Monday marks deadline for LAUSD teacher vaccine mandate

LOS ANGELES - Here we are, November 15, which marks the extension of a deadline by the Los Angeles Unified School District, ordering vaccinations from all their staffers. 

As of their latest numbers, which are from October, most of those working for the district are vaccinated.  

Jamal Speaks Sr. is one of about 1,450 staffers who, as of October, have received exemptions for the COVID-19 vaccines. He remains an employee, but can’t go into the school where he has taught for years, a popular film production class. 

He has since been assigned to teach from his home office computer via the district's online platform to students he doesn’t know. The online platform includes subjects that include science and even calculus.

"My certification is for English" he explains, adding that he is not qualified to teach those subjects. 

He is unhappy, as are some of his film students at Valley Oaks Center for Enriched Studies, who say they are missing out on a great educator. 

Listen to what they say and I'll let you decide. This is the story of one teacher, but there are others out there. There are also parents and students who want their teachers vaccinated. 

Both the district and the teacher’s union support the mandate. At least two parents’ groups have filed lawsuits against them, but judges have not granted them the restraining orders they sought.

So, agree with it or not, the system will remain as it is, for now.  

Does it work for everyone? No, here is one such story. 

LAUSD had issued the following statement as Monday marked the deadline for the teacher vaccine mandate:

"Employees working in-person in Los Angeles Unified have been vaccinated. There are a few employees who still have until the end of the day today to upload the record of their second vaccine dose. Employees who have not been vaccinated and who have not received reasonable accommodations will be continuing through the dismissal process."