Schools exempt over 20% of staff

RITZVILLE – More than 20% of Lind-Ritzville School District staff have received an exemption from the governor’s coronavirus get-shot-or-get-fired mandate.

During a meeting of the Lind and Ritzville school boards last week, Superintendent Don Vanderholm reported on the number of employees who opted to get one of the three experimental inoculations and the number who did not.

For the purpose of the report, Vanderholm said staff was divided into two groups, in-classroom staff and in-building staff.

In-building includes staff not directly involved in classroom instruction, including custodial, food service and transportation workers.

For in-classroom staff, 44 (88.6%) are “fully vaccinated” and 12 (21.4%) have received medical or religious exemptions, he said.

For in-building staff, 37 (78.7%) are fully vaccinated and 10 (21.3%) have received exemptions, he said.

Instead of getting a vaccination or seeking an exemption, one employee retired, as of Oct. 18, he said.