90 percent of California’s teachers already vaccinated

BURLINGAME — California Teachers Association President E. Toby Boyd issued the following statement in strong support of today’s announcement by Governor Newsom that all California educators must show proof of vaccination or be tested regularly for COVID-19:

“We know from our surveys that nearly 90 percent of educators have already been vaccinated. Yet in the past few weeks, we have seen a rising spread of the Delta variant, especially among children, just as the new school year is starting. Educators want to be in classrooms with their students, and the best way to make sure that happens is for everyone who is medically eligible to be vaccinated, with robust testing and multi-tiered safety measures. Today’s announcement is an appropriate next step to ensure the safety of our school communities and to protect our youngest learners under 12 who are not yet vaccine eligible from this highly contagious Delta variant.

“All along we have let community conditions, science and public health guidance lead us and have strongly advocated for multiple layers of safety protections – vaccinations, masking, physical distancing, improved ventilation and robust testing – to keep our school communities safe. Educators and parents must continue to play an active role in developing safety plans for their schools and colleges. Today’s announcement provides an important alternative for those educators who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons, while continuing to send a strong and clear message that every one of us – educators, eligible students, parents and staff – must be doing everything we can if we hope to win this fight against COVID and keep our schools open safely. The health of each one of us depends on the work of all of us.”

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The 310,000-member CTA is affiliated with the 3-million-member National Education Association.