Correction: Due to a reporting error we gave an inaccurate account of the vote. Looking back at the meeting video, we revised this web story on Oct. 4. We apologize to the board members whose votes we misrepresented.
WESTWOOD REGIONAL SCHOOL DISTRICT—The district board of trustees on Sept. 23 approved a wide-ranging Covid-19 vaccination policy affecting teachers, administrators, and all full- and part-time covered workers.
No one spoke up to champion the policy, which follows from Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy’s Executive Order 253, signed Aug. 23, requiring all covered workers to either provide adequate proof that they have been fully vaccinated or submit to Covid-19 testing one to two times each week.
The vote was 4–1, with two abstentions: Michael Pontillo of Westwood (and the borough’s police chief) and new trustee Thomas Snee of the Township of Washington. Vice President Joseph Abou-Daoud of Westwood and Stacey Price of the Township of Washington were absent.
Voting against was Michelle Sembler of Westwood.
Voting for were Maureen Colombo and president Frank Romano III of Township of Washington, and Andrew Gerstmayr and Roberta Hanlon of Westwood.
(Related: “Maureen Colombo is county’s top school counselor for ’21,” Pascack Press, April 17, 2021.)
The requirement takes effect on Oct. 18. In order to have the policy in effect for this school year, the board suspended its rule that generally requires two readings and discussions of a policy for adoption.
By way of background, Murphy’s executive order 253 — on vaccination management, Covid-19 testing, data collection, and the implementation of CDC recommendations — notes the existence of a public health emergency and a state of emergency, pursuant to the New Jersey Civilian Defense and Disaster Control Act, regarding coronavirus.
Murphy says he reserves the right “to utilize and employ all available resources of state government to protect against the emergency.”
Further, he says “preventing transmission of Covid-19 is critical to keeping schools open for in-person instruction.”
Murphy expresses concern for those too young to receive the vaccine, and says in part, “The CDC has emphasized that Covid-19 vaccines are effective in that they can prevent individuals from getting and spreading the virus, and can prevent severe illness in individuals who do contract Covid-19.”
He explains state aid is available to schools to comply with related executive orders, and explains that a previous executive order, on mask wearing indoors, includes exceptions where appropriate.
Local reactions
A Washington Township resident speaking at the public microphone called Executive Order 253 an “unlegislated mandate.”
Pontillo argued, “There should be some exceptions to the policy and also the executive order.”
He added that while he understands “the need for safety and healthy schools and employees, I understand that people have the fundamental right to privacy free from intrusion from the government.”
Pontillo asserted there were “many unknowns” about Covid-19, the vaccines, and the long-term effects. “I can’t in good conscience vote to mandate an employee to do something with their body.”
Pontillo said he considered the governor’s order an “unfunded mandate.”
Sembler said of her no vote that she was “uncomfortable mandating and enforcing this policy… This is a tough one for me.”
The policy defines covered workers as all individuals employed by the Board of Education, both full and part-time, including, but not limited to administrators; teachers; educational support professionals; individuals providing food, custodial, and administrative support services; substitute teachers, whether employed directly by the Board of Education or otherwise contracted; contractors; providers; “and any other individuals performing work in the school district whose job duties require them to make regular visits to the school district, including volunteers.”
Snee said his disagreement with the vaccine policy did not reflect on the administration or interim superintendent.
He called the state-mandate vaccine requirement “an intrusion on individual personal liberty” and then said he would abstain from voting.
The School Employee Vaccination Requirements policy lists five documents that covered employees can use to prove their vaccination status. Either:
- A CDC Covid Vaccination Card;
- An Official NJ Immunization Information System record;
- A vaccination record signed by an accredited health care provider;
- A military immunization record; or
- A Docket mobile immunization record or certified digital health record.
Unvaccinated workers’ weekly testing
According to the district’s policy, an unvaccinated covered worker is required to submit proof of a Covid-19 test. The unvaccinated covered worker may choose either antigen or molecular tests that have EUA by the FDA or are operating per the Laboratory Developed Test requirements by the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
Where a Board of Education provides the unvaccinated covered worker with on-site Covid-19 test(s), the district might similarly elect to administer or provide access to either an antigen or molecular test.
If the covered worker is not working on-site in the school district during a week when testing would otherwise be required, the superintendent or designee may not require the worker to submit to testing for that week.
“This requirement shall not supplant any requirement imposed by the Board of Education regarding diagnostic testing of symptomatic workers or screening testing of vaccinated workers,” the policy says.
And it says the board “shall track test results required by Executive Order 253 and must report those results to the local public health department.”
It also says the board is free to revise the policy to include additional or stricter requirements.