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This is the WFHB Local News for Tuesday, June 22nd, 2021.
Later in the program, WFHB Correspondent Max Campbell covers a webinar from Common Cause Indiana on voting rights and redistricting in the Hoosier state. That’s coming up in today’s feature reports. Also coming up in the next half hour, WFHB Correspondent Robert Robinson reports on a lawsuit filed by eight students against Indiana University over its vaccine mandate. More in today’s headlines.
But first, your local headlines:
Richland Bean Blossom School Board
The Richland Bean Blossom School Board discussed leadership training sessions at its June 21st meeting. Superintendent Doctor Jerry Sanders presented an agreement with Solution Tree for two days of training in August. He explained that this partnership differs from past attempts to create a professional learning community by focusing on becoming part of staff culture.
Doctor Sanders added the Ready Schools initiative as another big change. He said establishing a P-L-C would help tie everything together.
Board member Larry DeMoss voiced concerns with the partnership. He said that, as a teacher who had been through such partnerships, he was worried it would just become another thing on teacher’s plates.
Board members voted to approve the partnership unanimously.
Local Emergency Flood Resources
The Monroe County Emergency Management Office released a statement encouraging residents and business owners who have been affected by the June 19th flood to report their flood damage. Residents can report damage over the phone by calling 211, or online by visiting in211.org and clicking on the Monroe County Storm and Flood Damage Assessment button in the top bar.
The Red Cross has set up an emergency shelter for folks who have been displaced by flooding. The shelter is operating out of Bloomington High School North, at 3901 North Kinser Pike at the N-16 entrance. A spokesperson for the Red Cross said they had initially planned on closing the shelter today, but due to high demand, will be keeping it open until further notice. The shelter is providing meals and clothes for residents who need them, as well as some other services, such as counseling and medication replacement. For more information about the Red Cross shelter and its availability, call 888-684-1441.
Other organizations you can contact for help with flood relief include the Monroe County Emergency Management Office via phone at 812-349-2546 from 9 to 4 P-M, and the Community Organizations Active in Disaster in Monroe County via email at [email protected].
Students File Lawsuit against IU Over Vaccine Mandate
On Monday, a group of eight students filed a lawsuit against Indiana University over its mandatory vaccine policy for the 2021-2022 academic year.
The lawsuit alleges a wide range of violations in Indiana University’s policy, claiming that it violates Indiana’s vaccine “passport” law, violates the Fourteenth Amendment, defies state and local policies, and is unjustified by the risks posed by COVID.
The vaccine mandate was recommended by the Indiana University Restart Committee, charged by President Michael McRobbie with restoring Indiana University to normal pre-pandemic operations. Initially, the university intended to require proof of vaccination, but the decision was rescinded after Attorney General Todd Rokita advised that it would be illegal under state law. Now, Indiana University only requires a student attestation of receiving the vaccine. Students may option to submit proof of vaccination in order to be entered into weekly prize drawings.
The lawsuit’s chief allegation is that this policy violates the Indiana state vaccine “passport” law, which prohibits Indiana state and local government units from issuing or requiring official records of immunization.
The argument rests on two main points. First, Indiana University counts as a local government unit, and is thus subject to the vaccine passport law. The plaintiffs cite a recent advisory opinion by Attorney General Rokita, in which Rokita argued that public universities are subject to the vaccine passport law because they are “arms of the state”, and thus cannot require proof of immunization. Second, the lawsuit argues that requiring students to attest to their vaccinated status counts as requiring that students prove their vaccinated status. In Rokita’s advisory opinion, he noted that entities are allowed to request proof of vaccination so long as there are no negative consequences for the failure to provide such proof. The lawsuit alleges that Indiana University contravenes this opinion. According to the plaintiffs, requiring a student to report their vaccinated status is an instance of requiring them to prove their vaccinated status, and a student’s failure to report their vaccinated status results in severe negative consequences: the cancellation of their course registration and removal from Indiana University systems.
Indiana University has responded by stating they are confident in the legality of their vaccine requirement. Additionally, other opponents have noted that Indiana University is defined as a state educational institution, not a local government unit, and is thus not subject to the law.
The lawsuit alleges a wide range of further infractions. It claims that Indiana University’s policy violates the Fourteenth Amendment rights to personal autonomy, bodily integrity, and to reject medical treatment. It argues that the mandate violates the COVID-19 vaccine Emergency Use Authorization requirements of complete, informed, and voluntary consent, claiming that Indiana University is coercing students into receiving the vaccine and thus denying them the E.U.A. provisions. It also notes that Indiana University has failed to make arrangements for students who are medically advised against receiving the vaccine.
The plaintiffs also argue that, for the relatively young population of Indiana University, the risks of receiving the vaccine outweigh the risks of contracting COVID-19. They also claim that Indiana University’s policy violates modern medical ethics, via an analogy to the Tuskegee syphilis experiment: arguing that in both instances government bodies failed to provide for “voluntary and informed consent”. They also claim it defies state and local COVID-19 recommendations, which only recommend receiving the vaccine, and do not mandate it.
The lawsuit will proceed in the United States District Court of the Northern District of Indiana.
Feature Reports:
In Indiana, state lawmakers redraw congressional maps every ten years, subject to a governor’s veto. Independent, non-partisan groups like Common Cause are fighting for an independent commission to draw legislative lines without a partisan lean.
We turn to WFHB Correspondent Max Campbell who covers a webinar from Common Cause Indiana on voting rights and redistricting in the Hoosier state.
Credits:
You’ve been listening to the WFHB Local News,
Today’s headlines were written by Robert Robinson and Jake Jacobson, in partnership with Cats – Community Access Television Services.
Our feature was produced by Max Campbell.
Our theme music is provided by Mark Bingham and the Social Climbers
Engineer and Executive producer is Kade Young.
Anchors are Katherine Patterson and Benedict Jones.
