‘Freaked out’: Fresno-area parents respond to Newsom’s student COVID vaccination rule

After Gov. Gavin Newsom’s announcement Friday morning that school children could be required to get the COVID-19 vaccine as soon as Jan. 1, some Fresno parents were fearful, while others felt relieved.

Newsom’s directive will add the coronavirus vaccine to the California Department of Public Health’s list of required shots for school kids attending classes in-person, which already include immunizations for measles, mumps, rubella, chickenpox, and polio.

Parents in Clovis and Fresno greeted the news with mixed feelings.

Katie Jerkovich, a Fresno Unified parent, said she doesn’t believe the mandate will be enforced without a fight.

“It’s just the unknown right now. We don’t know so much. It’s just scary,” she said. ”Anybody who has a kid right now has got to be freaked out.”

Calvin Fleming, a Clovis Unified parent, said he supports the new rule.

“I’m glad that Gov. Newsom is adding this vaccine to the long list of other vaccines that our kids are required to take to go to school,” Fleming said. “The vaccines are working, and mandates are probably the only way out of this mess.”

The new rule applies to both private and public schools, elementary and secondary, and will be phased in by grade span: 7-12 and K-6. As the FDA approves the shot for each age group, the mandate will follow the next term. A mandate for teachers and staff will also go into effect during the first phase, Newsom said, replacing the option of COVID-19 testing.

Friday’s announcement comes about two weeks ahead of an Oct. 15 deadline for California teachers to be vaccinated or submit to regular testing.

As of late Thursday, about 41% of Fresno Unified employees — roughly 5,560 — had shown proof of vaccination, including about 64% of the district’s teachers, FUSD spokesperson Nikki Henry said.

On Friday, Henry said FUSD officials were still reviewing Newsom’s new order.

Across town at the Central Unified School District, about 66% of the district’s contracted staff, including teachers, had been fully vaccinated as of Thursday. About 45% of the district’s non-contracted staff were fully vaccinated, according to district spokesperson Gilbert Magallon.

Clovis Unified was gathering teacher and staff vaccination data this week and district officials expect to have some preliminary numbers early next week.

In a statement Friday afternoon, CUSD spokesperson Kelly Avants said Newsom’s new rule would “have far-reaching implications for our schools.

“As we learn more about any potential exemptions from this requirement, reporting and record-keeping expectations, and other details of the Governor’s plan we will keep our parent and staff community informed about how (Friday’s) announcement will impact their world of work and learning,” Avants said in the statement.

Newsom said requiring student immunizations was necessary to keep teachers and children safe as officials prepare for a possible winter surge of coronavirus infections.

Many schools have been struggling to implement many coronavirus safety protocols due to a combination of staffing issues and other logistical challenges, including access to rapid COVID-19 testing kits, which remain in short supply.

Fresno parents react to new COVID vaccination rule for school students

Carolin Giffen has two children in a private school in Fresno after taking them out of Fresno Unified last year, she said.

She said she’s considering leaving California, “Either to a more conservative state or back to Germany.”

Giffen moved to the U.S. 11 years ago but said she trusts her home country, which has taken a much more conservative stance to COVID vaccinations, which are only voluntary there. Germany was also slower to recommend vaccinations for those 12-15, at first only recommending it for those with underlying conditions.

“I would possibly consider it in a couple of years if the vaccine has been proven to be efficient and there have been more long-term studies,” she said, “but not this soon. And their age group is not affected by COVID like other age groups are.”

Jerkovich said she hopes there is some sort of local control that school districts will have to give parents a choice.

“I will go to my doctor and talk to them about how I’m completely opposed to this because I really don’t want my kids to lose more schooling,” she said. “And I’ll go to school board meetings.”

The Education Lab is a local journalism initiative that highlights education issues critical to the advancement of the San Joaquin Valley. It is funded by donors. Learn about The Bee’s Education Lab here.

This story was originally published October 1, 2021 at 1:23 PM.