Protestors oppose district vaccinations, grant funds

Monday afternoon, a group of residents stood on Monroe Avenue outside the Sweetwater County School District No. 2 Central Office and protested a vaccination clinic hosted by the district.

Melissa Moffat, one of the protesters, said the protest was against the vaccine clinic itself, which she claims is extending the pandemic more than helping end it, as well as the fact the district could receive $5.6 million in ESSR funding from the Biden Administration for COVID-19-related uses such as to help combat learning loss as a result of the pandemic. For Moffat, the district should completely do away with any pandemic-related responses and operate as it did prior to the pandemic, believing the district is "selling our kids for the funding."

During the protest, several people drove by and honked their horns in support of their cause. One man yelled "Ivermectin is for horses," as he drove by.

Superintendent Craig Barringer said more than 100 district employees and students signed up for the clinic -- most of whom registered to receive a booster from a previous vaccination.

Barringer said Wyoming is one of two states that operated a full school year last year and described the funding as short-term funds aimed at helping students.

While a final list of potential uses for the money won't be available until January, Barringer said other ESSR distributions included additional faculty to help reduce class sizes and an additional school nurse.

He said the funding could be used to temporarily strengthen after school and intervention programs.

A committee is examining potential uses for the proposed ESSR funds and Barringer said the committee could decide to turn the funds away.

If that were to happen, he said the other districts in the state would receive Sweetwater No. 2's distribution.

 

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