Hundreds Of Unvaccinated LAUSD Employees Fired

LOS ANGELES, CA — Almost 500 Los Angeles Unified School District employees lost their jobs after they failed to get vaccinated against COVID-19, officials announced this week.

Seven of the 496 terminated employees held teaching credentials, though the Los Angeles Times reported that officials did not say whether any were classroom teachers at the time of their dismissal.

The number represents less than 1 percent of the LAUSD's roughly 73,000 employees, the LA Times said, and officials indicated they could be eligible for a rehire upon getting inoculated.

The district had required that all employees get their first vaccine dose by mid-October and be fully vaccinated by Nov. 15, KTVU reported.

As reported by KTVU, Interim Superintendent Megan K. Reilly said her district did not take its decision lightly.

"We care deeply about all of our employees. Parting ways with individuals who choose not to be vaccinated is an extremely difficult, but necessary decision to ensure the safety of all in our school communities," Reilly said. "We wish everyone the best in their future endeavors and encourage everyone to get vaccinated."

The school system had implemented an exemption for religious and medical reasons, and the LA Times said school officials continue to evaluate the exemption requests of an "unknown number of workers" who currently "remain in limbo."

LAUSD students, too, face a vaccination deadline: The district is requiring that they be fully vaccinated by Jan. 10, the start of the second semester, and 34,000 students have yet to provide proof that they've complied with the mandate.