TEACHERS UNIONS BLAST BAKER
Lack of vax mandate throughout Mass. schools faulted
The two largest teachers unions are blasting Gov. Charlie Baker over the state’s lack of a uniform vaccine policy at schools, saying he is “abdicating his responsibility” by leaving students and teachers unprotected against coronavirus variants.
“A statewide mandate requiring educators to be vaccinated, in accordance with what President Biden is calling for, would best protect our communities – including communities of color, which have been hit the hardest by the pandemic,” Massachusetts Teachers Association President Merrie Najimy said in a statement.
She added: “Given the surging rates of infection from coronavirus variants, Governor Charlie Baker is abdicating his responsibility by not leading a coordinated statewide strategy to address this crucial public health initiative.”
The Republican governor has defiantly signaled there would be no statewide COVID vaccine mandate for Massachusetts educators, despite a call to action from President Biden for governors to do so last week. Instead, Baker has placed the decision on the backs of cities and towns.
During a meeting with reporters on Monday, Baker said cities and towns “are the primary employer and primary owner of the conditions of work with municipal employees,” which includes teachers.
“The accountability, authority and responsibility rests with the municipal governments and they therefore need to figure that one out,” Baker said in response to a Herald reporter’s question.
It’s led to a patchwork of municipal vaccine mandates, most notably in Boston. Beginning Monday, all municipal employees — including teachers — must provide proof of vaccination or submit to weekly COVID-19 testing, per the policy the local teachers union signed Sept. 9.
Several other districts, including Brookline, Amherst-Pelham, Berkshire Hills, Holliston and others have also imposed or are considering similar mandates, according to reports.
“Educators and our students cross town lines every day, and the virus isn’t contained by municipal boundaries,” American Federation of Teachers Massachusetts President Beth Kontos said. “Public health decisions during a deadly pandemic are too important to be left to politicized local decisionmaking. On masking, testing and vaccination policy, we need statewide leadership guided by public health experts.”
It’s a decision, however, Geoff Beckwith of the Massachusetts Municipal Association supports.
“We appreciate very much the approach Gov. Baker has taken,” he said. “Gov. Baker defers to municipal leaders and government about what works best for them.”
Baker has placed the decision on the backs of cities and towns.