School absentee data provided by the Shasta County Office of Education indicates that a majority of Shasta County community members oppose COVID vaccine mandates in schools. Organizers of school walkouts say they’ll continue to pull their children out of school on Mondays until they’re given freedom of choice about vaccines. Student COVID vaccine mandates are not yet in effect.
Shasta County Office of Education's American Indian Advisory played a pivotal role in new legislation that provides excused absences for California students attending Native cultural ceremonies and events. The bill, sponsored by Assembly member Megan Dahle, addresses one of the primary causes of Native student’s chronically high rates of absenteeism.
Neither the Board of Supervisors nor Shasta County Public Health has jurisdiction over local schools and neither dictates school policies.
With the news of mass graves at Canadian Indian residential schools garnering headlines, Native peoples living in what is now Shasta County continue to recover from the generational effects of the schools, which were designed to eradicate Native ways of life.
Discussing Juneteenth, Umoja's Jerry Brown said the day still lacks needed recognition, especially in Shasta County.
