The San Diego Unified School District's board has voted in favor of a vaccine mandate for students and staff.
"Tonight, I'm making a statement that we believe in the science, we believe in the process and we are serious about this and we want to protect children. And this is the first step,” Dr. Sharon Whitehurst-Payne, Board Vice President of San Diego Unified School District, said.
San Diego Unified would require all staff and employees to be fully vaccinated by Dec. 20. The plan on the district’s plan also says that it may take disciplinary action, “up to and including termination,” for those who don’t comply with the mandate. The first stage for a student vaccination mandate is for those eligible 16 and older. These students would need to get the first dose by Nov. 29 and the second dose by the Dec. 20 deadline.
Hundreds of parents and others held a rally outside SDUSD headquarters before the school board meeting protesting the mandate, saying vaccines for students should be a choice and not required in order to attend in-person classes.
(Photo Getty Images)