Editor's note: The following is excerpted from a letter from a parent of a student at Salem-Keizer School District

As a parent, I am outraged with what is happening in our schools for many reasons but the fact that some public schools across Oregon are flagrantly violating the vaccination exception rules is the most frustrating issue to our family.

Schools are supposed to allow all parents volunteer and if unvaccinated, exceptions are allowed by the CDC and OHA.

This from the rule: “teachers, school staff and volunteers, and school-based program staff and volunteers must provide the school or school-based program with either:

• Proof of vaccination showing they are fully vaccinated, OR
• Documentation of a medical or religious exception.

We know students and schools have better outcomes when parent volunteers are welcomed yet Oregon’s schools are going backwards. Salem Keizer School District was contacted by a potential volunteer, and she spoke to a retired administrator -- Jim Orth -- who was called back to work to help organize the vaccine mandate for the district and was told the Executive team including HR, Superintendent and Vice Superintendent concluded that its simply “extra work for the already understaffed HR department to mitigate volunteers with exceptions.” This, despite the fact, they have the exact same protocol for unvaccinated teachers and staff.

The team’s point is moot. He said they are following the CDC guidance, but the CDC does not say they cannot have unvaccinated visitors or parent volunteers. He also said, “Frankly I believe it is not the best use of resources to be paying me to do this.” No kidding, Jim. It’s not that this or many of these schools are not allowing any parent volunteers or are gearing up for them to return in January, they are just discriminating against unvaccinated parents regardless of the rules allowing unvaccinated volunteers in schools.

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

If what Salem-Keizer School District said is true and Kate Brown is going to make burdensome rules, she needs to provide the resources, which have been plentiful due to the trillions of dollars in the stimulus packages. I am tired of repeatedly being told over the past year that we are not welcomed to be present or view curriculums in our public schools. How can some public-school districts figure this out and not others? Many Private schools have been successfully allowing all parents in regardless of vaccination status.

We as parents need to be able to be allowed back into our kid’s school.

Please let me know who I need to contact to get this rule and this implementation changed asap.

Sincerely,

--A Concerned Parent

Post Date: 2021-12-17 10:13:06

Last Update: 2021-12-17 15:25:20