Two years ago the Los Angeles Unified School District gave staff an ultimatum: get vaccinated or lose your job. Now that the vaccine mandate is over, a group of former staff members are responding with a choice of their own: rehire us or face our fury.
The LAUSD Board of Education voted 6-1 on Sept. 26 to end its COVID-19 vaccine mandate, saying it was no longer necessary to safely provide in-person learning. On Monday evening, around two dozen former LAUSD staff members organizing with California Educators for Medical Freedom — a group suing the district over the mandate — gathered outside the district’s Downtown headquarters demanding rehiring, backpay for lost wages and a public apology.
“For many of us there is no way to truly make us whole again,” said former teacher Theresa Sanford. “Hundreds of teachers and other faculty members have been left in limbo in unpaid status, others were coerced to resign, retire early or were terminated. Many have experienced a significant loss of income and have had to make irreversible financial decisions such as selling a home, moving out of L.A. County or out of state.”
The district has welcomed separated employees to reapply for former positions, but made no job guarantees, noting that positions will be filled based on current needs. Employees on unpaid leave status may be invited back in accordance with the terms of their leaves, while those who were transitioned to virtual classrooms can ask to be reassigned to an in-person classroom.
District officials did not express any regret over the mandate during the Sept. 26 meeting, noting that both the implementation and repeal were decisions justified by the conditions of the two different time periods.
“As testament to the incredible power of vaccinations and the advancement of science, COVID-19 is now in an endemic phase,” said LAUSD Chief Medical Director Smita Malhotra. “This means that it has entered a state of predictability and stability common…
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