Richmond, Virginia’s school board voted 6-3 on Monday to reverse course on a vaccine mandate for teachers and staff, blocking Superintendent Jason Kamras from his plan to fire teachers who fail to comply or withholding their pay.
Prior to the vote, Kamras defended the mandate, arguing it’s not a mandate “if there are no consequences.”
The move came after the board approved the resignation of 29 staff members on Monday, “most” over the mandate, according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch. But other resignations came months earlier.
Kamras’ administration began docking pay for teachers who were out of compliance with the mandate on Nov. 1, the same week he closed schools for a mental health week for teachers. On Monday, he also said he understood where the board was coming from. In an interview on Tuesday, Kamras said he was worried the district wouldn’t reach its goal of 100% vaccination.
“I think the consequences, however painful they are, have had an effect,” he said. “We went from 37% vaccinated to 92% vaccinated, and I don’t think that would have happened without those consequences.” […]
More people have resigned than the majority of 29 who resigned on Monday. RPS has been letting teachers out of their contracts because of the vaccine mandate since September since the board approved the mandate after they signed their contracts. (Richmond Times-Dispatch)
Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney blasted the school board’s vote, telling reporters Tuesday, “You cannot enact a public health mandate and then tear out the teeth of that mandate.”
Staff who do not wish to be vaccinated must agree to weekly Covid-19 testing by the school system.
