Panel of Judges Upholds New York City's Vaccine Mandate for Educators

 

While more than 90% of teachers are already vaccinated, the mandate was expected to cause staffing shortages in a handful of schools.

A vaccine mandate for more than 150,000 teachers, custodians, school aides, cafeteria workers and other school staff in New York City can proceed as planned, a federal appeals panel ruled Monday evening – a decision that reverses the temporary block put on it over the weekend.

Unions representing the city's teachers and principals had been urging Mayor Bill de Blasio to delay the vaccine requirement as concerns mounted that the country's largest public school system could find itself with a shortage of 10,000 teachers and staff overnight.

While more than 90% of teachers and 97% of principals are already vaccinated, the mandate was expected to cause staffing shortages in a handful of schools where a significant portion of school staff remain unvaccinated, especially in and around Staten Island.

A judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit granted an injunction on a temporary basis this weekend and referred the case to a three-judge panel to review on an expedited timeline. Their decision wasn't expected until Wednesday. The New York Times first reported the panel's decision to support the mandate

Courtesy  usnews