Vaccine and Testing Update
MEA’s Board of Directors, which is made up of elected educator members from across the state, met this past weekend to discuss the recent news that all educators in districts with 100 or more employees would be required to either be vaccinated or tested weekly for COVID-19. The vaccination or testing requirement is a federal requirement being issued by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). The Board knows how important it is for students to be back in person, but also is very aware of just how stressful this year has been already, in many ways more challenging than last year. Our priority has been and continues to be keeping educators and our students safe.
The discussion surrounding the OSHA mandate led the MEA Board to take the following position:
The MEA Board of Directors believes all educators should be vaccinated against COVID-19 or should be regularly tested in order to keep staff, students, and our communities as safe as possible during this continuing pandemic. The Association will collaborate with all stakeholders to determine the best way to make that happen. In addition, all school districts and institutions of higher education need to be implementing the recommendations of the Maine CDC.
The rules around the federal mandate to vaccinate or test are not yet known. However, MEA is prepared to advocate for the easiest implementation as possible of these new rules, and will ask the Maine Board of Occupational Health and Safety to mandate these additional items:
- Require local school districts to set up testing clinics at the district/school level to make weekly testing as easy as possible for educators
- Include an additional requirement, beyond vaccination or testing, that calls for all school districts to adhere to the Maine CDC recommendations around the operation of schools, which include universal masking, distancing and improved ventilation
- Move quickly in developing the rules and clinics to ensure the safety of our staff and students
The MEA Board also voted to sign on to a letter with NEA asking the Acting Assistant Secretary of Labor to make the CDC recommendations requirements in our schools.
The MEA Board of Directors did not come to this position or these action items without a lengthy and thorough discussion. MEA understands the reactions to mandates, but the Union hopes we can all work together to do what we can to keep our schools safe.
MEA will stay on top of any news that comes from the state and federal government on this issue and as soon as we know more will be sure to reach back out with new developments.
