The Equal Education Opportunities Act (EEOA) of 1974 is a federal law that prohibits discrimination against faculty, staff, and students, including racial segregation of students, and requires school districts to take action to overcome barriers to students equal participation. The key words in this definition of the EEOA and our current situation regarding COVID-19 are “requires school districts to take action to overcome barriers to students equal participation”. The children of Pointe Coupee Parish public school system have been NOT allowed equal participation for unvaccinated students. Students are not able to attend a virtual class so as to receive the same instruction their vaccinated peers receive during school hours. Unvaccinated students are held to the same standard and expected to complete any and all work assigned to the same standards their in person peers are held to. Yet, they are not receiving the same assistance as their peers. They are expected to participate and communicate with in person students on group projects although they do not have the ability to talk to these students in the same manner as in-person peers are able to. Unvaccinated students are not receiving 504 accommodations and/or IEP services they are federally granted while in quarantine. In addition, unvaccinated students have been isolated away from vaccinated students, calling them out in front of peers and teachers revealing their vaccination status (a health status protected from other individuals).  

These unvaccinated students are being denied the same education vaccinated students are receiving and therefore being discriminated against. In biblical times we ostracized Leapors, in 2022 we are ostracizing unvaccinated, HEALTHY individuals.

Our understanding is that vaccinated individuals may remain at school regardless of a positive test, as long as they are asymptomatic. According to the CDC website the COVID-19 vaccine is not proven to prevent the spread of the virus. In fact, the CDC states “COVID-19 vaccines can reduce the risk of people spreading the virus…”  and that the vaccine is “effective at helping protect against severe disease and death”. The CDC does not explicitly state that the vaccine protects anyone from catching, or spreading COVID-19. Furthermore, the CDC also states that even vaccinated individuals should be tested for COVID-19 after 5 days of exposure even if a person does not develop symptoms. Since our unvaccinated children are not required to test negative after a 5 day quarantine I can only assume the vaccinated child too, is not required to test negative after exposure…since the vaccinated child isn’t even mandated to quarantine. 

We are asking that you change the district's policy on quarantine for COVID-19. Our children deserve the same education their vaccinated peers are receiving- in-person, hands-on instruction from certified teachers. If Pointe Coupee Parish school district is unable to stop discriminating against our children due to their vaccination status then the level of achievement standards our children are held to should be reduced to reflect the education they are receiving which is far lower than that of the vaccinated, in-person student.