NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
SD62 BOARD CONSULTS STAFF AND STAKEHOLDERS ON VACCINE MANDATE
LANGFORD – At last night’s monthly meeting, the Sooke School District Board of Education passed a motion to survey and consult with school district staff and stakeholders about the possibility of a district vaccine policy/mandate.
“Since the beginning of this pandemic, keeping our students and employees safe and healthy has always been the top priority for our Board of Education,” says Ravi Parmar, SD62 Board Chairperson. “These steps that the Board has taken closely align with the guidelines provided by the Ministry of Education and BC Public School Employers’ Association. We collectively feel strongly that through proper data collection and meaningful engagement with staff and stakeholders, we will be provided the information necessary to make an informed decision.”
Following the decision made by the Board of Education, the district will take the following steps:
- Gather anonymous data and evidence regarding vaccine status from all district staff.
- Assess survey results by employee groups, including impact on delivery of education and operations.
- Consult with local Indigenous rights holders and employee groups.
- Engage with school district Parent Advisory Councils to understand potential impacts.
- Utilize the information to inform any necessary next steps on a decision to create a policy regarding proof of vaccination.
Before making any decisions, the Board will thoroughly examine information collected from staff and district stakeholder groups.
The Board of education also welcomes feedback from community members. Questions and comments can be sent via email to info@sd62.bc.ca.
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