Right-leaning students at a Virginia institute of higher learning are petitioning the school against its policy of mandatory vaccinations.
“Virginia Tech students delivered a petition with about 500 signatures that urges Virginia Tech to end a policy requiring students to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to take classes in the fall,” according to The Center Square.
Young Americans for Liberty (YAL) sponsored the petition.
That petition, titled “Oppose Forced Vaccinations at Virginia Tech,” says:
On Tuesday, June 8, the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors delegated authority to President Tim Sands to dictate health and safety measures on Virginia Tech’s campus. President Sands immediately mandated that all Virginia Tech students must take the covid-19 vaccine in order to be enrolled in classes in the Fall. This mandate applies to all students even if they are enrolled online or off-campus. The plan also excludes faculty and staff from the same requirements.
I believe that the decision to participate in the vaccine is a personal and private decision that should be made between a student, their family, and their doctors; not one required by President Sands and his staff.
I hereby petition President Sands to return the rights of students on Virginia Tech’s campus and lift his vaccine mandate.
The only exceptions to Virginia Tech’s forced vaccination rule are medical hindrances, or sincerely held religious beliefs.
YAL representatives say it is a question of medical freedom.
“This arbitrary order is a blatant violation of the students’ rights to medical freedom,” YAL’s South Regional Director Ian Escalante reportedly said. “It is time for us to set the government school system straight, and let them know that they will not be controlling our students.”
Virginia Tech is not the school in the state that is facing rebellion from students over vaccination policies.
Earlier this week, it was revealed by a campus tipster that Emory & Henry College will give vaccinated students special lanyards to designate their status, while other students will have to wear masks and socially distance.
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Pete D’Abrosca is a contributor at The Virginia Star and The Star News Network. Follow Pete on Twitter. Email tips to dabroscareports@gmail.com.