Teacher’s union president wants Indiana to prioritize educators for vaccine

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WPTA21)- President Biden said Tuesday he wants teachers across the state to be prioritized for the vaccine.

"We want every educator, school staff member, child care worker to receive at least one shot by the end of the month of March," Biden said.

Sandra Vohs, the Fort Wayne Education Association says she is happy the president is willing to encourage states to let teachers get vaccinated, but Indiana is one of the only states in the area that hasn't yet.

"For some reason Indiana is saying well we can't do that but other states could do that so we should be able to do that too, kind of like walking and chewing gum we'd be able to have teachers and an age based category going at the same time," Vohs said.

Vohs says the state is a huge proponent of in-person learning and that most teacher's would feel safer teaching in person if they were protected.

"Our teachers are around lots of people every single day and the cleanest school can not control for the factors that happen outside of school so people can be exposed outside of the school building and bring that into the building," Vohs said.

Vohs hopes by May there will be enough vaccines for all adults so that teachers can get theirs. That's the best way, she says, for schools to get back to normal.

"The sooner we can get teacher's vaccinated the sooner schools can return to normal where we can have full time in person learning for the most kids and that is what everybody wants," Vohs said.