Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Vaccinations Mandated for State Center Students, Staff, Contractors by Oct. 15
gvw_nancy_price
By Nancy Price, Multimedia Journalist
Published 3 years ago on
August 24, 2021

Share

State Center Community College District trustees voted 5-2 on Monday to mandate vaccinations for students, staffers, and contractors on campuses effective Oct. 15.

That puts the district in line with the California Community Colleges chancellor’s office and board of governors, which recommended making COVID-19 vaccinations mandatory, and the Fresno County Department of Public Health, which has been urging local employers to make vaccinations mandatory because of surging case numbers here.

Even so, interim Chancellor Douglas Houston had recommended against mandatory vaccinations, focusing instead on remote work options, increasing coronavirus testing, and other mitigation measures but leaving the door open to a future vaccination mandate.

Houston acknowledged that his cabinet, including the presidents of Fresno City College, Clovis Community College, Reedley College, and Madera Community College, had come down on the side of requiring vaccinations except for those who claim a “sincerely held” religious belief or medical exemption.

However, he said he felt the district could still make room for “individual choice,” at least for now.

“I have some deep concerns about our capacity to actually enforce such a mandate, what it will mean for students and for employees who, regardless of whether they apply for a religious exemption or a medical exemption, simply choose not to undergo vaccination for their own personal reasons,” he said.

UC, CSU Mandate Vaccinations

The University of California and California State University systems decided earlier this summer to require vaccinations for students and staff to be on campus. The California Community Colleges system has oversight but not the same direct control as the UC and CSU systems and is unable to issue a vaccination mandate.

Most representatives of the district’s labor organizations spoke at Monday’s meeting in support of requiring vaccinations, with the exception of the State Center Federation of Teachers, which took a neutral stance.

Virginia Beamer, president of State Center’s chapter of the California School Employees Association, said mandatory vaccinations will protect support staff. While faculty still have the luxury of being able to work from home, noncertificated school staffers are “front line workers” who risk exposure to COVID-19 infection, she said.

Risks of Vaccine

But employee Sage Vindiola said she’s more worried about potential short-term and long-term impacts from the vaccine than the coronavirus itself. She said she’s a single mother of nine children and is their sole provider.

“I cannot take a vaccine that could end my life, and then what happens to them? Where do they go?” she said. “I would much rather risk my chances catching COVID-19 where I have over a 99% survivability rate.”

Survivability isn’t the only issue, said Rebecca Benas, a Fresno City College faculty member and a COVID-19 long hauler. Benas said that since she caught COVID in the summer of 2020, she has struggled with fatigue, pain, and weakness, and initially lost her sense of smell altogether. Things still don’t smell or taste right, she said.

“I’ve lost over 20% of my body weight, because most foods smell and taste like chemicals, vomit, and charcoal,” Benas said.

The 5-2 vote, with trustees Richard Caglia and Bobby Kahn opposing the vaccination mandate, came after a detailed presentation by Houston and other district officials that included a look at Fresno County’s surging COVID-19 cases and lagging vaccination rates and statements by health officials in support of requiring vaccinations.

Monday’s special meeting had been rescheduled from Friday, when the district learned that the virtual meeting had not been set up to accommodate hundreds of people who tried to attend online.

DON'T MISS

Trump Says Musk, Vivek Will Form Outside Group to Advise White House on Government Efficiency

DON'T MISS

Fate of Clovis Trustee Race Still Up in the Air. So Are Clovis, Sanger School Bond Measures.

DON'T MISS

Richardson Widens Lead Over Bonakdar in Nail-Biting Race for Fresno City Council

DON'T MISS

What to Know About John Ratcliffe, Trump’s Pick for CIA Director

DON'T MISS

Here Are the People Trump Has Picked for Key Positions So Far

DON'T MISS

Waymo’s Robotaxis Now Open to Anyone Who Wants a Driverless Ride in Los Angeles

DON'T MISS

Fresno County Man Accused of Filing Fake Disability Claims in $300K Fraud Scheme

DON'T MISS

Trump Nominates Fox News Host Pete Hegseth for Defense Secretary

DON'T MISS

Economists Warn of Inflation and Debt Risks in Trump’s Second Term Plans

DON'T MISS

How Many Smoke Shops Is Too Many? Fresno Plan Would Allow Only 49

UP NEXT

Fresno County Man Accused of Filing Fake Disability Claims in $300K Fraud Scheme

UP NEXT

Chris Wallace Is Leaving CNN, Eager to Explore New Media Landscape

UP NEXT

Last GOP Congressman Anchored in Democratic LA County Concedes in Race Against Former NASA Exec

