Parent of Science School Student Challenges LAUSD Vaccine Mandate In Court
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) - A parent of a 12-year-old student at the Science Academy STEM Magnet school, located in North Hollywood, filed court papers challenging Los Angeles Unified School District's vaccine mandate.
The district's mandate requires all eligible students aged 12 and older to be vaccinated against the coronavirus by Jan. 10 to enter campus unless they have a medical or other exemptions.
Filed Friday in Los Angeles Superior Court on behalf of the parent, identified as G.F. and their child, identified as D.F., the lawsuit states that student is male. However, court documents do not indicate whether the parent is the father or mother.
The Science Academy STEM Magnet school is a seven-year, college-preparatory public school that incorporates science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
The plaintiff's court papers state that D.F. studied hard to get into the school and doesn't want to leave because he and his parent have chosen against having him vaccinated against COVID-19.
"Losing his spot at the school would devastate D.F. and potentially foreclose future educational opportunities," G.F's court papers state.
RELATED: A List Of The LA City And County COVID Vaccine Mandates
Coronavirus cases in the LAUSD have declined since teachers and children returned to in-person instruction in August, G.F.'s court papers state. In addition, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control has found that children with the coronavirus have mild symptoms or none at all and that they rarely spread the virus, according to the court papers.
Healthy children who have a natural immunity to COVID-19 and have not received the vaccine should not be discriminated against by the LAUSD, G.F.'s court papers state. In addition, keeping healthy children out of the classroom is contrary to state law and affected students will not be able to make up for lost in-person learning, according to G.F.'s court papers.
D.F., who has received all other required childhood immunizations, will suffer irreparable harm if not allowed to continue with in-person learning and his two extra-curricular activities, G.F.'s court papers state.
G.F. presented a notice to the LAUSD on Sept. 24 demanding that the vaccine mandate be rescinded, but the district did not respond, according to G.F.'s court papers.
