Image from Facebook/Prairie Rose Public Schools

By Chris Brown

4-3 vote

Prairie Rose board votes in favour of COVID-19 vaccine policy

Nov 10, 2021 | 11:55 AM

DUNMORE, AB – Prairie Rose Public Schools will enact a COVID-19 vaccination policy.

The decision was made on Tuesday during the public board meeting.

In a 4-3 vote, the division’s board of trustees approved a motion requiring proof of full COVID-19 vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test result for all staff who work directly with students.

The policy only applies to staff who work directly with students. It does not apply to students, parents, outside contractors or volunteers.

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Board chair Cathy Hogg, vice-chair Lois Bedwell, Pam Cursons and Patty Rooks voted in favour. Graeme Dennis, Nancy Haraga and Shauna Vanderspruit voted against.

Hogg says the vote was based on the order from the province’s chief medical officer of health, letters of recommendation and support from the ministers of health and education and the Alberta Teachers’ Association’s statement in support of reasonable vaccination policies for teaching staff and legal consultations.

“In addition to the COVID re-entry procedures and guidelines that are already in place for Prairie Rose schools the board believes a policy requiring vaccination or testing for staff who work closely with students will provide that added layer of protection for everyone in the school setting, especial for those who are most vulnerable. We as trustees have a policy to ensure safe and caring schools,” she said.

Hogg says the requirements will be enforced on starting Feb. 1, 2022.

The issue was raised last month but the board decided to leave the decision to the new board following the Oct. 18 municipal election.

Medicine Hat Public School Division and Medicine Hat Catholic Board of Education enacted similar policies last month.

A survey done by Prairie Rose Public Schools found 70.74 per cent of division teachers and support staff are fully vaccinated with two doses, 5.99 per cent have one dose and 23.27 per cent are unvaccinated. The numbers are as of Nov. 4, and there were 434 total respondents.

Hogg says by not making the decision themselves, the United Conservative government has put trustees province-wide in an unenviable position.

“This has unfortunately been put in our laps and we don’t believe it should be. We are making the very best decisions we can for our schools and our communities based on the information and I thank our administrators for putting together a lot of information to bring to us to inform us before we make this difficult decision.”