MONTVALE—A split Pascack Valley Regional Board of Education failed to pass an updated school employee vaccination policy at the Feb. 28 meeting, a move that leaves the original policy in effect, requiring district employees to be fully vaccinated or tested at least weekly.
The vote was 3-3. Voting against were Pat Luisi, Debra Stephans and Michael Weaver. Voting for were James Stankus, Gini Varghese, and President Joseph Blundo. Absent were VP Tammy Molinelli, Kelly Blundy and Kristin Martin.
Paul Zeller, director of technology and communication, and the district’s spokesman, explained that as the amendment was not approved, the current policy remains in effect as approved September 2021.
He said the district has 22 employees who are not vaccinated and are screened weekly for Covid-19, per state requirements with regard to exemptions.
District officials said 297 full-time employees are “fully vaccinated,” meaning they have completed a one-shot-only or two-shot vaccine series against Covid-19.
“All unvaccinated employees, regardless of exemptions, are required and continue to be screened. To be clear, unvaccinated employees are not in jeopardy of losing their jobs and will not be terminated. They are simply required to be screened for Covid-19 weekly until the state requirements are changed,” Zeller said.
He explained that by not having an updated policy the board risks not being in sync with state Department of Education health guidance on Covid-19.
As well, the board could lose points in one element of the state’s district self-evaluation system for public school districts, or NJQSAC, an acronym for New Jersey Quality Single Accountability Continuum.
The NJQSAC system monitors and evaluates districts on metrics of instruction and programs, fiscal soundness, governance, and operations and personnel.
According to Interim Superintendent Daniel Fishbein, the vote might have an impact on funding though it struck him as unlikely as pandemic regulations are eased statewide with Gov. Phil Murphy’s removal of school mask mandates, in class and on buses, effective March 7.
Opinions from board members on maintaining vaccination requirements varied, especially given the slowing spread of Covid-19 variants and general relaxation of mask and social distance mandates. The old policy allows all those not wanting to be vaccinated to be tested weekly instead.
However, Fishbein said when the vaccination policy began last September, unvaccinated employees were being tested twice weekly, but that changed to once weekly in October.
Trustee Michael Weaver said that having a vaccination policy doesn’t seem to be following the data that indicates declining cases of Covid and lower transmission rates. He said having a vaccination policy “contradicts what the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) is saying.”
He questioned when the board should ask the state education department, and said, “What is the point of this vaccination policy?”
He said he understands that the board still needs to follow state mandates. However, he added, “This policy no longer seems logical and doesn’t seem to make sense.”
Trustee James Stankus said “Vaccines have been known to work to keep people out of hospitals” and said he feels that the vaccination requirement is necessary. He said although the vaccines may not guarantee the virus won’t be transmitted, “It does keep people from getting severely sick.”
Trustee Gini Varghese said the vaccination requirement was about keeping teachers healthy and keeping teachers in school for students. She said teachers not being in school “does have significant impact on students” and that “protecting our teachers is a really important point.”
Pat Luisi said the Supreme Court “got it right” when they voted against a government vaccine mandate for private companies over 100 employees. He said the reasons people chose not to be vaccinated may be valid, invalid, ignorant or logical but noted he’d “hate to see someone not be able to efficiently work because of a requirement like this.”
Debra Stephans said people could still wear masks if they were not comfortable getting the vaccine. “It’s your safety if you feel more comfortable wearing it.”
Blundo said he voted in favor because he supported the education department’s mandates and worried about possible impacts on NJQSAC-related district funding.
Fishbein agreed with Weaver that the district might “be dinged” for its non-vaccine policy compliance but that it would not likely face major funding impacts.
The defeated policy amendment included one revision: “Workers who do not submit test results on the specified day must stay home and will not be paid for that day.”
