Head Start Teachers in Ohio, Virginia, and Louisiana Suing over Biden Administration’s COVID Vaccination Mandate

Head Start teachers in Louisiana, Ohio and Virginia are suing the Biden administration over a nationwide COVID-19 vaccination mandate for the federally funded program.

Elizabeth Etherton, a preschool teacher at Fairfax County Public Schools in Virginia, has filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court over a threatened termination Monday for failing to take a COVID-19 vaccine.

The lawsuit, which was filed last week, followed a similar case involving Head Start teachers Sandy Brick in Louisiana and Jessica Trenn in Ohio, challenging an “interim final rule” by the Office of Head Start under the Department of Health and Human Services.

The rule, issued Nov. 30, requires all staff, contractors and volunteers to receive a second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine by Jan. 31. The order also required all adults and children over 2 years old in the program to wear masks.

“I love my job and it breaks my heart to think I may lose the opportunity to work with my students over this federal mandate,” Etherton said. “I did everything I could to adapt to challenges over the last two years. I taught from home. I stayed late to clean my classroom. I followed the procedures, participated in weekly testing, and submitted a medical exemption saying I could not receive this vaccine. But that wasn’t enough. So many teachers are in this position and this lawsuit is my last resort to protect myself and others like me.”… (Excerpt from the Virginia Star)