Baltimore’s Cristo Rey Jesuit High requires COVID-19 vaccine for students, staff

Cristo Rey Jesuit High School in Baltimore required a COVID-19 vaccine for students, teachers and staff when it resumed classroom instruction for the first time in more than 520 days Aug. 23. 

William Heiser, the president of the school, cited the safety of his students and staff, the surge of the delta variant, and the nature of the school itself, which charges a nominal tuition that is offset by a corporate internship program, which sends students out into work environments.

“We want to ensure that they are as safe as possible, and that their immune system is as safe as possible, from delta and other variants that are highly contagious,” Heiser said. “If they catch COVID and are vaccinated, they’re less likely to be hospitalized. 

“There is also the matter of continuous learning. We closed our doors in March 2020, and our entire last year (2020-21), our learning was in virtual space. We want our students to be healthy, in school and learning.”

His leadership team notified families of the policy July 27. Cristo Rey Jesuit, an independent Catholic school, began serving as a site for vaccine clinics in June, and offered the first of the two Pfizer shots during three August clinics.

Heiser spoke to the Review Sept. 2. Of Cristo Rey Jesuit’s 355 students, he said that 66 percent have been fully vaccinated, and the other 34 percent are awaiting their second dose. Nine students withdrew after receiving notice of the vaccination requirement. The school’s policy allows exemptions for medical and religious reasons, which require weekly testing for COVID-19. 

“We had many direct conversations with families in the two weeks prior to the (Aug. 23) deadline for receiving the first vaccine,” Heiser said. “There was hesitancy and misinformation out there. As the families in question learned more, their confidence level rose.

“We educated our families that the vaccine is safe, and that delta variant cases were rising significantly.”

Heiser said Cristo Rey Jesuit offers voluntary testing for COVID-19, and that 32 students and employees were tested Sept. 1, with no positives.

In its 15th year, Cristo Rey Jesuit’s mission includes educating young people “who could not otherwise afford a private education.” Heiser said that most of its students rely on public transportation to get to Fells Point, where the school uses classroom space on the campus of Holy Rosary Parish.

“Many of our students travel across the city, and use multiple busses to get here. They also work second jobs, and they’ve had to be at work,” Heiser said. “Another component is that many of our students live in multi-generational homes. We want to keep their family members safe as well.” 

Heiser said CRJ’s internship program, which includes 130 corporate partners, hopes to have students back out in the field Oct. 1.  

“We hope to send 355 students out to employers across the region, all of which require different strategies to combat the spread of the virus,” Heiser said. “Some will require a vaccine. Some will require a mask, depending upon the jurisdiction. Many employers are figuring out what to do with their own employees. We want to reinforce their confidence in Cristo Rey Jesuit and our students.”

While Loyola University Maryland, Mount St. Mary’s University and Notre Dame of Maryland have similar policies, Heiser said that, to his knowledge, Georgetown Prep in North Bethesda is the only other private high school in Maryland with a COVID-19 vaccine requirement for students.

The Cristo Rey Network consists of 37 independent high schools in 24 states. Heiser said that network schools in Brooklyn, N.Y.; Chicago; Dallas; New York City; Philadelphia; and Waukegan, Ill., had in place similar vaccine requirements.

The Archdiocese of Baltimore encourages receiving the vaccination, but does not require it of employees. Catholic Charities of Baltimore announced in August that it will mandate vaccination against COVID-19 “for all of its nearly 2,000 employees across the state.”

Archdiocesan Catholic schools will not require vaccination for students or staff, but mask policies for each school are set weekly, depending on the extent of COVID-19 spread in their local jurisdiction.

Pope Francis has been a vocal proponent of COVID-19 vaccines to combat a virus that has killed more than 4.5 million globally. In an ad campaign released Aug. 17, he said, “Getting vaccinated is a simple yet profound way to care for one another, especially the most vulnerable.”

Heiser said that COVID-19 has directly impacted his family.

“I’ve seen this firsthand,” he said. “My father, Karl, caught COVID Jan. 12, and died Jan. 18. He was in perfect health. I’ve been in a COVID (hospital) unit, and have seen that the delta variant is even more dangerous. 

“That plays a role in how I’m trying to lead Cristo Rey Jesuit. As a school leader, you have to do what you think is best for the entire student body and community.”

Heiser added that he and his wife, Tracy, are the parents of two sons who have been vaccinated. Caden is a senior at Loyola Blakefield and Conlan is an eighth-grader at Resurrection-St. Paul School in Ellicott City. 

Email Paul McMullen at pmcmullen@CatholicReview.org

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