There are few topics more emotionally inflamed than vaccines..Those 12 and older who do not have a COVID-19 vaccine are not allowed to dine in restaurants, attend hockey games with their friends, or take part in various other settings..While some have concerns about the aforementioned rules, the solution to others is as simple as “get your vaccine,” with each respective side often choosing not to associate with the other..Schools, however, are a setting where the intermingling of those perspectives is inevitable, and in recent months students who are not vaccinated have been dealing with accentuated social pressure and ostracism, not just from their peers, but from teachers..At one BC school, students are taught that the only people who experience vaccine hesitancy are “conspiracy theorists.”.A Grade 8 science teacher at Elphinstone Secondary in Gibsons, BC presented his class the following slide:. IMG_1143 .“I had concerns at the beginning of the year because my daughter is not vaccinated,” Anna, the mother of a Grade 8 Elphinstone student told the Western Standard..“Concerns about her feeling segregated at school, thinking it would come mostly from her peers. As it turns out, it’s coming from teachers instead.”.Anna is among several parents of students attending Elphinstone Secondary who are concerned about vaccine related division within the school..“While vaccination may well be a science unit, I’d hope that personal choice would be valued and respected,” said Anna, adding how her 13-year-old daughter has observed the same teacher allegedly calling students “anti-maskers.”.Anna says she finds the comments inappropriate coming from a teacher and not conductive to scientific inquiry or critical thinking, and that his “vaccine controversy” lesson is shaming to those who make their own choices..“I can understand teaching a controversial subject if he said ‘hey, I’m going to put up this controversial subject, let’s see what kind of feelings it provokes,’ but it was posted as fact,” said Anna..The teacher Anna is referring to told the Western Standard he feels no need to discuss the matter with media..Earlier this year, several Scandinavian countries halted the use of Moderna vaccines for people under the age of 30, citing heart inflammation..In Canada, the National Advisory Committee on Immunization now recommends those between the ages of 12 and 29 do not receive Moderna vaccines..Vancouver’s Dr. Steven Pelech — who recently brought a petition to the House of Commons to stop the use of COVID-19 vaccines in children — told the Western Standard he has “serious concerns” regarding the pressure to vaccinate children against COVID..“The risk of people younger than 19 having harm from the vaccine is significantly higher than getting infected with SARS-CoV-2 itself,” said Pelech..Following Health Canada’s recent approval of Pfizer-BioNtech’s vaccine for children ages 5-11 in November, Canada’s chief public health officer, Dr. Theresa Tam, told CBC Radio-Canada the government may start vaccinating babies and toddlers against COVID by early next year, pending approval..Reid Small is a BC-based reporter for the Western Standard.,rsmall@westernstandardonline.com,.Twitter.com/reidsmall
