BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — A group of protestors assembled outside the Kern County Superintendent of Schools office in Bakersfield to speak out against COVID-19 vaccine mandates in schools.
Robert Meszaros with the Kern County Superintendent of Schools issued the following statement early this morning before protesters gathered:
“We respect the right for people to peacefully advocate for their beliefs. However, protesting by keeping students out of school will only lead to lost learning time," said Meszaros.
Moreover, there is a lot of misinformation out there on this topic, here are some facts about the vaccine mandate the Kern County Superintendent of Schools wished to shed light on:
- Requiring vaccinations to attend school is not a new concept. There have been requirements in both public and private schools for decades. See the details here on what shots are required when: https://www.shotsforschool.org/
- There are no immediate implications to the COVID-19 student vaccine requirement. This will likely not take effect until next school year for grades 7-12. The timeline is contingent on when the FDA grants full approval of the vaccine.
- As of now, there will be a personal belief exemption, so parents could opt out if they choose. This will remain true unless the state legislature votes otherwise.
- Finally, these mandates are not being made at the local level or by the schools. Decisions are made by the state and schools have a legal obligation to uphold them."
The Superintendent of Schools also issued the following information:
This is a developing story. More information as it becomes available.
