As of Sept. 9, 2021, the Los Angeles school district is the first major school district to enforce a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for students 12 and older, active as of Nov. 21, 2021, when students are required to have received their first dose of the vaccine.

As such, Los Angeles, ages 12 and up, has a 71 % vaccination rate. In comparison however, the Central Kitsap school district has a 45% vaccination rate, as of Sept. 1, 2021. Overall, Washington has a 63% vaccination rate, where California has a 60.8% rate.

In context, vaccination mandates first came to be in the late 19th century because of the smallpox outbreak, and this form of national requirement was upheld by the Supreme Court. However, they allowed for three forms of personal exemptions; medical, religious and philosophical.

Due to this, states could pass or withhold certain exemptions where all states support medical exemptions, 48 support religious exemption and just 19 states support philosophical exemptions.

Currently, Washington State requires five different vaccinations against communicable diseases in order to attend schools, however Central Kitsap school district holds no mandates for the COVID-19 vaccination, and instead relies on close contact informing and personal quarantining.

With both the Washington state and Central Kitsap school district vaccination rate being low, the idea of a COVID-19 vaccination mandate for the Central Kitsap school district is a very real possibility and may negatively affect many students at Central Kitsap High school.

“Freedom. That is a big one, and two, I don’t know everything that is in the vaccine, and what you put in your body is what you get,” said Junior Dawson Williams.

WIlliams, being an unvaccinated student at Central KItsap High School, explained he is unvaccinated due to the fact that he is uncomfortable with the vaccine and it’s unknown contents, and feels as though the vaccine is something whether he can choose to receive or not.

Williams expressed the common contention of the idea of individual freedoms, where he feels as though the vaccination is something within his freedoms to decide whether or not to accept. By expressing this opinion, Williams relays that he would not support a school wide vaccination mandate.

“I disagree with it. Because it has to do with medical freedom,” Willaims said.

As an unvaccinated student by his own personal choice, a vaccination mandate would go against what Williams believes to be a choice made by his individual freedom, and thus impair the freedom of all students deciding against receiving the vaccine by their own personal choices.

However, for many students who support the idea of a vaccination mandate for the school district, the fact that many are unvaccinated is discouraging in relation to the lowering of COVID-19 cases of students and others within the community.

“I think we should have a vaccination mandate because… it will keep us safe… and [because] there wouldn’t be as many restrictions,” said Junior Isabel Redd.

As a fully vaccinated student Redd is in support of a vaccination mandate, and understands the benefits of requiring the vaccine in order to help slow the spread of COVID-19, and the safety it could help bring to the school.

Redd fully encourages the vaccination against COVID-19, but acquiesced that some may have reasonable explanations for deciding against receiving it.

“I think they’re just being selfish. And I think they’re just being stubborn,” Redd said when asked about those who are unvaccinated. “If a person physically cannot get vaccinated, but i think vaccination should be required otherwise.”

Redd believes a vaccine mandate would be most beneficial in order to try to increase the vaccination rate and thus hopes to help those unvaccinated, subsequently positively affecting the community.

Some parents also often hold the dominion in reflection of their child’s decision to get vaccinated, and therefore influence if the child will be vaccinated or not.

“I agree with mandating vaccination… all types of vaccinations. As long as there’s exemptions for those that strongly believe that they should,” said Katie Pasi, parent of a senior at Central Kitsap High school.

Pasi and her family have all been fully vaccinated and agree with the idea of vaccination mandates.

As a parent of a student Pasi is able to accept the idea of mandates from the view of someone part of the community. While many parents may offer opposing views, Pasi may represent many who are vaccinated in the community who are in support of vaccine requirements.

“As long as they offer exemptions for religious or for other health reasons,” said Pasi when asked if she would support a school wide vaccination mandate.

While Pasi encourages vaccination, she understands that others may have different viewpoints and supports the exemption many states offer for those who truly feel as though the vaccination goes against their beliefs.

The students at Central Kitsap High School have faced many close contact notifications, and numerous quarantines and positive cases, and may face the possibility a Covid-19 vaccination mandate to befall this school.