By Isaac Donsky
Baltimore Watchdog Staff Writer
The State Superintendent of Schools on Tuesday urged Maryland officials to include school staff as essential workers during the second phase of vaccinations.
Karen B. Salmon made the suggestion during the Maryland State Board of Education meeting. Under a plan announced by Gov. Larry Hogan, health care workers, at-risk individuals and nursing home residents and employees would receive the first batch of vaccines expected to arrive in Maryland as soon as next week.
“We’d like to see the second phase of vaccinations include school staff as essential workers,” Salmon said.
Maryland health department officials said at a State House news conference that 50,700 doses of a Pfizer vaccine could begin as soon as Monday. Another 104,300 doses of a Moderna vaccine are expected to arrive a week later. The current plan would vaccinate Maryland essential workers in the second round, with the third batch going to the general public.
Salmon said that she sent a letter to Dr. Jinlene Chan, the acting deputy health secretary.
“I told Dr. Chan I was sending her a letter asking the health department in that second phase to prioritize our school staff for vaccinations,” Salmon said during Tuesday’s meeting.
Salmon said the Board of Education has been working closely with the Hogan administration to combat the pandemic. Chan addressed the Board on the subject during Tuesday’s meeting.
“This cooperation did not happen overnight or because of COVID-19,” Chan said, “but because we have always had good cooperation with the Board of Education.”
Chan outlined the continued steps by the state government to address the pandemic, focusing on the pandemic response, capacity for testing and hospitalization, and the steps needed to ensure the safety of students in all of Maryland’s school districts.
“We have to remember that some school systems are not as prepared as others,” Chan said.
Chan’s comments were echoed by board members who agreed that more work needed to be done to protect students and teachers who are involved in in-person learning.
“Every once in a while, I feel like when we take two steps forward, we also take two steps back,” said Board member Rachel McCusker.
COVID concerns also were on the public’s agenda as residents peppered the board with questions and comments at the start of the meeting.
Cheryl Bost, president of the Maryland State Education Association, admonished the board for not cancelling in-person classes across the state.
“Why continue to create stress and uncertainty when you have the power to ease it all?” Bost asked.
Bost also questioned the board on the treatment of communities of color and vaccine rollouts. On the latter, the board does not have a plan in place yet, but a framework is being put together.
Hogan was asked at his news conference if the vaccine could be made mandatory for schoolchildren, like vaccines for childhood diseases.
“We don’t have any intention of requiring these vaccines but we’re going to do everything we can to encourage,” the governor said.