The district is not requiring students or staff to have the COVID-19 vaccination now or in the future  

ATASCADERO — The Atascadero Unified School District (AUSD) Superintendent Tom Butler released a statement to the parents of the AUSD school district addressing a rumor of requiring vaccinations for the fall school year. 

Butler stated, “It has been brought to my attention that a rumor is being circulated regarding the COVID-19 vaccine being required for our staff and students upon return to in-person school in the fall.

As I have previously stated, there are no plans, now or in the future, to require AUSD employees nor students to be vaccinated for the COVID-19 virus.”

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This statement comes on the heels of Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) releases newly updated guidelines for employers that reads:

“If you [employer] require your employees to be vaccinated as a condition of employment (i.e., for work-related reasons), then any adverse reaction to the COVID-19 vaccine is work-related. The adverse reaction is recordable if it is a new case under 29 CFR 1904.6 and meets one or more of the general recording criteria in 29 CFR 1904.7.” 

Throughout the state and nationally, reports have shown that employers have changed or will be changing their vaccination policy to only recommend—not require—a vaccine in response to the updated guidelines. 

To address rumors, please feel free to contact the AUSD Superintendent’s Office for the most up-to-date information at (805)462-4217.

The Atascadero Unified School District Board of Trustees will meet tonight at 6 p.m. for closed session and 7 p.m. for the main meeting. The Community can watch the meeting live online. Public comment cannot be called in; choices are to email by noon the day of the meeting or in-person at 5601 West Mall, in Atascadero.