Some Parents Around California Are Protesting Newsom's Vaccine Mandate

Photo: Getty Images

Thousands of parents in California began protesting Governor Gavin Newsom's COVID-19 vaccine mandate for students of public school. This protest is being called, "Our Children, Our Choice!".

Approximately 3,000 angry parents were expected to protest Newsom's mandate outside the State Capitol in Sacramento. Parents that were included in this protest kept their children home from school, in hopes of showing the Governor that they do not support his mandate to get eligible public school students vaccinated.

A Facebook invite that made its rounds through social media read:

“Please come in numbers, be loud,” ... “Let’s stand up for our innocent children and let them [state officials] know they do not co-parent with us!”

Tess Van Dusen, a parent that helped organize this protest spoke to the news outlet, KGET that she is not opposed to getting vaccinated, but did not want the government to interfere in decision-making for their children. She said:

“We are not an anti-vaccine group at all,”

She continued,

“We are 100 percent supportive of parents that want to make their choice for their child.”

Several rallies in Southern California were planned at campuses and school district offices. Parents and teachers were urged to join in on the protest to make their voices known.

A group called, "Mom's on the Ground" is one of the groups that helped plan this protest. Co-founder, Parisa Fishman, specified the group is not "anti-vax", but just "anti-vax for schoolchildren". She told local news outlet, KTLA:

“To me, the most important right that I have not only as an American or as a Californian but as a human, is those that pertain to my ability to protect my children,”
“If I’m going to be stripped of that right, well then I have to take a stand because what’s next? What are they going to take next?”

Parents participating in this protest hope that Newsom will take notice of this protest and ultimately change his mind.

A Newsom spokesperson talked to KXTV and said:

“The state already requires that students are vaccinated against a range of viruses such as measles, mumps, and rubella — there’s no reason why we wouldn’t do the same for COVID-19,” ... “Vaccines work and are how we end the pandemic — full stop. It’s why California leads the country in preventing school closures and has the lowest case rates in the nation.”

We'll see what happens...


Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content