The William S. Hart Union High School District governing board discussed Wednesday their ongoing program to allow Vons/Albertsons into district facilities to provide the community with vaccines.
During his presentation, Superintendent Mike Kuhlman informed the board that, under the program, from May 2021 to the present, the district has authorized certain facilities to be utilized to provide COVID-19 vaccinations as a free resource to district families.
“Governing Board Resolution No. 20/21-2 authorized the superintendent to take any and all actions necessary to ensure the continuation of public education and the health and safety of the students and staff at district sites,” reads the board agenda. “In August 2021, the board approved an agreement with the Los Angeles County Office of Education to participate in the Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity for Infectious Diseases (ELC) grant which provides funds and authority to provide school-based COVID-19 testing. Under federal guidelines, testing programs/events include the promotion of vaccinations.”
“The district is authorized to use COVID grant funding for the costs of supervision and other activities related to vaccination clinics,” the agenda adds. “The district does not receive any funding from Albertsons/Vons for allowing vaccination clinics to be operated on district property, nor does the district pay Albertsons/Vons to perform these services.”
Following the discussion of the agenda item involving vaccine clinic sites, the board was forced to take a 10-minute break due to a back and forth between board President Joe Messina and a handful of audience members.
The meeting was yet another with parents hooting and hollering in agreement when a public speaker made a comment they agreed with, and parents advocating for removing masks and vaccine mandates addressed the Hart board once again.
The parents argued their belief that masks are harmful to their students and brought up pictures of politicians taken during the National Football Conference Championship Game at SoFi Stadium not wearing masks.
Hart district officials have continually stated throughout pandemic that they will remain in accordance with the guidance of the Los Angeles County Public Health Department and the California State Department of Public Health.
Both the state of California and county public health officials agree in their mandates requiring indoor masking in public spaces. The Centers for Disease Control has also consistently said that masking, regardless of vaccination status, remains one of the most effective ways in reducing the transmission of COVID-19.
