Local schools planning future as deadline approaches for staff vaccine mandate

SALEM, Ore. —Under the state’s vaccine mandate, school staff are required to be vaccinated by October 18th. Governor Brown says that if a teacher does not get vaccinated by the state’s deadline, it’s up to the school itself to make the decision about their employment status.

The director of the Oregon Department of Education, says that educators or volunteers can’t interact in the school environment without vaccination.

Medford School District says 80% of its staff is vaccinated. But for the other 20%, it’s unclear what that looks like when the time comes.

“They’re either going to be requesting a religious exemption, or they work somewhere where the requirement is not required, or they’re looking at their options for next steps if they didn’t do any of those things,” said MSD Superintendent Bret Champion.

The Grants Pass School District, says it has not yet determined its path forward if employees aren’t vaccinated by the deadline, without filing an exemption.

The Eagle Point School District says it will be following the vaccine mandate.