Charter school mandates vaccines
Requirement first of its kind in the region
The Environmental Charter School has become the first school entity in the Pittsburgh region to require staff members to get a COVID-19 vaccine or regularly submit to virus testing.
The school’s board of trustees last week approved the vaccination policy by a vote of 12-0, with four members not in attendance.
“At ECS, we believe that it is our duty and responsibility to provide a safe and healthy work and learning environment for our entire community, students and staff,” said James Doyle, the school’s chief operating officer. “The COVID- 19 virus is a known hazard that we hope to mitigate the spread of through this policy.”
The school said 95% of its employees reported they were fully vaccinated at the end of the 2020-21 academic year, but it has added 40 staff members since then.
ECS officials said they hope to increase the percentage of vaccinated employees to provide an extra layer of virus mitigation prior to the start of the 202122 academic year and serve as a model for other schools to enact similar policies.
“COVID has presented us with many challenges, many of which have been out of our control,” said Sapna Parker, an ECS board member and local pediatrician. “We have a responsibility to our school community to be vigilant in all areas that are under our control: universal masking, mandating vaccination for all eligible adults, encouraging vaccination for all eligible children and providing safe and clean spaces for our children to learn.”
Accommodations will be made for employees who cannot receive the COVID19 vaccine for medical or religious reasons, the school said. Additional accommodations will be determined on a case-by-case basis in order to meet the employee’s needs while adhering to the school’s health and safety policies.
Staff must get vaccinated or reach out to human resources to discuss accommodations or regular testing by Sept. 15, according to the school.
The union that represents school employees, the Environmental Charter School Federation of Teachers, declined to comment.
The Environmental Charter School has 175 staff members and an enrollment of more than 950 students in grades K-10 at four locations throughout the city.
No other schools in southwestern Pennsylvania have required vaccinations for employees, although Pittsburgh Public Schools officials said they have discussed the possibility of a mandate.
The Philadelphia Public Schools officials have also said they were weighing the possibility of a vaccine mandate for district staff members.
The Upper Merion Area School District near Philadelphia has implemented a plan that requires teachers and staff to be vaccinated or wear a mask and submit to twice- weekly COVID- 19 testing.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced earlier this month teachers there must be vaccinated by the start of the school year or be tested weekly under a mandate covering all city workers. The city of Denver said all of its employees — including teachers and school staff — must be fully vaccinated by Sept. 30.