by Diane Payne
On August 24,2021, the Board called a special session to vote on one item: a resolution requiring vaccination mandates for all District staff. President Joyce Wilkerson announced this meeting at last week’s August Acion Meeting; she did not explain why this one item was not on that agenda. This meeting was held one day after staff returned to school buildings and just one week before children return. The Delta variant was first reported in the U.S. back in March of this year–5 months ago. Why does the District again seem to be a day late and a dollar short? Vaccines and other mandates are standard in school communities to protect children and the population at large from harm, yet the District plays brinkmanship with children and staff during a pandemic.
The Board spun its speaker wheel and came up with 50 adults and 20 students permitted to testify–on one Action Item.
Seven of the eight Board members attended, along with both student representatives and Dr. Hite. Board member (and pediatrician) Maria McColgan was absent. (No word on when Mayor Kenny will begin the replacement process for resigned Board Member Angela McIver.) Added to the agenda just before the meeting was a presentation from Acting City Health Commissioner Cheryl Bettigole. District Medical Officer Barbara Klock attended but did not speak.
Alliance for Philadelphia Public Schools 