NYC Suspends School Staff for Allegedly Using Fake Vaccine IDs
NYC Suspends School Staff for Allegedly Using Fake Vaccine IDs
(Bloomberg) -- The New York City Department of Education suspended about 70 employees for allegedly using fake vaccination cards, the teachers’ union said.
The department placed the employees on unpaid leave with benefits, effective April 25, and the Special Commissioner of Investigation for the New York City School District and law enforcement agencies are investigating the incident.
“Fraudulent vaccination cards are not only illegal, they also undermine the best line of protection our schools have against Covid-19 – universal adult vaccination,” said Nathaniel Styer, a spokesperson for the DOE. It wasn’t immediately clear how the department discovered the alleged fake cards.
New York City’s Commissioner of Health and Mental Hygiene mandated inoculation for all DOE staff in September, while students are required to be vaccinated in order to participate in “high-risk” extracurriculars such as chorus and band. In October, vaccine eligibility was expanded to include children between the ages of 5 and 11.
Some staff have contested the allegations, according to a letter sent to the department by the United Federation of Teachers, the city’s teachers union. The DOE says the total number of workers suspended is less than 100.
The union asked for the suspension notices to be rescinded, and threatened legal action to “potentially challenge the DOE’s unilateral action in removing these employees from payroll,” said union spokesperson Alison Gendar. Approximately 70 UFT members received notices from the DOE, according to Gendar.
At a press conference Friday, Mayor Eric Adams said he was “really disappointed” over the alleged fake vaccine cards.
City schools reported nearly 3,000 Covid-19 cases among students and staff during the week ended April 17, according to city data compiled by Press NYC.
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