A former Los Angeles Unified School District teacher said Monday, December 20, that he was forced to resign due to pain related to a COVID-19 vaccine shot and a lack of housing by the district.
A group of LAUSD teachers rallied outside the district headquarters town in support of teacher Casey Corcoran, who submitted his resignation on September 24.
“I’m not an anti-vaxxer, I’m not a pro-vaxxer,” Corcoran told reporters. “I did what I had to do to maintain my position.”
Corcoran said he was vaccinated on March 9 at a district-sponsored site and two days later suffered side effects that his personal doctor attributed to the vaccine, including muscle twitches that turned into intense pain. Gone.
“Now I have pain 24/7 in my chest, under my arms, my fingers. It spread to some of the other injuries I had previously received in 2012,” said Corcoran, who described her pain as “sharp, dull, electric, burning, numb. described as “tingling”.
Corcoran was left behind in a car accident in 2012 and says vaccine-related pain has now affected his concussion injuries.
Corcoran claims that the district told him he would have to get a second vaccination in order to return to class and refused to honor his doctor’s note for a waiver. According to the teacher, officers offered him a remote position “without reasonable accommodation” before eventually turning down that offer.
Corcoran, who taught for the district for 27 years, turned 55 in September and resigned on September 24, a day before he would be eligible for full retirement benefits.
He has filed a disability claim against the county and his retirement benefits have been withheld, he says.
Corcoran’s attorney said the district’s mandate to require employees to be fully vaccinated or face separation by October 15 “violates our rights as Americans, as well as international law.” “
LAUSD did not comment on Corcoran’s personal circumstances, but confirmed that 496 employees had lost their jobs for not complying with the vaccine order.
In a statement issued earlier this month, the district said that about 99% of LAUSD employees have opted for vaccination to continue working.
Interim Superintendent Megan K. “We care deeply about all of our employees,” Reilly said in early December. “Separating with those who choose not to vaccinate is an extremely difficult, but necessary decision to ensure the safety of everyone in our school communities. We wish everyone the best of luck in their future endeavors and wish everyone the best of immunizations.” to encourage.”
As the Omicron version of the COVID-19 virus spreads rapidly, public health officials continue to emphasize that vaccination is safe, effective, and vital to protecting the public from infection.
Experts say unvaccinated individuals are at higher risk of being hospitalized or dying from the virus.
