Private Burbank School Requiring Vaccinations For All Students, Teachers

BURBANK (CBSLA) – A private high school in Burbank has become the latest to require that all its teachers and students be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

Providence High School announced last week that all students and employees must meet the vaccine mandate by Oct. 25.

To date, at least 100% of teachers and staff at the Catholic school, along with 79% of students age 12 and older, have received at least one vaccine dose, the school said.

"We have an obligation, as being part of the Providence family, being next door to St. Joseph's (hospital), to do everything we can to protect our community," Scott McLarty, head of school for Providence High, told CBSLA Tuesday.

A school committee will consider religious and medical exemptions. Any student or employee who does not provide proof of full vaccination by the deadline will not be allowed on campus. The school is also not offering remote learning.

The state of California is requiring that all teachers and school staff be either vaccinated or undergo weekly testing, but is not holding that same requirement for students.

Last month, the Culver City Unified School District became the first district in California to mandate all eligible students ages 12 and older get vaccinated against the coronavirus.

The L.A. Unified School District is requiring all its teachers and staff to be fully vaccinated by Oct. 15. LAUSD's teachers union has called for mandatory vaccines for all eligible students.