What if you are mandated for a Vaccine? We know there are different ways to look at this; moralistic, political, personal and professional. Never the less, I'm pretty sure of the dilemma each of us will face in the near future! I'm interested hearing what your thoughts if confronted?

This is an interesting thought and one I have been thinking through a lot lately. I don't believe they should, but whether or not they *can* require it is up in the air for me... To teach, you are required to have a degree. You are required to be certified in your field. You are required to behave in a moral/ethical manner. Every job has a set of requirements, and if you don't like the requirements, they don't say "Well that's OK. You don't have to do this." They say "OK, then get a different job that doesn't require it." Teaching is unique in that they are *desperate* to keep us, but certain standards can still prevent a person from teaching... Personally, the day a vaccine is required I'm out. It breaks my heart to say, as someone whose bachelors and masters degrees are both in the field of education, because I just love it so much. But my body belongs to me. My health is extremely important to me and I don't want other people making decisions about my wellbeing.

For all those teacher who keep saying the vaccine is a personal choice about their health - here is another perspective. The vaccine is not just about personal heath but a public health measure to keep your community safe and healthy. The vaccine will help end the Pandemic! If we truly want to safe lives and bring the Pandemic to an end and have our lives get back to more normal we all should be doing our part to end the Pandemic. The best and easiest way is to get vaccinated. As it stands, teachers need to prove they have had the MMR vaccine, or are immune, before being hired. Why? Because getting vaccinated saves lives and keeps our communities safe from disease. We now have a chance to keep our communities safe from a deadly disease again by getting the latest vaccine. If we saw the dead bodies piled up on the street from the Covid virus as they did during the Black Plague for bodies to be carted off to mass graves, maybe we wouldn't be so hesitant in getting the vaccine. I personally do not want to work along side colleagues who have not been vaccinated.

The vaccine should be mandated. Everyone should be okay with this. All teachers should have gotten vaccinated already. You have a responsibility to your kids to help keep them safe. One way you do this is by staying up to date on all of your vaccines. If you aren't okay with this please go find another career.

^^^^ couldn’t have said that better!

Although my comment is not addressing the main point of your post, I must share that a vaccine is not a political issue. I worry about humanity and human intellect in general if this is a prevalent view.

I feel vaccination should be a choice and not mandated.

As a health educator, I focus on how we can take care of our amazing immune system with the basics of health (sleep, exercise, plant based diet, social (love), and self love (stress management). With anything else besides what I mention, there are most likely negative side effects which is why this decision should remain and always remain the choice of each individual. If you read the fine print, the strategy referred to has limited if any evidence of helping so it seems like a social/science experiment to me. No thank you

I got my shots for my protection and the protection of those I love. My daughter is a nurse - she was mandated to got her vaccinations. She didn’t whine, she just did it. Maybe I’m old school but it’s about time that people started doing things because it’s the right thing to do. Forget about your own selfishness. Our children have to be vaccinated to start school. Get with the program people. Do something for someone else. Get vaccinated. Wear a mask. Get real!

I'll request a religious exemption and if that doesn't work I'll speak with an attorney, then start looking for another line of work.

Not sure why anyone sees vaxxing or not vaxxing as a political statement. Like it or not, we are public servants. I surely would want the teacher of my kids to play their part in public safety and role modeling following science and research. If you don't want the vax, fine. Please find a different job.

I appreciate people’s perspective, but are you correct in your assumption that you have all the freedoms you think you have? An employer can require anything they want as a condition of employment. To drive a car, insurance, drink alcohol, health insurance, etc. Of course you can opt out of life, but where would you go? Join the homeless? Money makes people comply...

I’d be surprised if it becomes mandar in my state, too Republican. I do not see why it is unethical given it is for safety of others and self. We require vaccines as a society in other situations like traveling to a third world country. Other professions require vaccines like the medical field. Given we do it already and it’s for the safety of others and self, I belief requiring it is justified, at this point. One objection could be that it is not worth the risk, if you are low risk then it seems a better choice to risk it. My response is that may be true but it misses the fact that you will spread it if you get it and create unjustified harm for others.

