The most compelling case for a vaccine requirement for educators is a moral one: What do we owe our students? Like it or not, the work of a teacher is inextricable from caretaking. We are responsible for other people’s children for most of their waking hours every day, and we do many things in service of that obligation. Active-shooter and evacuation drills, mandated reporting of suspected child abuse, and even everyday tasks as simple as taking attendance help us ensure that students are safe. They are, among other reasons, why families trust us with their children. Widespread vaccination will protect students, particularly those who are too young to be vaccinated, with little risk of serious harm to anyone involved. How in good conscience can we refuse this opportunity?

Personally, we have mixed feelings about returning to school. We know the joy of a busy classroom, and we know that many will benefit from the structure and socialization that come with learning in a shared space with their peers. At the same time, as cases rise, we sympathize with students and teachers who have experienced devastating loss in the past 20 months and feel anxious about returning. We have to implement commonsense safety measures, like mask and vaccine mandates, and clear, consistent protocols for dealing with COVID-19 cases in schools to help us ensure that students’ and families’ fears are abated. Our biggest concern is that wishful thinking, along with political pressure, will cloud leaders’ judgment, leaving us unprepared to reopen safely. In New York City, just weeks before our planned first day of school, we have few agreed-upon policies and a mayor who continues to insist that there will be no remote option, despite the demand from families and the obvious need for one when (not if) students are asked to quarantine.