University of Arizona and West Point, Two Very Different School Responses to Unvaccinated Students

Actually, the schools' responses are similar, but the end result isn't.  First, Arizona:

Republican Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey shot down a forced vaccination policy for students at Arizona State University, leaving the school with egg on its face. forcing students to vaccinate 

The latest version of the University COVID policy was published on June 14 and said in part:

Once vaccinated, students should upload proof of vaccination to their ASU Health Portal. ASU will accept all COVID-19 vaccines that are approved by the World Health Organization or a national regulatory agency. Students who are unable to be vaccinated for any reason or who do not agree to share their vaccination status will be required to participate in ongoing COVID-19 health management protocols.

Unvaccinated students or those who do not share their status will be required to:

√ Submit a daily health check.

√ Participate in up to twice weekly COVID-19 testing.

√ Wear face covers in all indoor and outdoor spaces on ASU campuses.

Fully vaccinated students who consent to share their status will not be required to:

√ Submit a daily health check.

√ Participate in COVID-19 testing.

√ Wear face coverings indoors or outdoors, unless otherwise directed.

Any student may continue to wear face covers if they wish, and everyone is encouraged to wear face covers in crowded areas and venues.

It took only one day for Gov. Ducey to say, not so fast, buckaroo.

Ducey notified constituents on Twitter that the university would not be allowed to force all students to take the coronavirus vaccination. In one tweet, Ducey said that vaccines are a “choice — not a requirement.” He then followed that up, citing the executive order on the vaccine that he had just issued.

“Under the Executive Order, students cannot be mandated to take the COVID-19 vaccine or submit COVID-19 vaccination documents. Students also cannot be mandated to be tested or wear masks in order to participate in learning,” Ducey tweeted.

Now let's go to the other side of the country, where my Alma Mater is teaching cadets how to harass those who don't toe the vaccine party line:

The push for coronavirus vaccinations at the U.S. Military Academy began once the first shots became available back in January – but even as the inoculation rate rises and deaths and new cases both fall, the families of unvaccinated cadets say they are facing increasing pressure, coercion, and even threats to get the jab.

West Point does not have a vaccine mandate, nor does the military as a whole.

Still, there are only about three dozen unvaccinated cadets at West Point, which accommodates more than 4,500 students.

The unvaccinated few, many of whom say they have gained natural immunity from catching the virus earlier, face stricter quarantines and other restrictions now than at the height of the pandemic, according to multiple sources. The new limits include a seven-day quarantine for unvaccinated cadets in the break before summer training. That requirement took a full week away from their time off.

I don't understand this anti-vaxxing business, but if there's no requirement for the vaccine (e.g., in my day we were required to get flu shots each year), these cadets should not be harassed for choosing not to get a vaccine.  This is just poor leadership, and it reminds me of what happened in the days after mandatory chapel was ruled unconstitutional in 1972.  Cadets who didn't "voluntarily" go to chapel were sometimes harassed with room inspections and such, which would always result in demerits and/or punishment tours.  These actions, obviously designed to get around the court ruling, were also soon ruled impermissible, and Sunday mornings became "personal time" for those not on duty.

Using military authority to enforce a personal opinion was poor leadership then and it's poor leadership now.