Berkeley School Board To Discuss Student Vaccine Policy Wednesday

Berkeley CA

21 September, 2021

12:57 PM

Description

BERKELEY, CA—On Wednesday, the Berkeley Unified School District School Board will begin discussions on a possible COVID-19 vaccine mandate for students. The board has not scheduled a vote on the proposed vaccine policy. Wednesday's meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. Under the current draft of the policy, BUSD students 12 and older, not including Berkeley Adult School students, would need to be fully vaccinated by January 3, 2022. Students with a documented medical or religious exemption would not be required to have a vaccination. Students who are not fully vaccinated by that date would be required to have a weekly COVID-19 test. Currently, the policy states all Berkeley High School athletes 16 and over must be fully vaccinated unless they also have a documented medical or religious exemption. There is not an option to substitute weekly tests for vaccinations. Also, anyone 12 or older would have to show proof of vaccination to attend indoor Berkeley High School athletic events. Berkeley Adult School students must be fully vaccinated by January 3, 2022 if they wish to attend school in person, unless they have a documented medical or religious exemption. There is not an option to substitute weekly tests for vaccinations. The policy also states "no student shall be deemed ineligible for any activity due to lack of access to the vaccine." The district will develop procedures for evaluating medical or religious exemptions, as well as a list of optional extra-curricular activities that may require full vaccination status, such as prom. District data shows 82 percent of BUSD high school students and 75 percent of middle school students are fully vaccinated as of September 9.