‘Please mandate jabs’: independent schools plead with Tasmanian government

Key independent schools are pleading for the Tasmanian government to mandate staff Covid-19 vaccinations, fearing its refusal to do so exposes schools to legal action.

Independent Schools Tasmania executive director Tony Crehan.

Key independent schools are pleading for the Tasmanian government to mandate staff Covid-19 vaccinations, fearing its refusal to do so exposes schools to legal action.

Unlike other jurisdictions, including Victoria and NSW, the Gutwein government has not mandated staff vaccinations across all education systems – only government schools.

This is causing dilemmas for independent schools, some of which have told The Australian that without a government mandate, they face law suits.

If they mandate vaccinations, they face cases claiming unfair dismissal or “adverse action”. If they do not mandate, they fear legal action for failing to provide a safe workplace.

“We could be in court either way,” said Nelson File, principal of Hobart’s The Friends’ School, in comments backed privately by several other independent schools.

“It would have made life much easier if the government had just mandated that all people who work in schools need to be vaccinated.

“It was surprising they did not just mandate it.”

The Australian is aware some teachers in independent schools are refusing to be vaccinated. While a small minority, their loss to the system would exacerbate staff shortages expected to be caused by Covid.

Nelson (his preferred term of address as a Quaker) said Friends’ was consulting staff on a draft policy to mandate coronavirus vaccinations, with most backing the move but a “very, very small minority” opposed.

A final decision has not been made.

“We respect people as individuals but have a duty of care to staff and our children,” he said.

The process was a drain on resources when schools had a plethora of Covid issues and uncertainties to deal with ahead of the start of term, he said: “All schools have had to waste time on this; it’s such an energy drain.”

Some of the state’s 32 independent schools are understood to oppose a government vaccination mandate, either on religious or philosophical grounds, or because they fear losing valuable staff.

The division has prevented peak body Independent Schools Tasmania from lobbying for a government-imposed mandate.

“Some schools have mandated for their staff and their staff have complied, but there are other schools I can’t name who have said if they were to mandate, they would lose staff,” IST executive director Tony Crehan said.

Some schools were weighing up this fear against that of losing enrolments if they did not mandate staff vaccinations.

“It’s also a question of satisfying parents,” Mr Crehan said.

A government spokesman said the matter was one for Public Health, which was yet to comment by deadline.

Schools are also worried about the lack of rapid antigen tests, with funding from the state government so far procuring a promise of only 12,000 RATs.

Mr Crehan said these were likely to be reserved for staff, with parents expected to provide for their children.

Education Minister Sarah Courtney was meanwhile heavily criticised for taking holidays despite ongoing uncertainty over school Covid plans.