UP NEXT

US Regulators Investigating Whether Engines on 1.4 Million Hondas Might Fail

UP NEXT

When to Catch the Last Supermoon of the Year

UP NEXT

Mattel Says It ‘Deeply’ Regrets Misprint on ‘Wicked’ Dolls Packaging That Links to Porn Site

UP NEXT

4B Movement: After the Election, a Call for Women to Swear Off Men

UP NEXT

Homeowners’ Effort to Leave Sierra Unified Ends With County Ed Rejection

UP NEXT

FBI Thwarts Iranian Murder-for-Hire Plan Targeting Donald Trump

UP NEXT

Wave of Racist Texts After Election Prompts FBI Scrutiny

Nancy Price,
Multimedia Journalist
Nancy Price is a multimedia journalist for GV Wire. A longtime reporter and editor who has worked for newspapers in California, Florida, Alaska, Illinois and Kansas, Nancy joined GV Wire in July 2019. She previously worked as an assistant metro editor for 13 years at The Fresno Bee. Nancy earned her bachelor's and master's degrees in journalism at Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism. Her hobbies include singing with the Fresno Master Chorale and volunteering with Fresno Filmworks. You can reach Nancy at 559-492-4087 or Send an Email

What to Know About John Ratcliffe, Trump’s Pick for CIA Director

6 hours ago

Here Are the People Trump Has Picked for Key Positions So Far

6 hours ago

Waymo’s Robotaxis Now Open to Anyone Who Wants a Driverless Ride in Los Angeles

6 hours ago

Fresno County Man Accused of Filing Fake Disability Claims in $300K Fraud Scheme

6 hours ago

Trump Nominates Fox News Host Pete Hegseth for Defense Secretary

6 hours ago

Economists Warn of Inflation and Debt Risks in Trump’s Second Term Plans

6 hours ago

How Many Smoke Shops Is Too Many? Fresno Plan Would Allow Only 49

7 hours ago

US Says It Will Not Limit Israel Arms Transfers After Some Improvements in Flow of Aid to Gaza

7 hours ago

Who With Valley Ties Could Land Spots in the Trump Administration?

8 hours ago

Tulare Gang Member Gets Life Without Parole for 2022 Murders

9 hours ago

Trump Says Musk, Vivek Will Form Outside Group to Advise White House on Government Efficiency

WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday said Elon Musk and former GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy will lead a new “D...

5 hours ago

5 hours ago

Trump Says Musk, Vivek Will Form Outside Group to Advise White House on Government Efficiency

5 hours ago

Fate of Clovis Trustee Race Still Up in the Air. So Are Clovis, Sanger School Bond Measures.

5 hours ago

Richardson Widens Lead Over Bonakdar in Nail-Biting Race for Fresno City Council

6 hours ago

What to Know About John Ratcliffe, Trump’s Pick for CIA Director

6 hours ago

Here Are the People Trump Has Picked for Key Positions So Far

6 hours ago

Waymo’s Robotaxis Now Open to Anyone Who Wants a Driverless Ride in Los Angeles

A Fresno County man has been indicted on mail fraud charges for allegedly submitting over $300,000 in falsified disability claims using stolen identities. (GV Wire File)
6 hours ago

Fresno County Man Accused of Filing Fake Disability Claims in $300K Fraud Scheme

Pete Hegseth walks to an elevator for a meeting with President-elect Donald Trump at Trump Tower in New York, Dec. 15, 2016. (AP File)
6 hours ago

Trump Nominates Fox News Host Pete Hegseth for Defense Secretary

Search

Send this to a friend