In Illinois, we already have to have certain shots for employment so as to keep the students we serve safe. Students have to have certain shots as well to continue attending. I have no issue with this. It is my choice to teach and if that is what I want to do then I have to abide by the expectations that will keep all my students safe. If I am that ethically or morally opposed, I will seek employment elsewhere. Truth be told, I find it sad that people put their personal beliefs/opinions/"rights" above the greater good of the larger population. There are those that have health reasons for not getting certain vaccines/shots while others take it for granted. Sad that fact based and data driven research is dismissed when it doesn't align with our narratives.

I will quit my job before i put that poison in me. If I feel I have to keep my job and are forced to put it in me, I will sue the school system

I hope that it doesn't come down to being mandated for this vaccine. The Johnson and Johnson vaccine is no longer available in Massachusetts since the CDC reported cases of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis with thrombocytopenia after injection. There are also issues with the AstraZeneca vaccine. I think I'd rather take my risks with COVID19.

It is important to be respectful to EVERYONE's opinion whether this is about not vaccinating or other beliefs. We all have a right to our beliefs, our thoughts, our religion, our freedoms etc. even if they are different what others think.

I'm highly allergic to the flu shot and do not get it. I will not be getting the vaccine and forcing someone to is unethical. I completely respect those that get the shot, including my parents.

Most states require students to have certain vaccines before they're allowed to come to school, why should teachers be held to a different standard? I've seen some of the comments invoking HIPAA, but that probably wouldn't apply here. HIPAA only requires that "individually identifiable health information" be kept private, meaning that only information that can be used to identify a person must be kept private. In general, this does cover things like diabetes, cancer diagnoses, etc. because in a school population, there are likely only 1 or 2 employees with any particular diagnosis. Using vaccination status to identify people would be extremely difficult (except in the extreme case where there's a single holdout). Furthermore, HIPAA does include provisions for Public Health. It is permissible to release "individually identifiable health information" if it furthers a public health goal. With approximately 567k deaths from COVID in the US alone, I have hard time understanding any argument that claims COVID isn't a public health concern. The only two categories that kill more Americans are ALL forms of cancer combined and ALL forms of heart disease. If the COVID vaccine is made mandatory for teachers, I'll breathe a sigh of relief.

Asking when your appointment is for getting the vaccine or if you have gotten the vaccine to me is HIPPA violation.

we are required to have full vaxx records to become teachers (at least in CA) and tetanus boosters pretty often. Not sure how this is any different? Teaching is a career where you work in close proximity to all intersections of your community, including elders, immunocompromised, pregnant people, etc. I think it's more about respecting social contracts and doing your part to contribute to herd immunity than about "PeRsOnAl FrEeDoMs". If you want to be "sO fReE", don't work with other people. Start a Youtube channel or something, and while you're at it... please homeschool your germy kids so they don't spread the things they pick up to other kids!

I have already been background checked and fingerprinted and I would not doubt we will have to give a DNA sample some day. Everyone should get vaccinated who can. Your vaccine may save many people down the line as you could serve as the break in a contact chain. That said, I have no desire to tell people what to do. I have had both doses of Moderna for over two months and I am just fine. Teachers in Texas really have no say in anything at all. We have no union or real representation in Austin. We just push on the best we can. I am looking forward to having 50 years in teaching some day, I'm on 37 now! Onward into the fog!

First, I am sure that there would be exceptions made for those whose doctors recommend against vaccination for them. Second, how is this any different than requiring vaccinations for children before school starts? If you are not upset with kids being required to get shots, then why would you be too upset with adults being required to get them to enter the same buildings? We need to see how things progress before long term mandates are put into place. It is entirely possible we will get to a herd immunity level and be able to put this in the past. I was vaccinated myself, but I honestly don't want rigid requirements in place for everyone. That said, it seems there are some double standards in place.