March 7, 2021 ~ Bow, NH
Educator Vaccines The most consequential news this week started in Washington DC, when President Biden ordered the prioritization of educators (teachers, staff, child care workers) for COVID vaccinations. The goal? Speed up the vaccinations and thereby speed up the reopening of schools and a further return to at least a semblance of normality. Here in NH, Governor Sununu initially declared that President Biden’s pronouncement would make no difference here in the Granite State, but only a day or so later, amidst mounting public criticism, Governor Sununu reversed course. Not that he admitted any such thing. Instead, suddenly the pace of vaccinations here in NH permitted moving up the vaccination of educators starting around the middle of March. Of course, this had nothing to do with President Biden’s order; Governor Sununu just had a sudden insight that this could be done. Typical political move by the governor, but at least it was the right move this time. After bashing AFT-NH, teachers, and their unions for over a month, the governor reversed course and announced NH would do what educators, through their unions, have sought since January—vaccinations! We’ll take it, and even if Governor Sununu refuses to acknowledge us, we can take quiet pride in helping to move NH forward towards a restoration of some sort of normality in this COVID-pandemic world.
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