Religion & Spirituality

Harlem hosts immigrant services support day

Uptown organizations came together to provide resources and information to Harlem families, including immigrant services, back-to-school supplies, PPE, food pantry items, insurance information, and clothing. The event was co-sponsored by the office of Comptroller Scott Stringer, ICNA Relief, Zeina L.INC., the Council of African Imams, the Senegalese Association of America, Manhattan Community Board 10 Harlem, and NYC African Communities Together.

GEORGE FLOYD JOHN LEWIS

BREONNA TAYLOR

(Bill Moore photos) of our public employees and the contribution they make. I saw with my own eyes repeatedly, the reality of remote—at times, it did inhibit communication, it inhibited efficiency, effectiveness, collaboration.”

One group that remains in the balance over vaccine mandates is school staff. The city could see a large number of its workforce in schools exit if they don’t comply with a mandatory vaccine mandate that went into effect last Friday.

On Monday, DC 37 and the city’s Department of Education announced an agreement for nearly 20,000 DOE employees. DC 37 members who have not provided proof of at least one dose of the vaccine will have the option to resign or take a leave of absence. Employees had until Tuesday to apply for medical or religious exemptions.

“This fight has always been about the right of individuals to make their own medical decisions without fear of retribution in the workplace,” said DC 37 Executive Director Henry Garrido. “Very few of our members remain unvaccinated, but for those who do, we do not believe their jobs should be on the line. This deal strikes the balance between public safety and fairness.”

As of Sunday, Oct. 3, 93% of DC 37’s almost 20,000 DOE workers had provided proof of at least one dose of the COVID19 vaccine.

Reports indicate that the DOE needs 3,700 substitute teachers to fill the void of full-time teachers who will be off the job because of the vaccine mandate. In total, 5,500 teachers have refused to get the COVID-19 vaccine.

On Monday, several teachers filed for a temporary restraining order to stop the DOE vaccine mandate in the case Kane vs. De Blasio. The restraining order focuses on the exemption process carried out by city schools.

Those seeking a religious exemption must provide a letter from an “established religion” to certify one’s personally held religious beliefs are sincere. The restraining order points out “The Establishment Clause” in the First Amendment which states the government cannot establish a religion nor can they determine what religions are or are not “established religions.”

“It’s incredibly sad that neither Mayor de Blasio nor the largest school system in America has any clue what the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution is,” said lead plaintiff Michael Kane.

The teacher’s attorney, Sujata Gibson, said the religious exemptions’ requirement violates teachers’ constitutional rights not to get the vaccine.

“These exemption policies are as blatantly unconstitutional as they are repulsive,” said Gibson. “This issue is long-settled and it shocks the conscience that this type of unconstitutional discrimination would be resurrected by the NYC DOE.”

De Blasio previously stated that a “very small” number of requests for medical or religious exemption by teachers have been made and hundreds have been approved so far.

“If they don’t get vaccinated, they consciously make the choice not to get vaccinated, they will be suspended without pay, but there is a process,” he said. “It’s all been delineated by the arbitrator of how to address that. If someone wants to come back, there’s a way to do that. If they don’t, then there are consequences.”