Parents Voice in Government School Education

Unvaxxed parents: PV media comment

The Herald-Sun published an article on Saturday about the banning of unvaccinated parents from school premises and end-of-year events.

According to the article, “Under new Department of Education guidelines, parents don’t need to be vaccinated to pick up or drop off kids, but they must to be vaccinated or have a medical exemption to enter buildings or attend school events.”

PV Chief Executive Officer Gail McHardy is quoted in the article.

Gail said state schools were “doing their best to adapt school celebrations and activities as best they can, with what they can”.

“They’re doing all this in keeping with the rules – of course there will be disappointment for some (unvaxxed) who may need to view an event remotely. But we need safety above all else while the virus is still present, particularly in primary school settings,” she said.

The article also gives the rules for parents visiting schools, as follows:

Vaccination requirements for parents and carers attending schools

  • All parents and carers attending schools, including for drop off and pick up must also adhere to physical distancing, density limits, face mask requirements and practise respiratory etiquette and good hand hygiene.
  • Parents and carers who enter school buildings must check in using the QR code.
  • Parents and carers who enter school buildings must also have had at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine and must have had two doses of COVID-19 vaccine by November 29, 2021 or have a valid medical exception with the following limited exceptions:
  • When attending to administer medical treatment to their own child when the treatment cannot be administered by the school
  • When attending to collect their child who is unwell and cannot leave the school building unaccompanied by their parent/carer.
  • When attending for a momentary period that does not involve any sustained contact with staff or students, for example, to collect a completed art project or similar.
  • Parents and carers attending any event or activity inside a school building including, but not limited to tours, graduations, kindergarten transition, whole of school events are required to show evidence of vaccination.
  • Meetings and other discussions (such as student support group meetings) with parents and carers who do not meet vaccination requirements should be held virtually.
  • Parents and carers attending school sites for drop off and pick up who do not enter school buildings do not need to comply with vaccination requirements.
  • Any parent/carer who needs to access an early childhood education and care service (including OSHC) via the main entrance of a government school building is required to check in using the Victorian Government QR code Service but do not need to show their vaccination status.

 

Read the full article (subscription only)

Nine News

Gail McHardy was also interviewed on this issue by Nine TV News (video clip no longer available).

 

 

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2 Responses

  1. Hi I am a cater off my granddaughter. I do not have an exemption. I do have medical concerns and is in part, why I am not vaccinated. My grand daughter struggles with being marginalised already. Now I can not enter her school, I can not go to their assemblies, I can not go to parent teacher interviews, I can not go to her concerts and school activities. The one person who has always been there, the only person, is now unable to attend the most important parts of her life. So now she has a school activity, her performance, her big breakfast and watches all the parents doting over their children whilst she stands alone.
    No one can honestly tell me how I can personally impact on a person fully vaccinated or a healthy child.
    There is not one child who has died from COVID and more people die from Influenza in winter than have died from COVID alone.
    Why is it that my grand daughter is put in harms way? Further marginalised, emotionally and psychologically damaged further as the education department’s policies accentuate that this little girl doesn’t have a doting mother or father…. That the education department’s policies insinuate that the only real person in her life is somehow defected, a health risk, to be looked down upon and not worthy of walking through the gates of her school.

  2. Parents Victoria acknowledges that Victorian parent/carer(s) have differing views and expectations. We appreciate as a grandmother you are advocating on behalf of your granddaughter who is attending a Victorian Government school.

    We’re sorry to hear your grand-daughter is being marginalised at school. Part of PV’s regular work is working towards state schools being inclusive.

    At PV we’re not medical experts, we can’t issue health advice and recommend families speak with their General Practitioner(GP) directly.

    The Education Department (DET) is reliant on the Department of Health and the Chief Health Officer and are required to follow health orders. Schools are obligated to comply with these health orders