With a new school year approaching, the Clark County School District says it doesn’t have an employee COVID-19 vaccination mandate and its development “has not been necessary.”
Education
The Clark County School District updated its “COVID-19 quarantine and isolation guidance” Dec. 30 in alignment with the new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.
Both employee and student absences were higher than normal as the district resumed in-person teaching in the midst of a rapid surge of coronavirus around the Las Vegas Valley.
Teachers union head John Vellardita said that the status of the vaccine mandate approved more than three months ago is a key concern with COVID-19 cases soaring.
Parents of some Clark County School District students are upset about a message from district officials about the reopening of schools amid a surge of COVID-19 cases.
“At least five” regents requested a special meeting Thursday to reconsider the requirement, but Gov. Steve Sisolak is encouraging the board to keep the mandate intact.
Following a Legislative Commission decision Tuesday not to approve a permanent COVID-19 vaccination mandate, schools began removing holds on student registrations.
The site at 851 E. Tropicana Ave., just east of Paradise Road, across from UNLV’s Thomas Mack Center, will be closed from Sunday through Christmas.
The federal lawsuit filed this week argues that both the vaccination mandate and a requirement that unvaccinated workers be tested for COVID-19 are unconstitutional.
The Nevada System of Higher Education reported a 92 percent compliance rate with the mandate, but said termination notices have already been sent to most who didn’t.
Three employee unions say no formal negotiations have occurred yet with the Clark County School District after the School Board approval of COVID-19 vaccinations on Sept. 2.
Nevada State Higher Education system officials said they hadn’t yet compiled records from individual colleges and universities and don’t know how many complied with the mandate.
The policy requires employees to provide proof of a COVID-19 vaccination series by Dec. 1 or face possible termination. Medical and religious exemptions will be considered.
Changes will allow employees undergoing mandatory COVID-19 testing to be paid and for a stipend for special education teacher assistants. The school board will consider approval Sept. 23.
Rate climbs sharply as Board of Regents proceeds with plans for mandatory vaccination of Nevada System of Higher Education employees.