East Bay district delays vote on vaccine mandate

One of the largest school districts in the Bay Area delayed a vote scheduled for this week on a proposal to require COVID-19 vaccination for staff and eligible students.

The superintendent of the West Contra Costa Unified School District canceled a special Tuesday board meeting on the topic, citing the need for more time to work out specifics.

West Contra Costa Unified serves more than 28,000 students in Richmond, El Cerrito, Hercules, Pinole and San Pablo and unincorporated areas. It was one of two Bay Area school districts set to vote on a vaccine mandate this week for staff and students 12 and older who are eligible for the vaccine. Oakland Unified still has a

vote scheduled for Wednesday.

The delay for West Contra Costa Unified points to the challenges of broad vaccine mandates for public agencies. School districts may soon need to grapple with whether to extend mandates to all students. On Monday, Pfizer announced that its vaccine for 5to 11-year-olds is safe and effective and could be in arms by the end of October after expected FDA approval.

The push by West Contra Costa and Oakland comes as officials in the region grapple with how to keep in-school education safe during the pandemic. Some families and school leaders welcomed the idea of a vaccine mandate for safety. Others push back against such requirements, especially for students of color who might mistrust the medical establishment.

In an email to district trustees, which was obtained Sunday by The Chronicle, West Contra Costa Unified Superintendent Kenneth “Chris” Hurst Sr. wrote that after “speaking with our attorney,” the district would not be ready for the meeting Tuesday. Hurst emailed the board late Thursday afternoon, the day after news outlets reported the district would be one of the first in the Bay Area to vote on a vaccine mandate.

Explaining his decision, Hurst said that in communicating with the Los Angeles Unified School District, which approved its own vaccine mandate this month, his staff was “still learning their gaps and incorporating this into our presentation” for the board. The district also is still working on how to incorporate a vaccine mandate for contractors and others working with students, and how to conduct teaching for students who don’t want to get vaccinated. How to collect and secure students’ vaccine data also remains under study, he said.

“We expect these pieces will take a few days to figure out,” Hurst wrote.

There was no indication Sunday on when the vote might be rescheduled. Reached by email, Hurst referred the matter to district communications staff.

District spokesperson Raechelle Forrest said in a statement Monday afternoon that “the superintendent is only investigating the vaccine mandate at this time. He is aware of LAUSD’s mandate for students and staff, and will look into their processes, as needed . ... The Board of Education takes its responsibility to the public seriously and will continue to explore all possibilities to keep students and staff safe.”

The school board president declined to comment.

Trustee Demetrio GonzalezHoy, who co-sponsored the measure, said Sunday he understood the superintendent was being “very cautious” and said he looked forward to “discussion as quickly as possible.”

“We need to have a transparent engagement process and see where the community is at,” he added.

The resolution allows for medical and religious exemptions to the mandate.

The board previously voted to follow local, state and federal health guidance on the coronavirus when deciding to reopen schools, but GonzalezHoy said he did not think that would extend specifically to a vaccine mandate.

Contra Costa County’s health officer expressed “strong support” for a vaccine mandate for staff and students 12 and older in a two-page letter to district leaders Friday.

United Teachers of Richmond union President Marissa Glidden, who supports a vaccine mandate, voiced disappointment Sunday that the vote was pushed back.

In West Contra Costa, more than 85% of around 3,000 staff have reported their vaccination status. Of those, 93% are vaccinated, the school district said.

“The teachers believe this is one of the really important layers to keeping our kids in school and preventing outbreaks,” she said. “Time is of the essence on this. Kids are getting sick every day. It impacts the learning process.”

Scores of coronavirus cases forced district officials to temporarily close 18 classrooms during the first five weeks of school. In Contra Costa County, which is larger than the population served by the school district, 81% of 12- to 15-year-olds and 87% of 16- to 19-year-olds got their shots.

“We are really hopeful they’ll take this on sooner rather than later,” Glidden said.