The New York State COVID Vaccine Mandate: How Politics Played a Role

Martin Scheinman invitation to his fundraiser event

Martin Scheinman in 2005, de Blasio in NYC December 23rd 2013Luiz C. Ribeiro, Theodore Parisienne

From Betsy Combier:

The pandemic has caused chaos in education circles and brought people with opposing views to the brink of using defamation, gaslighting, cancel culture techniques, etc. to get their views on whether or not to wear masks, get vaccinated and/or stay at home to be the one opinion held by the greatest number.

I, for one, don't fall for this kind of bullying, and I support the many people who are fighting for their rights to oppose what the State and City of New York politicians are saying is the "public interest". They are defining this term.

Mayor Adams had teased his plans to nix the local COVID-19 mandates earlier this week, barring “unforeseen spikes” in new cases.[photo: Stefan Jeremiah]

Almost 1,500 New York City Employees Get Fired For Not Getting Vaccinated Against the COVID Vaccine

Yes, this is what is happening in NYC: thousands of public employees were fired on or about February 11, 2022 without being heard on why they did not/could not get the vaccine.

This fight is serious, as so many people have been forced to retire or be terminated and give up on Federally mandated rights. For example, what happens if you have a medical allergy to an ingredient in the vaccine so if you take the vaccine, you could die. Do you lay down your life for the greater good of the State of New York?

What if you belong to a religion that forbids your partaking of certain drugs, enzymes or ingredients in the vaccines? Do you have to discard firmly held beliefs in order to "protect" the public?

Many Constitutional rights are being trashed.

New York City's political-legal-corporation-complex is overriding New York State Public Health Law which governs immunization requirements for adults:

"“this  section  shall not apply to a  person  who  holds  genuine  and sincere  religious  beliefs  which are  contrary  to the practices  herein  required,  and  no  certificate shall  be required  as  a prerequisite to  such  person being admitted or  received into or  attending an institution.”  

See:

Michael Kane, et al. File Federal Case in Opposition to New York State Vaccine Mandate

Matthew Keil et al., v The City of New York, et al.

Federal Law Protections For Religious Liberty

I am vaccinated and boosted, yet I will still fight any politician who says that someone must obey a mandate ordered by the Governor or anyone else on the political pipeline simply because the elected official says so. The "no exemptions" part is what I object to as unjust. 

Who created the mandate without exemptions for medical necessity or religious beliefs? Martin Scheinman. I first met Mr. Scheinman in the 3020-a arbitration of David Pakter, a wonderful teacher who was charged with ridiculous misconduct by a revengeful principal.  I met David in 2003 when we were asked to speak on a TV show together about the NYC Department of Education and the "rubber room", something I had never heard of before. David told me to come to visit him in the rubber room on the 10th floor of 25 Chapel Street, in Brooklyn. A few days later I did that and stayed all day. I have continued to gather information and assist educators put into unjust positions ever since.

Martin Scheinman is a charismatic, brilliant lawyer who has strong political ties which I believe may have impacted his fairness to the labor groups in the NYC 3020-a arbitration as well as at the State level. He was a major fund-raiser for Bill de Blasio. See the picture at the top of this post and here.

Martin Scheinman in 2005, de Blasio in NYC December 23rdLuiz C. Ribeiro, Theodore Parisienne

Labor arbitration head is a de Blasio fundraiser

NY POST Editorial Board, December 25, 2013

What I believe the right thing to do is - remove the Scheinman Arbitrators from hearing appeals for exemptions to the COVID vaccine mandate. Put the right to obtain an exemption to getting vaccinated into a proper forum outside of the Scheinman Arbitration and Mediation Services, and have hearings on the exemption applications heard by independent hearing officers not paid by the State or City to push the agenda without individual consideration of need.

Martin Scheinman revised his original decision, and added that exemptions could be heard, then placed the arbitrators from his new company Scheinman Arbitration and Mediation Services on the job. Everyone who got an Appeal for a religious or medical exemption was denied if the arbitrator was from Mr. Scheinman's company. I understand the right of the State and City of New York to put mandates in place to protect the greatest number of people, but to trash anyone with necessary religious and/or life-threatening exemptions to the rule is abhorrent and unjust. 

This truly is a life or death choice for the State and City.

Betsy Combier

betsy.combier@gmail.com

Editor, ADVOCATZ.com

Editor, ADVOCATZ Blog

Editor, NYC Rubber Room Reporter
Editor, Parentadvocates.org
Editor, New York Court Corruption
Editor, National Public Voice
Editor, NYC Public Voice
Editor, Inside 3020-a Teacher Trials

Mayor Adams ends NYC vax passports, school masks

By 

Nolan Hicks and

 

Emily Crane, NY POST, March 4, 2022

Mayor Eric Adams announced Friday morning the end of school mask mandates and vaccine passports across New York City.

The eradication of the local COVID-19 mandates will come into effect starting Monday, Hizzoner said.

“The rates are now low enough that the mandatory program is no longer needed,” Adams said.

The changes mean patrons at Big Apple restaurants, gyms and indoor venues — including theaters — will no longer have to show proof of vaccination in order to enter.

Adams had teased his plans to nix the local COVID-19 mandates earlier this week, barring “unforeseen spikes” in new cases.

The numbers of new infections, hospitalizations and deaths are still declining, the latest city health data shows. New York City recorded an average of 541 new COVID-19 cases in the last seven days, which is down from the more than 2,000 per day just one month ago.

“The numbers don’t lie,” Adams said.

He said New York City had averted 48,000 deaths, 340,000 hospitalizations and 1.9 million infections due to the Bid Apple’s high vaccination rates.

The figures, which came from a Yale University analysis, were blasted on a giant Times Square billboard on Friday.

The changes come after Gov. Kathy Hochul dropped New York’s statewide mask mandate for the majority of indoor settings last month and schools from this past Wednesday in the wake of new CDC guidelines.

Some pandemic restrictions, however, will still remain in the five boroughs for now — including a mandate that public employees must be vaccinated.

Mask rules are expected to still be enforced on public transportation and in nursing homes, correctional facilities and homeless shelters. Face coverings will also still be required in health care settings.