'Vaccinate Teachers' Says Manhattan Beach School Board President

MANHATTAN BEACH, CA — Manhattan Beach Unified School Board President Jen Fenton has signed a letter sent to Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn asking for teachers to receive priority for the COVID-19 vaccine. Fenton joins school district board presidents from Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach, Torrance, Palos Verdes, and El Segundo in the letter.

"Our message is simple," said Fenton. "Prioritize ALL educational workers in their vaccinations distribution plans. Inoculation cannot be a barrier to our schools re-opening!" The letter has also been sent to Dr. Barbara Ferrer and Dr. Robert Gilchick, both with the county Department of Public Health.

Here's the letter:

Dear Supervisor Hahn, Dr. Ferrer and Dr. Gilchick,

We write to you as a collective group, representing six public school districts from across the South Bay. Since last March, our devoted teachers and staff have remained the unsung heroes of the Covid-19 pandemic. Every day, these employees have worked tirelessly to support the needs of our students and their families. They have taught our children remotely and in hybrid mode, supported our childcare programs, distributed meals to those in need, provided services required under IEPs, and cleaned our campuses following strict safety protocol. And now, as other industries in LA County continue to re-open safely, education fails to be a prioritized consideration in the conversation about what is best for public health.

Like other essential workers, school employees cannot continue to do their jobs remotely. Accordingly, we call upon you to immediately ensure that all educational workers in Los Angeles County, especially those who are currently working in-person, will have priority access to available vaccines.

The ability to welcome all students into classrooms again should not be contingent on our employees having access to a vaccine. If you fail to prioritize all school staff in your inoculation opportunities, you are creating barriers to public education for those who feel strongly about that level of protection.

Please demonstrate your commitment to our communities by taking action NOW to protect the health and safety of all educational workers. We look forward to partnering with you in support of these crucial efforts as we re-open our schools, and we thank you for your continued service in these difficult times.

Respectfully,

South Bay School Board Presidents

• Betty Lieu, Torrance Unified School District
• Brad Serkin, Redondo Beach Unified School District
• Jen Fenton, Manhattan Beach Unified School District
• Matthew Brach, Palos Verdes Unified School District
• Stephen McCall, Hermosa Beach Unified School District
• Tracy Miller-Zarneke, El Segundo Unified School District