Board of Education Member Mark Pettitt sent the following letter to Governor Kemp requesting teacher eligibility for the COVID-19 vaccine.

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Friday, January 8, 2021
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Office of Governor Brian Kemp
206 Washington Street
Suite 203, State Capitol
Atlanta, GA 30334

Dear Governor Kemp,

Thank you for your leadership prior to and throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. As a locally
elected official, I am grateful for your administration’s approach which has allowed local boards of education and families great discretion in choosing the best and most effective methods possible to educate children.

I believe your measured decisions have saved countless jobs and livelihoods in our state by leading the efforts for Georgia to be one of the first states in the country to begin opening for business. As you may be aware, the Hall County School District was one of the first large school systems in the state, and in the nation, to offer in-person instruction last Fall. 

It is solely to the credit of our incredible team members, whom I refer to as “HallCo Heroes”, that we were able to provide a significant amount of in-person instruction for students whose families opted to send their children back to school. Our team practiced and modeled both creative and disciplined health protocols to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in our schools.

I have been very impressed with your expeditious vaccination efforts. I learned today that you have expanded vaccination eligibility to include first responders and individuals 65 and older.

I am respectfully requesting that the next round of COVID-19 vaccination eligibility be expanded to include educators and support staff.

Hall County recognizes the importance of in-person instruction for students, and we have made it a priority to remain in school as much as possible. With your continued leadership, we can ensure our kids stay in school!

Very truly yours,

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Mark Pettitt
Board Member
Hall County Schools
711 Green Street
Gainesville, GA 30501

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