Hundreds of parents and students across Virginia are challenging mandated COVID-19 vaccinations at colleges and universities.
COVID-19 VACCINE MANDATES ARE AOTH TOPIC OF DEBATE ACROSSVIRGINIA AND THE REST OF THECOUNTRY...AS SOME EMPLOYERSARE NOW REQUIRING WORKERS TO GETIMMUNIZED.THE SHOTS ARE ALSO MANDATORY ATMORE THAN TWO DOZEN COLLEGES ANDUNIVERSITIES IN THECOMMONWEALTH...FOR STUDENTS WHO WISH TO RETURNTO CAMPUS IN A FEW WEEKS.<JIBAND WHILE MANY ARE ALL FORIT...OTHERS ARE PUSHING BACK.INCLUDING A GROUP OF PARENTS ANDSTUDENTS WHOINSIST THEY ARE PRO-VACCINE.
BUTANTI-MANDATE.LAURA FRENCHTALKS TO BOTH SIDES IN THISPROBLEM SOLVERS INVESTIGATION."I'M A HOKIE THROUGH ANDTHROUGH."DEVON SMITH BLEEDS MAROON ANDORANGE."I'VE BEEN PART OF THE HOKIEFAMLIYFOR 22 YEARS." SO, WHEN THEVIRGINIAEC THALUMNA AND FORMER FACULTY MEMBERMADE THE DECISION TO LEAVEHER FULL TIME JOB LAST YEAR ANDINVEST HER SAVINGS IN GRADSCHOOL THE CHOICE WASCLEAR."I LOVE THESCHOOL." BUT SHE SAYS THATBOND WASBROKEN BY A DECISION THE SCHOOLANNOUNCED INJUNE."THE INVESTMENT THAT I'VE MADE,ISSUNK." V-T IS ONE OF DOZENS OFUNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES ACROSSTHE COOMMNWEALTH THAT AREMDATIANNG COVID-19 VACCINATIONSAS ACONDITION OF ADMISSIONS THISYEAR...FOLLOWING AN"OFFICIAL OPINION" HANDED DOWNINAPRIL BY ATTORNEY GERENAL MARKHERRING."THIS MANDATE IS BAD BUSINESS.IT ISASKING PEOPLE TO MAKE HEALTHDECISIONS, MEDICALDECISIONS, WITHOUT CONSULTINGTHEIR PHYSICIANS, IT ISSEGREGATING THE STUDENTS ANDFACULTY WHO DO NOT PARTICIPATE,FOR WHATEVER REASON FORRECOGNIZED RELIGIOUSEXEMPTIONS RECOGNIZED MEDICALEXEMPTIONS.IT ISTAKING THEM OUT OFTHE MAINPOPULATIN." OAND IT'S PUSHEDSMITH OUT OF THE HOKIEPOPULATION..SHE SAYS SHE'S MADE THEDIFFICULT DECISION TO DISENROLLTHIS FALL.NOTES: WE HAVE WALK SHOT ANDTHEN WE CAN USE PICTURE OF HERINVACCINE LINEBACK IN RICHMOND"IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT FORME." V-C-U STUDENT ELLIEMUNNIKHUYSEN SAYS SHE COULDN'TWAIT FOR HER TURN TOSTAND IN THIS LINE AND ROLL UPHERSLEEV E."THIS IS MYVACCINE CARD" SHESAYS--COMPLYINGWITH THE SCHOOL'S MANDATE.
MAKESHER FEELLIKE SHE'S DOING HER PART TOKEEP HER PEERS SAFE."I CAN UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW,SAYING LIKE, THEY DON'T HAVE ARIGHT TO MANDATE IT.BUT I ALSO THINK THAT, YOU KNOW,THIS ISA UNIVERSITY YOU ARE PAYING TOGOTO, AND SO YOU WILL HAVE TOABIDE BY THEIR RULES AND KIND OFTHE MEASURES THAT THEY'RETAKING." "IT'S ADMIRABLE, IFSOMEONE ISWILLING TO TAKE ON THAT SKRI TOTHEMSELVES, TO BENEFIT OTHERS.BUT IT'S STILL NOT RIGHT TOFORCESOMEONE TO DO THAT." MARK LEONEIS TAKING THATMESSAGE ONLINE.."IT WAS A GUTPUNCH." "IT JUST TOOK ALL MYFREEDOM AWAY." THE REACTIONTHEFATHER OF THREE HAD AFTERLEARNING HIS COLLEGE-AGEDSON AND DAUGHTER WOULD BEREQUIRED TO BE VACCINATEDTHIS SCHOOL YEAR.HE AND OTHERPARENTS STARTED THIS GO FUNDME--TO COVER LEGAL REPRESENTATION TOCHALLENGE THE A-G'S STANCE ONTHE ISSUE.IT'S RAISED MORE THAN23-THOUSANDDOLLARS AND HAS BEEN SHARED MORETHAN ONEHO TUSAND TIMES."EVEN IF YOU GRANT THAT THERE'SAN EMERGENCY, WE HAVE TO, WECAN'T JUST THROW OUTTHE CONSTITUTION, EVEN THOUGH WEHAVE TO BE THOUGHTFULABOUT THIS AND BALANCE,INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS ANDRESPONSIBILITIES AGAINST THERIGHTS OF THE STATE TO COERCEPEOPLE AND TO REQUIRE THINGSTHAT INTERFERE WITH PEOPLE'SFREEDOM." "I SUPPORT THECOLLEGES ANDUNIVERSITIES MANDATING SHOTS.YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALL VECTORS.WHEN WE HAVEN'T BEEN VACCINATED,WE CAN CARRY THE VIRUS.AND ASLONG AS THERE ARE VECTORS, LIKEYOU AND ME, IF WE HAVEN'T BEENVACCINATED, THIS IS HOW VIRUSESSURVIVE, THEY MUTATE.""I AM PRO VACCINE; I AM PROMEDICINE.BUT IT NEEDS TO BE DONE THERIGHT WAY."SMITH SAYS UNTIL THEN-- SHEWON'TBE FINISHING HER MASTER'SDEGREE..AT THE ONLY SCHOOL SHE KNOWS.I THINK THAT COMMON SENSE WILLHAVE TO PREVAIL AT SOME POINT,OR THESE SCHOOLS AREGOING TO BE SO ELITE, THATTHEY'RE NOT, IT WILL NOT DESERVETO BE CALLED A PUBLIC UNIVERSITYANYMORE." NEW AT 11-- WHICHAREA UNIVERSITY FEELS IT'S"APPROPRIATE" TO WAIT ON THEMANDATE UNTIL FULL F-D-AAPPROVAL..AND AMERICA'S BESTKNOWN INFECTIOUS DISEASE DOCWEIGHS INWORKING FOR
Hundreds of parents and students across the Commonwealth have joined forces to challenge mandated COVID-19 vaccinations at colleges..