Gov. Tony Evers on Wednesday said he “hopes” local schools talk about requiring teachers and school workers to get vaccinated.
(The Center Square) – Wisconsin’s governor will not issue a statewide vaccine mandate for schools, but he is open to local vaccine requirements.
The governor has been considering a vaccine mandate for state workers for weeks, but he has not yet issued the order.
“Our staff needs to be vaccinated,” Evers told reporters. “I hope those conversations happen locally too.”
The hurdle, of course, are teachers unions in the state.
Evers’ comments about local school vaccine requirements comes one day after Milwaukee Public Schools’ board essentially ordered the district to come-up with a vaccination requirement for its teachers.
Evers said he thinks unions could be brought on-board with a vaccine mandate.
Gov. Evers used to be a teacher himself, then led the Department of Public Instruction as state superintendent, and received major backing from Wisconsin’s teachers’ unions during his run for governor.
Amy Mizialko, the president of the Milwaukee Teachers’ Education Association, earlier this week said she had no problem “incentivizing” coronavirus vaccinations for teachers. Her union has not taken a position on MPS’ likely vaccine requirement.
“I think so,” Evers said. “I’ve seen teaching unions and boards in New York City and L.A., Chicago, Broward County in Florida come together and said yes.”
No other school district in Wisconsin has yet announced plans for a vaccine requirement. Most are relying on masks and regular testing as kids get ready to go back to school.
