An Illinois teacher who fought the state’s mandate requiring teachers to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccinations or submit to weekly testing, was fully vaccinated the entire time.
Kadence Koen, a business and math teacher at Southeast High School, uploaded a copy of her vaccination card to Gina McLaughlin-Schurman, the district’s assistant superintendent of human resources, before uploading it to her Facebook page on Saturday, The State Journal-Register reports.
Koen received her first dose of the vaccine on June 29 with the second dose coming on July 19 the card shows, long before Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker issued the mandate.
Koen was one of two Springfield School District 186 teachers placed on unpaid leave for defying the mandate by not producing a COVID-19 vaccination card or submitting to weekly testing at her school.
“I’ve come to the conclusion that its my body my choice and I am in charged of making my own healthcare decisions,” she told WMAY last month.
Koen is on unpaid leave through Nov. 17 and had until Wednesday to fulfill a “remediation plan” set out by the district at an Oct. 27 meeting.Â
She finally decided to divulge her vaccination status when faced with the possibility of termination. Koen said it was her love of teaching and her students that led to her change of heart.
“I didn’t want to have to produce a vaccination card because I don’t think that’s legal or appropriate, but if you ask me to choose between my personal beliefs and my students, my students will win,” Koen said. “My mother said that I was a round peg in a round hole (at Southeast) and I do well with kids there and that’s where I belong. I know I make a difference there.”
“I can’t imagine my life not teaching,” she added.
Koen said her actions were not a stunt and that her decision not to comply with the mandate was “always about liberties and freedoms and medical autonomy.”
She said her stance “created conversation in the community. I am glad it’s getting people to think. I am glad it’s getting people to look into what’s going on. Whether people agree or disagree with my methods or agree or disagree with my stance, I’m glad people are talking. I’m glad people are no longer just accepting things as this is the way it has to be.”
All you had to do was tell the truth but qualify yourself beliefs. Instead you caused a $hit storm by lying and getting caught. You disrespected the teaching community by doing so!