Superintendent Asks to Prioritize Educators

To try and prioritize HUHS educators for the COVID vaccine, superintendent Jeffery Walters wrote a letter to Gov. Tony Evers.

Walters states in the letter, that HUHS staff should be provided the vaccine because the school has been open for face-to-face instruction since September and over 1000 students attend campus every day.

“The health of our staff has allowed us to stay open, and providing a vaccine opportunity to them should be a high priority when they are considered essential to us staying open,” Walters said. “Keeping schools open also has a positive impact on our local businesses and community.”

In his letter to Evers, Walters asks for “assistance, leadership, and commitment to prioritize educators as essential employees when it comes to the timeline for vaccine distribution,” Walter writes. “Keeping schools open should be of the highest priority. We know doing so is good for kids, their families, and frankly, the overall success of our community and economy.”

Viewing educators as essential, Walters believes they deserve the vaccine because “they modeled the commitment to keep open using the support provided.”

“All school staff deserve the opportunity to vaccinate due to the commitment and dedication they have shown as essential employees,” Walters said.

If the staff is provided with a vaccine, it will not be required.

Social studies teacher Jeff Martin thinks that a vaccine will be effective and will take the vaccine if it's offered.

“I think HUHS teachers along with all educators should be put at a relatively high priority based on the potential exposure face to face teachers have to COVID 19,” Martin said. “If the goal is to keep teachers healthy and at work teaching students, then being vaccinated is an effective means of accomplishing this.”

Science teacher Kevin Martin does not believe that the vaccine should be required if it is provided. Looking at it from a science perspective he knows that vaccines will trick the immune system into thinking the virus is present, and he would rather create the memory cells within the immune system via a vaccine.

“While I would do my best as a science educator to make sure people understood the value of a vaccine program, I also understand that individuals should be able to make a personal choice,” Martin said. “I have read many inaccurate hypotheses of what could happen if you were vaccinated and in almost all cases it is because the individual does not appear to understand the actual science behind the immune system, DNA function or RNA function.”

For social studies teacher Ben Skifton, the vaccine should not be required, but it is up to them to assume the risk of not being vaccinated. Skifton thinks that HUHS staff should be a priority when it comes to teachers.

“I have 174 students that I see every day, and I know there's other teachers who see more so there's a lot of movement in our classrooms, maybe even more so than some of the businesses out there,” Skifton said. “I think teachers after healthcare workers are a very good second level to provide the vaccine to.”

Slinger superintendent Daren Sievers said that Slinger High School is taking similar precautions. Like HUHS, they have been able to remain face-to-face and have opportunities like sports, holiday concerts, and other programs.

“I am very proud of the fact that we have been open since day 1 and have stayed open,” Sievers said. “I am pleased that we have offered every sport and co-curricular activity while making them safer and COVID friendly.”

According to the Washington Ozaukee Public Health Department website, Wisconsin is currently in the Phase 1A and Phase 1B of vaccine prioritization. This phase is prioritizing individuals ages 65 and older.

It also states that educators and childcare workers will be tentatively eligible beginning March.