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UPDATE: Pensacola State College Reverses Course On Excused COVID-19 Absences For Unvaccinated, Rescinds Mask Mandate
August 2, 2021
Pensacola State College has rescinded a previously announced mask mandate that was set to begin Monday August 2, and the college has reversed course on not allowing excused abscesses related to COVID-19 for the unvaccinated.
The mask policy would have applied to vaccinated and unvaccinated students, faculty, employees and visitors indoors on a PSC campus.
In an email to students on Sunday (pictured below), PSC President Ed Meadows rescinded that policy, announcing instead that mask are only recommended, especially for unvaccinated persons. He also announced that only those who are vaccinated or exempted for medical reasons will be excused for any absences due to COVID-19 infections or quarantines.
Late Monday afternoon, the college announced that COVID-19 absences will may excused for any student or employee (emails below).
“COVID related absences are now being treated as all other illness related absences. Excused absences for COVID-19 are not guaranteed and students should work with their instructors regarding the possibility of making up missed assignment,” Meadows said in an email.
Here is the full text of the email from Meadows on Sunday:
Here is the full text of emails sent to students and employees on Monday:
Comments
44 Responses to “UPDATE: Pensacola State College Reverses Course On Excused COVID-19 Absences For Unvaccinated, Rescinds Mask Mandate”
We’ve been here before. Cases are higher than ever. Tourists have flocked to our state. Public schools are scheduled to open in just over a week. People are trusting a man with no medical or scientific expertise, and no kids in school, for medical advice. Covid doesn’t care what we think. It’s only job is to spread. Until we are COLLECTIVELY serious about stopping it, we are ALLOWING this cycle to repeat.
@ Warren
Is it even required to have a general influenza shot for admittance into a public school? My kids and I haven’t had a flu shot in years and haven’t gotten the flu.
If you want the jab, get the jab. If you dont want the jab, dont get the jab. It is that simple. If you want all the boosters for this same jab, I say free will. Go for it. When it comes time for the 4th, 5th and 6th jab, you should surely be free of getting Covid-19 through Covid-30.
My daughter read the original letter to me and I kept interrupting her with “They can’t do that, and they can’t do that, and they can’t do that…” She said “Mom, let me finish please,” lol. The next day, she read the revised email. Yes. I laughed and said, someone else said, “Yep, they can’t do that.” I told her to take online classes from home.
It’s pretty sad when those in charge discriminate on allowing work from home based upon a person’s vaccination status rather than based upon symptoms an or ability to work.
We put too much authority into the hands of tin gods
@Donna
Masks reduce your ability to transmit the respiratory droplets that cause COVID-19. Wearing a mask does offer some limited protection from contracting COVID-19 from someone else, but it is primarily to prevent someone else from getting infected by you.
The vaccine is effective and reduces both your symptoms and transmission rate, but it’s not a silver bullet, and is only effective if people take it. As of right now, less than 40% of Escambia County has elected to take the vaccine.
Why are we auguring about if someone else wears a mask or gets vaccinated if mask and vaccines work ????
We’ve become a society that no longer makes a person responsible for their own action
we’ve become a society that wants someone else to fix our problems
We’ve become a society that blames someone else for our on actions
Self respect ::can only come when you become responsible for your own actions
What does “in the land of free” really mean???
Well lawsuits will come as class action against colleges and universities, and the state of Florida. You’ve got a state that is currently the nations epicenter for the virus that has killed over 600,000 people in the US alone and you have state government agencies and public organizations referencing guidelines of the CDC on their websites. Only problem is they are not following those guidelines and recommendations. Heck the Governor has continuously mocked the CDC as well as the nations foremost epidemiologist. So the class actions will come and your tax dollars will be wasted needlessly cause while the Governor has no problem clearly stating his position the schools and other public education institutions choose to deceive the public as if they are complying with CDC recommendations. The ONLY way you comply is with mask mandates for indoor spaces. So frankly I hope the lawsuits come in droves. It’s just terrible to live in a state where the political ambitions of one man override the safety and health of the public, and its double harm when public organizations outright post deceiving information on their websites and via other public communications simply because they are between a sociopathic Governor and doing what they know is not only right, but consistent with science.
