Georgia school district mandates COVID vaccine for employees. What about Columbus area?
Now that a Georgia school district is requiring employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19, will school districts in the Columbus area issue such a mandate?
The Ledger-Enquirer asked local superintendents that question after City Schools of Decatur superintendent Maggie Ferhman announced Sept. 14 that anyone employed by the district must be immunized against the coronavirus by the end of October.
Gov. Brian Kemp’s executive order in May prohibits state agencies from mandating proof of COVID-19 vaccination as a condition of employment, to receive state services or enter a state property. So the mandate in Decatur sets up a possible challenge in court.
Also in May, the state legislature in Alabama passed a law, signed by Gov. Kay Ivey, banning COVID-19 vaccine passport mandates. Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall issued legal guidance about the law in July. Mike Lewis, the office spokesman, told the L-E that Marshall determined the new law prohibits public agencies from requiring employees to prove their coronavirus vaccination status but doesn’t address private employers.
The L-E asked local superintendents via email the following questions:
- Does your school district require employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19? Why or why not?
- Do you think they should be? Why or why not?
- Who would decide such a requirement in your school district and how?
- Is your school district working on a plan to implement such a requirement? Why or why not?
- What percentage of your school district’s employees are vaccinated against COVID-19?
Here are their responses:
Muscogee County
Muscogee County School District superintendent David Lewis didn’t answer the questions. Instead, he replied with this statement through MCSD communications director Alicia Lawrence:
“MCSD’s layered COVID-19 mitigation strategies are based on guidance provided by our Community Medical Panel comprised of regional pediatricians, worker’s compensation physicians, epidemiologists, virologists, attorneys, Department of Public Health and Center for Disease Control officials and other experts/stakeholders.
“MCSD has reported a decline in infections within the District for the past four consecutive weeks. The total of reported infections in the past month has been less than one-half of one percent of the District’s total student and employee population. This decline in infections is promising, and supports the continued use of layered mitigation strategies.
“MCSD has offered seven vaccination clinics to date, with another scheduled next Friday, October 1. By covering the leave time of any employee who is vaccinated should they become ill with COVID-19, we believe we are doing our part to encourage vaccinations and reduce the spread of the virus in our community. MCSD continues to actively monitor the impact of COVID-19 on our community and the evolving medical guidance, and will adjust its strategies as needed.”
MCSD has 5,175 employees.
Harris County
Harris County School District superintendent Roger Couch said in an email HCSD doesn’t require employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19 because “we are not driven by OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) guidelines.”
Couch encourages people to get the vaccine, noting HCSD is hosting another clinic Oct. 7.
“Without an underlying condition or reason for not being vaccinated, to protect oneself and for the benefit of the community at-large, I believe and recommend everyone should be vaccinated,” he said.
HCSD isn’t working on a plan to require vaccinations, Couch said. Such a decision would be made by the school board with guidance from the Georgia Department of Education and the board’s attorney, he said.
The district doesn’t know what percentage of HCSD’s 787 employees are vaccinated against COVID-19, Couch said.
Chattahoochee County
The Chattahoochee County School District doesn’t require employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19 “because the vaccine has not been listed as a required CDC vaccine for schools,” said superintendent Kristie Brooks.
Brooks didn’t answer whether she thinks they should be, but she said, “We are pleased that nearly 80% of our (139) employees are completely vaccinated with some of our high-risk employees choosing the booster vaccination as it becomes more available for them. The West Central Health District of the Department of Public Health has done a tremendous job collaborating with ChattCo Schools as we have been able to host monthly vaccine clinics on our campus sites and will continue to do so.”
Phenix City
Phenix City Schools doesn’t require but “highly” recommends employees be vaccinated against COVID-19, said superintendent Randy Wilkes.
Unless employees have a medical reason to not be vaccinated, they should be, Wilkes said, “based on known data and research.”
For PCS to implement such a requirement, the superintendent must recommend it, the board must approve it, and the board’s attorney must agree, Wilkes said. But the district isn’t working on such a plan, he said, because “there is still uncertainty regarding the legality.”
At least 60% of the 860 PCS employees are fully vaccinated, Wilkes said. The district is offering COVID-19 vaccine clinics at Phenix City Intermediate School, South Girard School, Central Freshman Academy and Central High School during the next few weeks, he said.
Russell County
The Russell County School District doesn’t require employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19 “because it is a personal choice,” said superintendent Brenda Coley.
As for whether they should be, Coley said, “It is our goal to adhere to state and federal guidelines as related to COVID-19 and vaccinations. Therefore, we respect the employee’s choice to vaccinate or not to vaccinate.”
To implement such a requirement in RCSD would not be a local decision “at this time,” Coley said. The district isn’t working on such a plan, she said.
Data to determine the percentage of RCSD’s approximately 525 employees isn’t available because they “are not required to share their vaccination status,” Coley said.
Lee County
Lee County Schools superintendent Mac McCoy didn’t reply to the L-E’s query.
