Attorneys for the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) are urging the dismissal of a lawsuit filed by more than 20 current and former members of the Los Angeles School Police Department. These individuals claim that they were unjustly denied religious exemptions to the district’s compulsory coronavirus vaccination requirement for employees. In court documents, LAUSD attorneys argue against the validity of the lawsuit and emphasize the importance of maintaining the district’s vaccination policy.
The group of plaintiffs consists of various law enforcement officers within the school police department, including school safety officers, police officers, police detectives, and senior police officers. They are seeking compensatory damages and the possibility of being rehired if they were terminated due to non-compliance with the vaccination mandate.
The individuals involved in the lawsuit are Jose Cardenas, Shawn Workman, Angel Frias, Jared Gilmore, Juan Romo, Leopoldo Gil, Aaron Gray, Marc Salazar, Sergio Salas, Branden Hamada, Harold Salazar, Clifford Herrera, Sally Moctezuma, Andrea Magana, Jose Avalos, Donyann Morgan, Christopher Moreno, Shaun Luciano, Cheron Bartee, Melanie Guevara, Timothy Chavez, and Joseph Rios.
In their lawsuit, the plaintiffs argue that the district ignored their religious beliefs and enforced the vaccination policy without proper consideration. They claim that although vaccination reduces symptoms for the unvaccinated, it does not guarantee full protection against COVID-19. However, LAUSD attorneys contend that allowing law enforcement officers to work remotely would be impractical due to the sensitive nature of their work, which involves accessing confidential information that cannot be handled outside of district facilities. They also argue that accommodating unvaccinated employees would place an undue burden on the district.
Furthermore, the LAUSD lawyers state that some of the plaintiffs, including Avalos, Magana, Moreno, Rios, Romo, and the Salazars, are still employed by the district and voluntarily chose to get vaccinated. These individuals have not faced adverse employment actions. The mandatory vaccination policy was implemented by the LAUSD Board of Education in August 2021 in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
The court papers also reveal that each plaintiff submitted a request for exemption and accommodation, providing all requested information and documents, but their requests were summarily denied by the district. Meetings to discuss these requests only lasted approximately 15 minutes, according to the lawsuit filed in January 2022. Some plaintiffs felt coerced to get vaccinated due to fear of losing their jobs and the financial responsibility of supporting their families. Others have been fired or are currently on medical leave, with the understanding that they will be terminated if they remain unvaccinated upon their return.
A hearing to address the district’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit is scheduled for August 30, with Judge Jill Feeney presiding over the case.
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