And as far as getting the vaccine. Those opposed should then stay out of public places period. You have the right not to get it. You don’t have the right to put others safety at risk, as children who can’t yet get the vaccine, the immune compromised, etc. Ironic isn’t it that you are required to have chicken pox vaccine to go to college in Florida but you aren’t required to have vaccine for a virus that has killed more people in the US than all the major wars, beginning with WW1, combined?!
Nature now weeding out the weak minded. No doubt about it. You anti-vaccine crowd just go ahead. Nature and truth will rule supreme as always and you will be a victim of your own ignorance. Just too bad you are so selfishly putting others at risk. In that regard you may be a murderer, but hey that’s your right too I suppose in your own challenged mind.
Must’ve got a phone call from Tallahassee.
@pencil One of the most ignorant comments. Obviously, you too lack education, primarily that of individual rights based on the US and FL Constitutions.
After reading these comments, there has to be a strong connection between the unvaccinated and a lack of basic education. Bad comparisons, faulty logic, circular arguments and absolutely no critical thinking.
@ Over it already . . . . a very good explanation of what’s going on. I imagine they’ll run you out of town before long for making sense.
@BN
If I decide I don’t want to wear pants anymore, that is absolutely my right. It’s my body, and I can decide how I want to cover it.
However, businesses will have a right to deny me service. Schools will have a right to ban me from in-person classes. My job may choose to terminate my employment.
That’s not tyranny, that’s paying the consequences for my actions.
If there are consequences for offending public squeamishness, why shouldn’t there be consequences for potentially spreading a deadly disease?
…side note: of the 164 million Americans that have been vaccinated, 50 have died. Of the 36 million Americans that have contracted COVID-19, 630,000 have died. You are nearly 60,000 times more likely to die from COVID-19 than from the vaccine.
Do you want them to wear unvaccinated stars next so you can just exclude them from education all together? Why are people refusing an injection, that has killed people, being treated like felons or lessers. What happened to “my body my choice.”
REGARDING:
“@Liza Have you had covid? There is no hiding the symptoms.”
Actually, there can be. Some have COVID-19 without visible symptoms. About half have organ damage but don’t know about it without tests. And those with symptoms have differing degrees of response.
AND
“Executive Order – Florida Governor Ron DeSantis –It is impermissible to require a person to provide documentation certifying COVID vaccinations.”
Wise or foolish, Governors’ executive orders carry the weight and enforcement power of law in implementing emergency management and contingency plans that require the chief executive to temporarily assume responsibilities normally accorded legislatures. This means since Governor DeSantis has chosen to NOT declare an emergency, his order lacks authority. Interesting, non?
AND
“This sounds like grounds for discrimination.”
Discrimination doesn’t require grounds. You can discriminate in the air.
AND
“the democrats and college elites are 100% for a woman’s right to make their own healthcare decisions when it means terminate an unborn baby”
It was not a requirement for registration as a Democrat.
Its opposite must not be a requirement to register as a Republican either.
Polls indicate no party has only one or the other.
And Independents are not united.
And those who favor limits mostly do not want total limitation.
And those who favor freedom of pregnant women to choose mostly do not want total freedom of pregnant women to choose (for example abortion for sex selection: kill the female fetus, keep the male fetus or vice versa).
https://www.npr.org/2019/06/07/730183531/poll-majority-want-to-keep-abortion-legal-but-they-also-want-restrictions
Those all in favor of freedom of choice on COVID-19 matters tend to choose to avoid close contact with those showing symptoms — even though those NOT showing symptoms may be just as infectious for all they know.
David for wisdom
@Derek W – I would like to know if you have statistics for that claim. And you do realize that an unmasked person, vaccinated or not, can infect a pregnant woman? We need to work together on this, especially to protect vulnerable people. The virus does not care about your politics.
