SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) – A school walkout across the state is planned for Monday, Oct. 18 for parents who are choosing to rally against vaccine mandates for schoolchildren.
News of Monday’s walkout circulated on social media from Orange County to Redding.
According to some of the social media flyers, the walkout affects elementary, middle, and high schools in California and also calls for teachers and other school employees to stay home from work Monday.
This statewide protest is the latest move by parents and voters dissatisfied with both on-campus mask-wearing and vaccine mandates in California schools.
Earlier this month, California enacted the nation’s first coronavirus vaccine mandate for schoolchildren. Gov. Newsom said he aims to have all students in 7th through 12th grades vaccinated by next fall once the shots gain final federal approval for everyone 12 and over.
Additionally, Newsom said the state will require students in kindergarten through sixth grades to get the vaccine once final federal approval comes for children 5 to 11.
A handful of school districts have imposed their own vaccine mandates, including five in California. But other states have resisted imposing pandemic rules on schools, including a new law in Kentucky that overturned a statewide mask mandate.
Do you plan on participating in Monday’s walkout here in the Bay Area? We want to hear from you. Email our assignment desk at assignmentdesk@KRON.com.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.