OP-ED: Can A NYC Mayor Enact A School Vaccine Mandate?

A furious battle between the candidates for the next Mayor of New York City appears to have settled on at least one major question. Will they as Mayor enact a vaccine mandate for schools in NYC? Crown Heights activist Avi Lesches clarifies in a message to the community.

I did not want to do this, but after receiving multiple voice notes from friends and family about the “mandate” that Eric Adams plans to impose on your kids, I felt a response was needed. So, let’s begin by addressing the main item-authority. For those unfamiliar with how government works, the City, and especially the mayor does not have the authority to implement a mandate for school children. Why? Because NYC schools including public schools policies are set forth by the State. For example, when we had the measles outbreak some years back, the City could not remove the religious exemption, but rather it was the State that did so.

Now most importantly, we have seen how eight years of a person who has no executive experience can destroy a city that took two decades to rebuild after the terrible ’70s and ’80s. Curtis might be a nice and meaningful person with good intentions, but he has not the experience in running and rebuilding the city. The city is losing revenue faster than one can imagine. We need right now someone who the NYPD will respect, but who will also hold them to the task. We need someone who will sit down and work things out with developers, high-income earners, and many others, to ensure they continue to call NYC home, because, without them and their income, programs that many in our community rely on will disappear.

So, when voting, do not take the words of anti-vaxxers, and their one-word attack lines. Rather, look at Adams as a person who has a long history in politics, and in serving this city and our community. If you feel after reviewing the facts and Adams’s history that he is not your choice, that is fine, but please do not take up misquoted, and unrealized quotes as your basis to not vote for Eric.

In closing, as someone who is working with members of the business community, I can tell firsthand that many if not all of them are excited that a new day is coming from NYC, and that is because Eric has infused hope and optimism into our fellow citizens. It would be a real shame now to discard all of that for a topic that again Eric has no real power or say on.

Clarification

I did not mean anti-vaxxers, I meant people who have reservations in giving their children a shot that is only out for a year. While I might not necessarily agree with such folks, and even disagree, I understand them. That being said, Eric is entitled to his opinion, and even if it is on one thing that you might not agree with. It might be a big thing or it might be a small thing, but we have to look at what is best for New York City now, and who can we work with in the future to a-make them understand our point of views, or b-have a difference of opinion with.

As I noted above, Eric does not really have the power, he is merely giving you his opinion as a person, and just because a person has an opinion that is of a different view then some of us, and it is on a topic that has to do with our kids, he has a lot of redeeming qualities. He is going to be fantastic for the city of NY.

What is really important and crucial here is voting and voter turnout. No matter who you vote for it is mandatory upon all of us to vote. In the primary we all voted, and it helped give us a voice. To continue to ensure that we have a voice, we need to all vote, especially now everyone can vote no matter their party affiliation.