Annapolis, MD 5/27/21 Marylanders are joining a growing group of nationwide protesters who do not believe COVID vaccines should be required for college entry this coming fall. In Annapolis on Wednesday evening, more than 200 protesters peacefully gathered to send a message to Governor Hogan. The group United Maryland for Education Equality and Love Maryland PAC had speakers from all walks of life, concerned parents, college professors, university students and a lawyer from Montgomery County.
Reasons for refusing the “jab” ranged from religious reasons, vaccine safety to “my body, my choice”.
The group is currently targeting the University of Maryland system to rescind the mandate for Covid-19 vaccination for all students, staff and faculty. The act of discrimination policies against those who choose not to vaccinate deny equal access to publicly funded education. As one student said “I am not anti-vax, I’m anti-mandate, pro freedom and personal choice”.
Behind the scenes, United Maryland for Education Equality have engaged with legal experts contesting the legality of University of Maryland’s mandate. The law firm Siri & Glimstad has taken action and warned the University of Maryland against taking such action, citing the law. “The Covid-19 vaccines have only been granted emergency use authorization (EUA) and it is a clear violation of federal law to mandate receipt of a product that is only available pursuant to an EUA. University of Maryland cannot lawfully require students to receive a COVID-19 vaccine that is being distributed under an EUA.” In other words, under the law the University of Maryland System does not have any standing to pursue mandatory vaccines.
The controversy opens the full discussion concerning vaccine mandates in general. Parents have long been concerned with the number of vaccines young children receive and the side effects. Top of mind for many protesters was the safety of COVID-19 vaccines:
“Who pays if my child is injured?”
“Forced experimentation is unethical and immoral”
“I’m not an experiment”
Maryland is not the only state to take action, groups are forming all over the Unites States to fight these medical mandatory mandates. A recent article in the Washington Post “Resistance to vaccine mandates is building. A powerful network is helping”. Groups are turning to the courts to solve this issue, will Marylanders follow with a lawsuit?
As seen in the Baltimore Sun: https://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2021/05/26/groups-protest-against-usm-vaccine-mandate-for-students-staff/