Truth matters. Community matters. Your support makes both possible. LAist is one of the few places where news remains independent and free from political and corporate influence. Stand up for truth and for LAist. Make your year-end tax-deductible gift now.
Nearly 2,000 LAUSD Staff Members Got COVID-19 Vaccine Exemptions
A healthcare worker displays a COVID-19 vaccine record card.
(
Nathan Howard
/
Getty Images
)
The Los Angeles Unified School District, one of the largest employers in the county, issued a vaccine mandate last August, requiring all workers to get vaccinated or face being fired. The move came after Gov. Gavin Newsom mandated vaccines or weekly testing for all staff at California's public schools.
Employees with religious objections or medical conditions preventing them from getting the shot could, the district said, “engage in an interactive process to determine if a reasonable accommodation exists." A public records request filed by LAist has revealed that more than 3,200 staff members made that request.
To date, at least 1,963 LAUSD employees have been exempted, with principals, vice principals, teachers and school police making up about half of that pool. The remaining half is made up of staff.
Back in August, when the delta variant was top of mind, the teachers’ union voted overwhelmingly in favor of the mandate. UTLA President Cecily Myart-Cruz celebrated the decision.
“Because of the protocols that UTLA educators and LAUSD families fought for and won,” she said in a statement, “LA Unified has among the strictest COVID safety protocols in the country.”
The public records request also revealed that 845 teachers have received vaccine exemptions, a figure that represents just over 3% of K-12 educators in the district.
Sponsored message
Forty school police officers also applied for exemptions. Twenty of them are now suing the district, alleging they were either wrongfully fired or coerced into taking the vaccine.
The Los Angeles Superior Court lawsuit was brought Monday, as the omicron variant rips through the county. The plaintiffs seek compensatory damages, and those who were fired also want to be reinstated to their previous positions.
According to the suit, some plaintiffs remain on medical leave but have been told that they will be terminated if they return unvaccinated.
Jill Replogle contributed to this report.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our connected community. We are free to tell the full truth, to hold power to account without fear or favor, and to follow facts wherever they lead. Our only loyalty is to our audiences and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen our community.
Right now, LAist has lost $1.7M in annual funding due to Congress clawing back money already approved. The support we receive before year-end will determine how fully our newsroom can continue informing, serving, and strengthening Southern California.
If this story helped you today, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Your tax-deductible donation keeps LAist independent and accessible to everyone.
Right now, LAist has lost $1.7M in annual funding due to Congress clawing back money already approved. The support we receive before year-end will determine how fully our newsroom can continue informing, serving, and strengthening Southern California.
If this story helped you today, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Your tax-deductible donation keeps LAist independent and accessible to everyone.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
