Lisbon Schools discussed the upcoming federal mandate for the COVID-19 vaccine and how they plan to address the issue. No decision was made at the Nov. 15 meeting.
Lisbon Schools has more than 100 employees, which puts them past the threshold at which the district must adhere to a mandate that all employees are vaccinated.
Lisbon Schools superintendent Pat Hocking said he is a huge proponent of people getting the vaccination if they so choose, but he wants those at the district to have a choice if they get the vaccine as opposed to a forced mandate.
“We’re going to lose employees if we have to go this route,” Hocking said. “We can’t afford to lose a single employee right now. If I have the authority to sign waivers, I’m willing to sign waivers. I don’t want to lose a good employee over something the government is overstepping their boundaries on.”
Lisbon School Board member Abbe Stensland noted there is a case in the Fifth Circuit right now that is challenging the Constitutionality of the mandate, which could impact the Dec. 4 deadline for the mandate moving forward.
Stensland also noted she has already seen cases of employees walking away from jobs because of vaccine mandates being rolled out.
“This is having the opposite effect that the federal government probably wanted,” Stensland said. “People are walking away rather than getting the vaccine.”
Lisbon School Board member John Prasil said he would fight tooth and nail if there was a chance for the district to offer choice, but if it comes down to if the school needs to follow the law or be fined, he felt the board’s hands might be tied at that point.
Lisbon School Board member Robyn Richey asked for clarification if the district would need to enforce this mandate if it was still being challenged by the courts.
Hocking said the matter was one he would be researching and provide more information at the Dec. 1 meeting.
Lisbon School Board president Jen Caspers said the board may need to have a plan in place for the Dec. 1 meeting.