Totalitarians are totally taking over the USA ! If you do not believe it, study the past and wake up in the present…………..or deeply regret it tomorrow.
Isn’t funny how the democrats and college elites are 100% for a woman’s right to make their own healthcare decisions when it means terminate an unborn baby…..but they want to force you to take a vaccine that is not fully approved by the FDA????
On May 3, 2021 Governor Ron DeSantis signed Senate Bill (SB) 2006 into law that prohibits private businesses, schools and government offices from requiring citizens to show proof of vaccination against COVID, a so-called vaccine passport. “In Florida, your personal choice regarding vaccinations will be protected and no business or government entity will be able to deny services based on your decision” said DeSantis. The final version of legislation, SB 2006, passed in the Florida Senate ,23-15, and in the Florida House, 78-36, on April 29, 2021
My doctor went to medical school. I rely on the knowledge of my doctor to help me decide my individual medical treatments. He knows my medical past and any current medical issues. I trust him because he takes the time and has the knowledge and education to keep me healthy.
The Federal Government passed/approved the HIPPA legislation. I am a law abiding citizen and will follow the law and what is in HIPPA.
Finally, I thought I lived in a Republic and had the protections under the Constitution for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness? What about the freedom to take personal responsibility for my own actions?
What happens if PSC does not allow students with a STD or anything that is contagious?
Students and employees need to just stand of for their right to privacy and simply refuse to give a yes or no answer when asked about being vaccinated. Their personal life is nobody’s business but their own. If they don’t know if you’re vaccinated or not they will have no choice but to excuse your sick absences. I’m not against being vaccinated but it is still a personal choice regardless of who likes it or not. Vaccinated people will spread the virus just as fast as unvaccinated people because they will continue to be out in public using less precautions due to their false sense of security for themselves. You can’t blame unvaccinated people any more than vaccinated people because when it comes down to it no one really knows who is spreading what to who.
For what it’s worth, myself and my immediate family got vaccinated and we all got sick. Sick enough to be home from work several days. This variant is nasty and I don’t want it again. I’m grateful that my school or employer doesn’t treat my (vaccinated) sick days I had to take any different from my (unvaccinated) family member’s sick days. I’m glad I got vaccinated. I feel like it would have been worse. My unvaccinated family that is still sick, as I am better, has said they will get vaccinated as soon as they are able.
Are we as a society actually this stupid? First of all, this is not a vaccine. Do your research as to what constitutes a vaccine. If you choose not to have a vaccine and you get sick (or even end up with Covid), simply tell your professor you couldn’t come to class because of diarrhea or a virus. LOL. Trust me. That is excused. Better yet, take the majority of your classes online and be done with this crap. Enough is enough.
Wrong on so many levels. People who have the illness but do not have any symptoms whether or not they are vaccinated, can spread the illness. Now students who are sick will go to class and spread the illness. A person in this country should be able to choose what medicine or procedure/treatment/surgery that they want or don’t want. What is this college going to ask their students next? Are they going to ask if they use birth control, practice safe sex, drink alcohol, smoke tobacco or crack, have an STD, or if they have medical conditions/diseases in their family or in their history? You can laugh at this but if you start asking for someone’s personal medical information then where does it stop? No one can ask me medical questions and expect me to answer them. I have a right to my choice and my privacy when it comes to my medical decisions. Period.
Those who refuse the injection have varied valid reasons. Some already have immunity, others may have health conditions which make it too risky, others simply know that a free republic doesn’t engage in these kinds of tactics against its citizens.
To fully educate those who are swallowing the MSM lies, one would need a free press who does not censor posts which expose the fallacious reporting. Those who say “It’s just a jab”, “It’s just 15 days”, “It’s just social distancing”, “It’s just a card”, etc. have much to learn from those in the medical field who are bravely standing up and speaking out, only to be smeared and cancelled.
@Josh: Yes, it is.
@Scott – Discrimination at its finest
Florida public schools require children be immunized in order to attend. “Children entering or attending public pre-school are required to have an age-appropriate number of DTaP, Polio, MMR, Hepatitis B, Varicella, and Hib immunizations.”
