Orange County Families Reacted To A Statewide School Walkout: How Schools Were Affected

RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA, CA — A recent social media campaign called upon Orange County parents and teachers to stay home from school Monday to protest the coronavirus vaccination mandate, handed down from Gov. Gavin Newsom. The California statewide walkout (also called a "sit out" on social media flyers) encouraged parents to skip the school drop-off and not call their child in sick or otherwise excuse the absence.

Monday's walkouts were organized in protest of the state's coronavirus vaccine mandate for students and school staff. The requirement will take effect once a vaccine receives "full approval" from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for all impacted age groups.

In a recent Patch survey that was circulated statewide, 48.2 percent of 8,968 respondents said they supported the peaceful protest, and roughly 48 percent said they disagreed with it. Of the respondents, approximately 2 percent said they were still unsure whether they agreed or disagreed with the walkout.

Orange County residents who responded to our survey showed the number of those in support of the walkout outnumbered those against the demonstration. In the survey, a total of 479 Orange County residents wrote that they were opposed to the walkout, with 19 undecided. A total of 612 wrote in support of the venture.

In Rancho Santa Margarita, parents and kids lined up to participate in the anti-vaccine mandate protest.

The survey, which appeared in questionnaire form last week on Patch, was not a scientific poll and was designed only to give a broad idea of public sentiment concerning California's school-age children.

Organizers suggested that the walkout would both make their case heard as well as keep the schools from reaping average daily attendance funds.

A statewide legislation passed in 2020 rendered the loss of ADA funds null and void. The Laguna Beach School District mirrored that sentiment, saying that they were aware of the walkout, and that the only ones who would be hurt by not being in attendance were the students, themselves.

"We're aware our families have strong emotions on the issue of the COVID-19 vaccination requirement by the governor," LBUSD Public Information Officer Shelly Spencer told Patch. "The district's funding will not be impacted by absences, but our children will be."

LBUSD says they encouraged all families to show up to school on Monday, from transitional kindergarten all the way to high school.

One Orange County family suggested that, "vaccine mandates are a safe way for our kids to get back to school! People supporting this 'sit out' are the some of the same who protested that kids should get back to in person learning. This disease is preventable now. Let's not have any more disruptions to our children's education."

Families in opposition cited governmental overreach. One Riverside County respondent suggested the mandate would encourage them to leave the state. "If I am unable to secure Covid 19 vaccine exemptions for my school age children, we will move out of state and take our business and well paid employees with us, meaning significant lost tax revenue to California."

Pfizer's vaccine has full FDA approval for those 16 years and up, and is offered to those as young as age 12 under an emergency use authorization.

Newsom said Monday that the proposed mandate is "about protecting our children and school staff, and keeping them in the classroom." He said depending on when full authorizations for the vaccines are granted by the FDA, the mandate would take effect on Jan. 1, or July 1, 2022.

Did your family participate in the school walkout, Monday? Let us know in the comments, or share your story with your Patch editor.