Governor Newsom announces coming vaccine requirements for K-12 staff and students
Earlier today, Governor Newsom announced the state of California is implementing a vaccine requirement for all K-12 school staff and students. The requirement will be implemented for students in two phases: first, grades 7-12; then, grades K-6, and will take effect following full FDA approval for each of the subgroups of students. Based on current projections, vaccine requirements will likely apply to students in grades 7-12 and school staff starting on July 1, 2022.
In a statement released following the announcement by the Governor, CFT President Jeff Freitas pledged to work with state and local officials to implement the plan.
Citing the fact that 89% of CFT members are already vaccinated, and that supermajorities of CFT members support vaccine requirements for both staff and students, Jeff Freitas said:
“We look forward to working with Governor Newsom, state health and education officials, and our local school districts as they implement a vaccine requirement for our schools. We will work to ensure our members continue to have a voice at the state and local level to address the impacts of any new policies. We will also continue to advocate for other essential safety mitigation strategies, including mask requirements, ventilation upgrades, and regular testing in schools.”
Pfizer booster shots approved for education workers
Last week the FDA and the CDC approved booster shots for all education workers who have previously received the Pfizer vaccine, and whose second shot was received at least 6 months ago. Additionally, the CDC recommended the Pfizer booster shots for all adults over 65, and for those ages 50-64 with underlying medical conditions.
According to the CDC, all COVID-19 vaccines continue to provide significant protection against severe illness, hospitalization, and death. However, certain populations are seeing a slight decrease in vaccine effectiveness against infection. The CDC also stresses that booster doses of vaccines are very common. They are part of most childhood and adult vaccine series to ensure a person maintains optimal immunity against infection from a disease.
The booster shot approval is limited to only those who have received the Pfizer vaccine. It is unclear when a booster shot will be approved for the Moderna or J&J vaccines, but both companies say they will submit applications to the FDA for boosters.
According to the CDC, the booster shot is not required to be considered fully vaccinated.
If you have previously received your second Pfizer shot over six months ago, and would like to make an appointment for a booster, follow up with your healthcare provider or visit myturn.ca.gov. For more information about the new guidelines, click here.
Take Action: Ask Governor Newsom to sign the bill to increase the workload cap for part-time community college faculty
Please take a moment to urge Governor Newsom to sign AB 375, which would formally increase the workload cap available to part-time faculty from 67% up to 85% of a full-time faculty workload in California’s community colleges.
Under the current law, too many part-time faculty members are forced to work in multiple community college districts to piece together a full time schedule, hurting not only their ability to make a living, but their ability to participate in the campus community and be a resource to students. Sign the letter now.
Navient will no longer service student loans
Navient has announced that it will no longer service federal student loans, impacing around 6 million borrowers who will be matched with a new lender.
Student loan experts recommend that borrowers who are currently serviced by Navient log in to their account and save or print a copy of their loan information. This includes getting a list of all your loans, including payment history, current loan balances, interest rates, and monthly loan payment amounts. Having this record can ensure your loan information is accurate after it’s transferred to a new servicer.
Experts also urge borrowers to double check that your current contact information is accurate.
October 2 is National Custodian Day
A shout out to all of our hardworking custodians, who will be recognized on National Custodian Day this Saturday, October 2. Custodians have been on the front lines during the pandemic, keeping our campuses safe and clean. They have cleaned thousands of classrooms, offices, gyms, cafeterias, auditoriums and libraries. The job can be dangerous and custodians call upon a wealth of knowledge to keep themselves and others safe.
As we celebrate National Custodian Day, take a moment to read about custodian members of the CFT and their extraordinary efforts during the past 18 months.
