We New England Law students have already adhered to a mandate ordering us to be "fully vaccinated" in order to attend class. Some of us got vaccinated by choice, and some of us by coercion. Now, less than six months after returning to school, NEL has issued a booster shot mandate.

The directive comes to us as COVID-19 variants, mainly the Omicron and Delta variant, are causing a dramatic rise in infection across America. Most importantly realized is that the COVID-19 vaccines have not prevented a vaccinated person from catching or spreading the virus. In fact, a number of students at NEL have contracted COVID-19 and have spread it to others despite being vaccinated.

It is inevitable that there will soon be another variant on the rise and with it, another proposed booster shot. If we proceed to allow the school to force these vaccines on us despite the clear effectiveness and safety concerns, we will continue to give the school full autonomy over our bodies. We have done enough to promote the health and safety of NEL and do not view the booster shot as a necessary endeavor.

We humbly request that New England Law dispense with the COVID-19 booster mandate and instead make the booster shot optional. In the alternative, we ask: 1) the school resume COVID-19 testing on site, requiring those who decline the booster shot to provide negative COVID-19 results within a specified time frame, or, 2) the school to accommodate those who decline to get the booster shot, by giving them the option to attend classes virtually.

Regardless of your personal will to receive the booster, we are asking all NEL students who believe the booster shot should be a choice and not a mandate to sign this petition in support.