MSU Professor Says Mississippi Institutions of Higher Education ‘Ignoring Science’ By Banning Vaccination Warrants

STARKVILLE, Mississippi (WCBI) – The Mississippi college board of directors voted on Friday to ban public universities in the state from requiring their students and staff to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, except in clinical settings.

It comes exactly one week after the Mississippi State Faculty Senate voted in favor of a school vaccination mandate.

“The fact that an education council does not take science into account is, for me, extremely worrying,” says Dr Sol Pelaez, one of the MSU faculty senators.

Dr Pelaez is an associate professor who has been teaching at MSU for almost 10 years. She says she is extremely disappointed with the decision of the IHL board, which she says will stand in the way of making MSU a truly safe campus.

“I am disappointed that IHL does not listen to its own members,” she said. “I am also disappointed that IHL does not listen to the Mississippi faculty in general.”

Dr Pelaez says COVID continues to put emotional and logistical strain on her and her colleagues.

“(We are) extremely anxious and nervous about having to teach in classrooms without social distancing, with students who very imperfectly respect the mask (requirements),” she says.

The MSU faculty senate voted 20-15 in favor of a vaccine mandate. The most recent data from MSU 56% of students and 78% of their staff reported having been vaccinated.

Dr Pelaez also says the threat of the virus is still disrupting lessons.

“Right now I have at least five different students waiting for the results (COVID test),” she says.

And while grateful for the security protocols MSU has put in place, the longtime educator says IHL should adopt other system-wide security measures if it bans vaccination warrants. .

“Having protocols for football,” gave Dr Pelaez as an example. “You can be vaccinated or prove you have tested negative to go to an MSU match.”

Dr Pelaez says that while she is vaccinated, she knows she could still pass COVID to her young son, who is not eligible for vaccines.

“My son is not vaccinated, so I am worried about my family,” she says.

The Ole Miss Faculty Senate voted in favor of a vaccination mandate on September 7.

IHL Governing Council says it remains highly recommend all eligible students and staff receive the vaccine.