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On January 8th, 2020, students across the Seattle Public Schools were barred from class due to lack of vaccination. This is the result of a new district policy that eliminated vaccine exemptions for personal or philosophical reasons. (Students with religious or medical limitations can still obtain a vaccine waiver.)
This isn’t the first time a Washington school district has tightened vaccine requirements. In the spring of 2019, a large measles outbreak in Clark County affected numerous communities and schools, and reports show 71 cases occurred. The measles has since been contained, and in response, schools across the state started to implement new vaccination laws. Seattle Public Schools, the largest public school district in the state, turned away nearly 800 students who didn’t have proper vaccinations. Garfield itself had over 100 unvaccinated students.
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“Seattle Public Schools wants to make sure we have a more complete [vaccination] record because if someone comes into the building with measles, it affects everyone in the building, and we want to make sure that we’re doing our part to make sure everyone is safe,” Garfield’s nurse Rebecca Dubin said.
While students are now required by law to have updated vaccination records to attend school, staff aren’t included in these new laws. They are, however, encouraged to get c h e c k e d and make sure they are also upto-date on vaccinations to ensure they are protecting themselves and t h e i r stu- dents. “I encourage staff to know what their immunization status is and be prepared to provide [vaccine] information in the event that we do have a measles case at Garfield,” Dubin said. “People should know if they’re protected or not, but currently, no, there’s not a Seattle Public Schools requirement.”
The measles is one of the most contagious diseases in the world, and once introduced into an area, it’s very hard to contain. The best way to prevent measles is through a strong vaccine program. “This is very important to get vaccinated because we have vulnerable people in our community and people at Garfield whose immune system is compromised, or they can’t get vaccinated for medical reasons,” Dubin said. “These vaccines help prevent Seattle Public Schools new policy around vaccines. GET YOUR VACCINES By Téa Fortune
these diseases and measles. If someone who has measles coughs in a room and then two hours later someone else comes in the room, then they could get the disease.
Almost all Seattle Public Schools have school-based health centers that can provide students with MMR vaccines and refer students to free clinics around the area they live. If a Garfield student doesn’t know if they are up-to-date on their vaccines, they can go to the Teen Health Center at Garfield and talk with Nurse Rebecca, who can pull up their records using a state database. Additionally, she can also help students—with a parent’s consent—set up their own account on that database, so students can have their medical records at their fingertips.
“Something students can do to help is to know their immunization information and really advocate for their medical needs,” Dubin said. “They can also support their peers and help them because there is so much information to know about, but it is important information because it’s helping keep their community safe.” Graphics by Sophia Chrysanthakopoulos
Sound Transit’s new changes to the Light Rail. TRAIN TROUBLES By Khassim Diakhate S ound Transit kicked off the new year with major changes to their Link Light Rail system. Beginning January 4th and for the next 10 weeks, Sound Transit will go from two tracks going into downtown Seattle to one for their new “East Link Expansion” construction. This period of construction will increase travel times for Link riders across the system.
Sound Transit’s East Link Extension will expand the light rail system as far as Redmond. The extension is projected to dramatically increase Link ridership when it opens in 2023.
Due to East Link construction, all stations between Capitol Hill and SoDo will be closed on these two upcoming weekends: February 8-9 and March 14-15. When the downtown stations are closed, free shuttle buses will bridge the gap.
“Once they started closing up train stations, it got super crowded and it’s a mess,” said Garfield High School sophomore Ezana Yassin. “The amount of people hopping onto trains is getting way higher because of delays.”
One of the most important changes lies in the frequency of light rail service. Instead of arriving every 6 minutes during peak times, trains will now arrive every 13- 15 minutes throughout the day. This has negatively affected Garfield students who ride the light rail.
“The trains are coming super slow now, and it’s like 6 to 12 minutes [extra] now,” Yassin said. “6 to 12 minutes isn’t a ton but if you are running late to school or you have a schedule to follow it’s going to be a problem.”
Most students who ride the train must arrive early to account for longer wait times and crowded trains.
“The 12 minute delay — it’s making me late to s c h o o l ,” junior Payton Fukeda said.
Garf ield s t u d e n t s have had many conversations about the effects of the light rail closure. Senior Xavier Weaver believes that train construction will disproportionately students of color.
they live in the south,” Weaver said.
Bike riders are also experiencing the effects of the East Link extension, as bicycles are banned from Pioneer Square station. Aside from students and consistent riders, casual riders will experience a longer commute than they are used to.
“It’s a lot harder to get [to CenturyLink Field] if they shut down the light rail system because hundreds of people take the light rail to Seahawks games,” junior Dylan Stepherson said.
The temporary changes Sound Transit has made to the light rail raises the question whether they are going to be a reliable source of transportation for the next 10 weeks, and what the future could hold.
