OFT Update on Vaccines and School Reopening in Ohio

Across Ohio, school districts are facing very different conditions related to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Some districts have been fully open, some are doing hybrid education, and some are still fully remote. We have districts where it’s possible to keep students at a six-foot distance, as is recommended by public health experts, and we have districts where that is just not possible. We have some districts that have the technology in place for remote learning, and some where that is a challenge. We also have varying rates of community spread across the state, though all but four counties are currently in red or purple on Ohio’s public health advisory map.

Despite the disparate conditions across the state, Governor DeWine is seeking a commitment, from every single school district, for a March 1st reopening. Vaccine distribution will be contingent on whether or not a school district signs up. We have some major questions and concerns about this, which are addressed below.

If you share these concerns, please contact Gov. DeWine today and let him know. Overall, we believe that reopening schools by March1st is a strong goal that we should all work toward, but that it does not make sense to make that a precondition for distributing the vaccine. We want to return to our schools as soon as possible, but only when it is safe to do so.

Here are some more questions and answers about our position on the vaccine rollout.

Will K-12 educators and school staff even be able to receive both doses of the vaccine by March 1st?

Based on the timeline given to us by the Governor, we are not confident that the majority of educators and staff will be able to receive both doses of the vaccine by March 1st. We are not even completely confident that all educators and staff will receive the first dose by then. Remember, K-12 schools are only part of the Phase 1B vaccine grouping, which also includes adults age 65 and older, and adults who are at high risk due to their medical history. Phase 1B includes more than 2 million Ohioans altogether, and while there will be some doses reserved each week for K-12 schools, the majority of doses will go to the other groups in Phase 1B.

We are concerned that the DeWine administration may argue that one dose of the vaccine is enough to protect us. Based on the scientific evidence, we think that both doses are needed before someone is actually vaccinated. Additionally, there is evidence that it takes up to two weeks following your second dose before you have reached the peak level of immunity.

Aside from the timeline of vaccine distribution, does OFT have other concerns?

Yes. We feel there are many factors to consider before reopening, including:

• The school district’s capacity to follow other covid precautions, like masks and distancing, if they are reopened.
• The community spread in the school district.
• A robust COVID-19 testing program to allow us to identify and address clusters of positive cases.
• Rate of vaccination of educators and staff

Will this commitment be enforced? Will school districts be punished if they don’t open by March 1st?

We don’t think so. Based on comments made earlier this week by Kevin Miller from Buckeye Association of School Administrators, we think that there will be flexibility for school districts to push back the date if there is evidence that reopening is not safe. If that is the case, the Governor needs to make it clear that March 1 is a goal, not a deadline.

Why is OFT opposing the March 1st mandate if it may not even be enforced?

We are concerned that the mandate will still pressure some districts into reopening before they are ready. We also know that many members are concerned about their school district making a commitment that does not seem to be reasonable or safe. We are also concerned that if the Governor announces that all schools will re-open on March 1, parents and students will be planning on that happening. The deadline is creating unrealistic expectations.

The bottom line is that withholding the vaccine should not be used as a threat to get schools to open. We believe that the Governor should be working with educators to determine safe opening conditions and then trusting educators to make the decision about when those conditions have been met.

We are also concerned that the school districts and communities that have been hit the hardest by the pandemic, including many communities of color, will be further harmed by this policy.

When will my school district be scheduled for the vaccine?

We don’t know. Most school districts in the state have not received a target date to begin vaccinations. We don’t feel it’s appropriate for districts to be forced to commit to reopening before they have a timeline of vaccinations for educators and staff.

What will OFT or OFT Locals do if a school district is being mandated to open while members feel it is unsafe?

That will be a decision for each local union to make, based on the contract or memorandum of understanding language in your school district. OFT staff will provide support to locals on this issue.

Why should we be prioritized for the vaccine if we don’t commit to reopening on March 1st?

Early vaccinations are not “wasted” if they are given to educators and staff without the precondition of opening schools. Our teachers are still educating students even when not in buildings full time. These vaccinations will reduce the amount of missed time for educators, helping to maintain consistency in our students’ education and it will set the conditions to reach our shared goal of opening up schools as soon as possible.

Will I be forced to take the vaccine?

OFT does not support making the vaccine mandatory. We support our members’ right to make personal healthcare decisions on their own. We have not heard about mandatory vaccines being proposed in any of our school districts. We do encourage all members, and all Ohioans, to take the vaccine as soon as it is offered to you, because that is ultimately what will get this pandemic under control.

Are you an OFT member that has other questions? Feel free to reach us at info@oft-aft.org, or contact your Local President or Building Representative.

Please take action today and contact Governor DeWine. Tell him that reopening schools by March 1st should be our goal, but not a statewide mandate.