'I was fired for refusing to vaccinate, and this is a loss for the whole of New York': the cry of the soul of a teacher who lost her job

A public school teacher in Brooklyn was fired for refusing vaccinations. In his article for New York Post she explained why state officials make the mistake of firing those who do not want to be vaccinated. Further - from the first person.

I'm one of the city's employees who was fired this week when the vaccination mandate put in place by former Mayor Bill de Blasio went into effect.

You have heard about us for many months. While we were on unpaid leave, we were called "selfish" and "insecure". De Blasio suggested on TV that a few months without a paycheck would make us feel like we didn't have one. Governor of New York Katie Hockool hit us hard when she told the Brooklyn congregation that vaccinated people are “the smartest.”

We the workers Department of Education, have become the object of particular targeting by politicians and the press. They claim that we "do not care about the children", although they have calmed down since we, unvaccinated teachers, were kicked out of schools. Also, the number of cases of COVID-19 rose to 1000% with the impact of omicron.

On the subject: Adams fired 1400 workers over lack of vaccinations

You've been told that layoffs only hurt those who get fired. With 1430 employees laid off this week, 9000 more city workers are seeking vaccine exemptions. It is not true. I ask that instead of forgetting about us as quickly as the politicians would like you to, take the time to think about what you are missing.

What is the risk of laying off unvaccinated employees?

• You have lost tax revenue and sooner or later you will see this loss in your community. I used to pay about $30 a year in taxes. When you see rubbish on the street, a dirty subway, reduced library hours, or cutbacks in summer programs for young people, you will understand that the decision to fire us affected other residents of the city.
• You pay for additions to your food stamp list. Now that I have no income, I get $250 a month. When I was working and making about $90, I regularly bought Products for people in need. I can no longer allocate resources to those in need.
• You've lost a public school social worker. In August 2021, the former chancellor proudly told the press that public schools have hired 500 new badly needed social workers to help our children. However, schools lost many last year when the unvaccinated were sent on unpaid leave. The Brooklyn school, where I worked until October, was without a psychologist and a social worker for several months - without me. Children are suffering. Children with special needs suffer more.
• You have more exhausted staff. The lack of personnel is unfair to those who are still working. My social media feeds are full of stories from overworked school workers—especially new and inexperienced ones. Their schools simply do not have enough staff, and the unvaccinated have already been laid off. These are the adults your kids are counting on.
• You have lost a productive resident of your city who helped children all day long. My schedule has changed a lot since I got fired from my job. During a typical last week, I spent time appealing a denied unemployment claim (three hours), filling out and faxing documents for my food stamp application (five hours).
• I've been waiting at the state labor department (one hour and 40 minutes), reading legal documents, making phone calls and writing letters to a lot of politicians and "community leaders" who never answer. I'm also prone to all the usual reactions to involuntary unemployment that one might expect. I experience sadness, anxiety, disappointment, and all of these affect my neighbors and my family if they interact with me on one of these days.
• You have lost your footing as an employee, whether public or private. By destroying our economic life in front of the public, city administrators set an example for workers who object to arbitrary demand and send a signal to the rest of the staff. The city is showing a willingness to terminate thousands of employment contracts.
• You've lost New Yorkers. Many of us, overwhelmed by months of reputational smears and financial coercion, have left or plan to leave soon. I know a dozen dedicated teachers with 20 years of experience who will no longer be around to teach your children. They won't spend their paychecks on our economy or help make New York the amazing place it was.
• I was a staff member and spent six years in city schools. But I couldn't keep my job just by doing my job well. Instead, I faced a months-long campaign of intimidation. And I finally lost my job because I didn't want to get treatment that I don't feel is right for me. New Yorkers, think about what you have lost here.