SPOKANE, Wash. — Spokane Public Schools (SPS) Board members got an earful from parents and community members Wednesday who were upset that the district is letting Spokane Regional Health use school buildings to host vaccine clinics.
Parents, including some teachers, spoke up during the public comment session.
"This is scary to me. I have been an educator for 33 years — a successful one," said one woman, who identified herself as a district employee. "I can't watch students at my elementary receiving an experimental vaccine."
KREM 2 was at a SRHD vaccine clinic at Ferris High School on Nov. 10. The clinic opened after school hours and provided COVID-19 and influenza vaccines to adults and children older than five with parent permission.
SPS Superintendent Adam Swinyard said these types of clinic have been around in the past for other diseases such as mumps, measles and rubella.
"We're continuing that historical practice of offering our facilities for vaccination as we have done in the past with other incidents," Swinyard said. "As I'm sure you are well aware, no student is required to take the [Covid-19] vaccine. It's optional for parents and there has to be consent."
One hour before the meeting started, a group of parents and community members gathered outside the building to protest children receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.
A man holding a megaphone shouted up at district employees in their offices.
"You need to resign. You need to be fired," the man said.
He claimed to be a teacher himself but refused to provide his name or whether he is employed at Spokane Public Schools. "Maybe, maybe not," the man told KREM 2.