students and the community.

On August 6, 2021 at 9:27 a.m., I sent an email to Superintendent McDonald and Board President Scott Phelps, requesting an emergency meeting prior to the first day of school on August 12, 2021. I have not yet received a response since before the submission of this article. In order to meet the requirement of 24 hours advance posting of the agenda, the special meeting can either be scheduled on Tuesday, August 10, 2021 or Wednesday, August 11, 2021. Tuesday would be preferable so that the district staff has an opportunity to hear public input on potential safety corrections and have more time to implement them before the start of school. This meeting should be a staff all-hands-on-deck meeting, providing an opportunity to answer questions on vaccines, frequency of testing, ventilation and custodial staffing.

Isn’t the safety of nearly 16,000 PUSD students and the over 2200 staff members worth one Board meeting? Join me in calling for a special meeting vote on vaccine mandate and COVID testing mandate by contacting Superintendent McDonald and the PUSD Board.

Tina Fredericks is a Pasadena Unified School Board member, former high school math teacher, and computer engineer, living in East Pasadena with her husband and two daughters.