Vaccine mandates for school staff: Here's a quick look at the province's guidance for B.C. boards
Ignoring calls from a union representing B.C. teachers, the province is sticking to its plan for vaccine mandates to be put in place at the district level, issuing guidelines directed to school boards thinking about imposing such requirements.
Organizations including the B.C. Teachers' Federation have been critical of the decision, suggesting mandates should be issued by the NDP government for consistency across the province.
But officials say that it's up to employers to put in place any rules around vaccinations. After weeks of questions and public criticism, the government agreed to offer guidance to boards, though there will be no province-wide mandates imposed at this time.
The Ministry of Education said in a news release that the guidelines, released Friday, were created following consultation with the BCTF, as well as the B.C. School Trustees Association, Canadian Union of Public Employees, the First Nations Education Steering Committee and others, as well as the provincial health officer.
The nine-page document of guidelines geared to K-12 school boards suggest those considering a mandate follow the below "roadmap" to creating a custom policy:
- Gather data on the number of staff currently unvaccinated, while taking into account existing privacy rules.
- Seek legal advice, and consult with medical health officers.
- Conduct a larger consultation involving First Nations, employee groups and the school district community, including parent advisory committees.
- Make a decision, and announce it.
- Put the plan in action, using some tool to assess proof of vaccination.
The guidelines posted online contain further details on each step, and say the goal of such mandates, if they are put in place, should be on reducing the impact of COVID-19 on in-class learning, and prioritizing the health and safety of students and staff.
The full document is available online.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Latest updates on air quality alerts, and when the smoke may reach Ontario and Quebec
Wildfires have led Environment Canada to issue air quality advisories for parts of B.C., Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and the Northwest Territories, as forecasters warn the smoke could drift farther east.
Steal a car, lose your driver's licence under new Ontario proposal
Repeat car thieves may face lengthy licence bans under proposed changes to Ontario’s Highway Traffic Act.
Ellen DeGeneres addresses the 'hurtful' end of her talk show in new stand-up set
Ellen DeGeneres is reflecting on how her talk show came to an end in her newest Netflix special, 'Ellen's Last Stand ... Up Tour.'
What to pack during an emergency
Knowing what to have at home, or take with you for an evacuation, can be useful and even life-saving.
LIVE UPDATES Star witness returning to the stand for more testimony at Trump's at hush money trial
Donald Trump’s fixer-turned-foe returns to the witness stand Tuesday for a bruising round of questioning from the former president’s lawyers.
B.C. brings in law on name changes on day that child killer's new identity revealed
The BC NDP have tabled legislation aimed at stopping people who have committed certain heinous acts from changing their names.
Regulated area for invasive box tree moth expanded to parts of the Maritimes
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has added much of the Maritimes to a regulated area for an invasive species.
Already expensive, planning for fertility treatment difficult as costs vary widely
Being unable to have a child naturally can be extremely difficult. But when you factor in the high costs of fertility treatments, the range of individual circumstances and the fact that the industry itself is secretive about fees, it can make the whole ordeal even more devastating and hard to plan for.
A healthy lifestyle can mitigate genetic risk for early death by 62%, study suggests
Even if your genetics put you at greater risk for early death, a healthy lifestyle could help you significantly combat it, according to a new study.