Some Kane County school districts, teacher unions coming out in support of vaccine mandate for school staff

Some school districts and teacher unions in Kane County are stating their support for the governor’s vaccine mandate for teachers and staff to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

On Thursday, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker announced a vaccine mandate for all kindergarten through 12th grade teachers and support staff and higher education employees and students as well as healthcare workers to reduce the spread of COVID-19 or face weekly COVID-19 testing. The mandate takes effect Sept. 5.

Workers who do not receive the vaccine or those who opt out for medical reasons or based on a sincerely held religious belief must follow a routine testing schedule to detect cases early and prevent further spread. Testing will be required a minimum of once per week in schools and healthcare facilities.

The frequency of testing may be required to increase in the event of positive cases. Healthcare, school workers, and higher education personnel and students attending in-person classes who do not provide proof of vaccination will be prevented from entering healthcare and educational facilities unless they follow the required testing protocol.

“The health and safety of our students and staff has always been our primary motivation in any conversations that we’ve had,” said St. Charles Education Association President Joe Blomquist. “From the union perspective, the fact that the governor has given multiple pathways to provide any extra layer of health and safety in our schools, we support the approach that the governor has taken.”

Although he didn’t say how many of the district’s staff have been vaccinated, Blomquist said he was confident staff members “have been very responsive to the needs of the community and the schools, based off the numbers that I’m seeing.”

However, he doesn’t know if the mandate will motivate more staff to get vaccinated.

“I’m not convinced that it will be the motivation,” Blomquist said. “I never want to force somebody to do something that they don’t want to do. In everything, the best way to get to a collective decision is through regular conversation. I believe we’re seeing more and more staff members come to the decision on their own.”

He hopes the fact that the Food and Drug Administration recently approved Pfizer-BioNTech’s two-dose shot for people ages 16 and up will provide motivation for people to get vaccinated.

“I’m hoping it will inspire even more to say, ‘Yes, this is the right thing to do,’ ‘’ Blomquist said.

A COVID-19 vaccine for children younger than 12 is not yet available. Blomquist said that is the main reason the union was backing the governor’s executive order mandating that masks be worn indoors in schools regardless of vaccination status. A new mask mandate will take effect Monday requiring masks be worn in indoor public places, regardless of vaccination status.

“Those students 12 and under are not afforded the same opportunities to protect themselves,” he said.

Before the mask mandate went into effect, he said the district had its own protocols in place.

“Either you provide proof of vaccination, you agree to weekly testing, or you’ll be required to wear a mask,” Blomquist said.

Batavia School District also fully endorses the governor’s new order.

“BPS101 will continue to follow guidance from the CDC and IDPH, along with statewide mandates,” Batavia School District Communications Manager Holly Deitchman said in a statement. “The federal, state, and local health officials have consistently expressed that vaccination is the best protection against this virus and the best strategy to end this pandemic.”

Deitchman said she did not know the percent of the district’s staff that is fully vaccinated.