NEA Strongly Supports Biden Administration’s New COVID-19  Vaccine-or-Test Requirements

WASHINGTON – The Biden Administration today announced new COVID-19 vaccine-or-test requirements and enforcement of civil rights laws to protect our most vulnerable students.  

In response to President Joe Biden’s speech today laying out his COVID-19 Action Plan, the following statement can be attributed to National Education Association President Becky Pringle: 
 

“Educators remain committed to working together to ensure our local schools are the safest places in the community for every student, educator and family. As students and educators go back to school this year, we are focused on keeping students safe, learning and engaged. That is why the National Education Association strongly supports President Biden’s new COVID-19 vaccinate-or-test requirements in workplaces with 100 or more employees and call for state vaccination requirements for all educators.  

“NEA is proud that nearly 90 percent of its members are already vaccinated, and we have been supportive of policies to increase vaccination rates, including through mandates, permitting appropriate accommodations are provided and employees and their unions are engaged in how policies are developed and implemented, such as collective bargaining. 

“Vaccines must be combined with other mitigation measures, like masking, distancing, improving ventilation, and testing. That is why NEA fully supports the Administration’s call for increased screening testing in public schools.  

“All students have the right to safe in-person instruction, and we applaud the Administration’s enforcement of civil rights laws to protect our most vulnerable students. We look forward to the use of every available tool to keep our students and educators safe, as well as our schools and institutions of higher education open for in-person instruction.”  

Visit www.nea.org/vaxtoschool for information and resources to help educators and parents make an informed decision about how best to protect our students. 

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Follow on Twitter at @NEAmedia and @BeckyPringle

The National Education Association is the nation’s largest professional employee organization, representing nearly 3 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, educational support professionals, school administrators, retired educators and students preparing to become teachers. Learn more at www.nea.org.