Is that discrimination?
I’m glad I got the shot. Kinda late to the game but better late than never.
When I read the FB pages from people in the obits I see a lot of them who fell into the “it’s a hoax line”. Wasn’t it going away after the elections?
Discrimination at its finest
lol all this hate for PJC (I refuse to call it a state college until Pensacola is its own state) over covid and trying to protect people when there is soooo many better reasons. Why does it take 5 years to get a 2 year degree? I know, I know the obvious answer is “student fault” but not when classes are constantly canceled, rescheduled, changing professors, changing pace even mid-course.
@Just Saying we’re glad you don’t go there either.
@Liza Have you had covid? There is no hiding the symptoms.
@Molino People get sued for far dumber things everyday remember McDonalds coffee is too hot? How about most recently not to put industrial strength glue in your hair?
@Stephen Then I guess you have never had to register a child for school in the ENTIRE STATE OF FLORIDA.
That’s all the common sense I can spare for you today good luck and God Bless!!
So with not allowing an exused absence for quarantine (which will probably exceed the maximum of absences in a semester) you’re going to force sick people to go to class and infect more students and begin a domino affect. We already know that vaccinated people will catch the virus. You guys want us to “trust the science” but I can’t even trust your common sense.
.
Discrimination anyone?
Thank you Dr. Meadows!!!
What a crock of bull. Ed Meadows making his own rules for absences. It’s a slick way of FORCING people to get vaccinated.
Providing hand sanitation stations and the faculty cleaning every student desk or table after each class, could cut down on the spread. Door knobs and handles are some of the worst places for germs to be hiding. Janitors need to be doing their job also.
Executive Order – Florida Governor Ron DeSantis ————–
It is impermissible to require a person to provide documentation certifying COVID vaccinations.
It’s time to enroll elsewhere.
Restricting folks rights based on a political agenda. Asking for Healthcare choices and/or status is a HIPAA violation, isn’t it?
Will this rule be enforced for all viruses with an approved FDA vaccine? Flu, chickenpox, rotavirus, shingles, etc… Employees need to look for new employment or utilize FMLA for medical-related absences. No employees/students; perhaps they will reconsider.
It’s a vaccination card folks…stop digging in your heels and get over yourselves. If you are vaccinated you merely show the card that you are and you get COVID then it’s excused. If you’re not vaccinated and get COVID, that’s on you for playing with fire and getting burned…and yes, you don’t get an excused absence and get the zero. You made the conscious decision to not get the vaccination…deal with the consequences. You don’t want to have to show someone a proof of anything because you think you’re entitled or think it’s your right to not have to? Try doing that when you get pulled over by FHP with your driver’s license and see where that gets you. Just be ready to accept the repercussions of your decisions. it’s that simple.
PSC better be careful. This sounds like grounds for discrimination.
Under the impression*
This ED. sounds like an over educated idiot. He doesn’t like what the Governor is doing, so he will do all he can to circumvent the Governor’s intent. Meanwhile students will hide symptoms, not get tested, and attribute any illness to anything but Covid 19. This college age group is the least vulnerable to side effects from covid 19, but the most vulnerable group to the side effects from the shot. I am 68, and have had my shots, but I have encouraged my kids and grands to avoid it because of these side effects. Ed needs to get a grip
People not smart enough to get vaccinated aren’t likely attending or working in college.
@Liza
You are absolutely right.
If someone doesn’t care about thei community enough to get vaccinated, why would they care enough to quarantine after getting sick?
I was under the were not allowed to ask for vaccine passports to prove someone is vaccinated in the state of Florida?
Sounds like someone wants to get sued.
If absences are unexcused students will attempt to hide their symptoms and attend class anyway.
So penalized for not getting the vaccine so glad I don’t go to that school.
I will not answer medical questions. I will not show medical papers. They are just encouraging people that are infected to come to class so they don’t ruin their semester. I recall the phrase “My body, My choice” being used a lot over the years but I guess they don’t feel the same when it’s not being used to abort babies.