Politics & Government
Anti-Vaccine Group Encourages People In Florida And Other States To ‘Take A Sick Day' Protesting Vaccine Mandates
Several demonstrations, across the nation and worldwide, including some cities in Florida, are scheduled to take place at local town halls.
November 3, 2021
Several demonstrations across the nation and worldwide, including some cities in Florida, are scheduled to take place at local town halls, court houses and other locations in opposition to COVID-19 safety measures, such as vaccine mandates, according to an anti-vaccine group.
Find out what's happening in Across Floridafor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The Children’s Health Defense launched on Wednesday what it calls the “Worldwide Walkouts” to protest against any requirements for people to get vaccinated against COVID-19, calling on individuals and organizations to call in sick or take a personal day off of work.
In Florida, those protests are scheduled to take place in Jacksonville, Miami, Sarasota, Tampa and Titusville. The group is asking that people gather in “civil disobedience” to denounce vaccine and mask mandates.
Find out what's happening in Across Floridafor free with the latest updates from Patch.
“That means you should take a sick day, you should take a day off, you should do whatever you need to do to join us on the streets and on the barricades,” Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., the group’s board chair and lead counsel,” said in a video statement.
The group also encourages parents to pull “their children out of school for the day to protest the many restraints that have applied directly to children,” according to a press release.
Meanwhile, Gov. Ron DeSantis has called a special legislative session this month related to vaccine mandates, including mask mandates at public schools that have been at the center of debate and concern at several local school boards.
The state has docked pay from local school boards over the mask mandate issue in public schools, though the elected officials have said they’ve used masks to protect schoolchildren. The Florida Constitution authorizes school boards to oversee the operation of their local schools.
Also, members of some local school boards have experienced verbal abuse, vandalism, and other forms of intimidation as tensions rise over mask mandates in Florida.
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