Chicago City Wire

DePaul College Prep Principal Dr. Megan Stanton-Anderson recently responded to a parent’s concern that the school would make COVID-19 vaccinations for students mandatory.

“My sense is that most schools will not make decisions about whether to mandate vaccination for quite some time,” Stanton-Anderson said in her reply to a parent. ”This is our first opportunity for students to be vaccinated so I think we need to get through that first,” Stanton-Anderson said.

In an email dated May 13, the parent wrote: “I’m the parent to a current sophomore, incoming freshman, and in a few years, another Ram. I'm writing to you in regards to the Covid vaccine that you mention at the end of this email. I truly hope you can consider the concerns many parents will have with their children taking these particular shots. The mRNA therapies at issue are aimed at minimizing the symptoms of COVID-19 syndrome. Their makers are explicit— they don’t stop one from catching or spreading any of these viruses.”

The parent added with research indicating the virus rarely affects children it is unlikely her children will be getting the vaccination, and whether or not the school comes to require it will weigh heavily on what comes next for her children.

“I hope you come to a decision quickly as to what DePaul's plan is for the fall, as this will impact our family and whether or not we enroll our children,” the parent said.