Vaccine mandate for students starts next semester

Zaineh Saleh

Crimson Chronicle Reporter

As the deadline for the COVID-19 vaccine mandate approaches, many students have differing opinions on whether or not it should be enforced. LAUSD requires all students above the age of  12 to have their first dose by Jan 12, when the second semester begins.

Students who do not meet the deadline will be forced to continue the rest of the year virtually.

While many students felt the decision was fair and “necessary,”many disagreed and felt it was rather unjust.

“It’s a violation of my rights as a student, they can’t place a date and expect all students to follow it if they don’t want to,” said Sheyla Pena, a freshman PAM student. Sheyla explained how going online will limit her school involvement as she cannot do sports, clubs, and other school-related activities. “I overall think we should all protest against this, we can’t stand here and let them control us.”

Students argued that implementing the vaccine will not only limit student activity but will also set a “division” among students according to many. 

Other people claimed that the vaccine being acquired isn’t really a choice for the students to make but rather their parents. According to Gabriela Huenchuguala, a SAS freshman, she has no problem getting the vaccine, but it’s her parents who are wholeheartedly against it. “I can acknowledge the importance of the vaccine, but growing up with anti-vaxxer parents it’s really not my choice to get it. This mandate is going to limit a lot of students from going to school.”

Mackenzie Fagen showed neutrality towards the vaccine as she finds the decision difficult to make.“I believe mandating the vaccine is highly important as it will decrease the number of cases in the school. However, I feel like it will be really difficult to make everyone get it,” said Mackenzie, a SAS freshman. 

The LAUSD athlete’s deadline to get the first dose of the vaccine already passed on Oct 3.
According to Dr.Franco, Students who don’t have a valid medical exemption and don’t make the deadline will not be permitted on campus and will be transferred to the district’s independent study program’s “City of Angels”. City of Angels is an LAUSD virtual academic program that many Hollywood High teachers switched to recently.  Despite differing student ideas, the deadline is inevitable and students will have to make the decision of what to do sooner or later.