The group Long Beach Parents United organized a protest against vaccine mandates outside the Long Beach Unified School District (LBUSD) headquarters during a school board meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 6.
“I’m here on behalf of parents, students and staff here at Long Beach Unified School District that is anti the vaccine mandate per Governor Newsom’s order,” Katy Clark of LB Parents United said.
Gov. Gavin Newsom announced on Oct. 1 that California would be the first state in the nation to require students to get the COVID-19 vaccine in order to attend school once the vaccine is fully approved by the FDA.
According to a State press release, the COVID-19 vaccine requirement is expected to apply to grades seven through 12 starting on July 1, 2022.
“We’re against mandating anything,” Nakisa Nowroozi said. “We’re not against vaccination, we’re pro-choice, and if someone has natural immunity that has to be considered as an alternative to vaccination.”
Once the COVID-19 vaccine receives full approval by the FDA for K-12 students, it will be added to the list of vaccines required for school attendance, which includes measles, mumps and rubella.
The vaccination will be required for children in the seventh to twelfth grade once the FDA approves it for people over 12 years of age. Once the FDA approves the COVID-19 vaccine for those ages 5 to 11, it will be required for students ranging from kindergarten to sixth grade.
Children ages 12 and older are currently able to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. It does not have full FDA approval yet.
LB Parents United formed earlier this year, and has been protesting LBUSD school board meetings and sending complaint forms to the school district.
“I just feel like we should all individually have that right to decide what we want to do with our bodies and our children’s,” community member Kimberly Pertierra said.