Michigan students rally against COVID-19 vaccine mandates at colleges

LANSING, Mich. (WILX) - Students from across Michigan are protesting against their schools’ COVID-19 vaccine mandates. Students from Michigan State, University of Michigan, Grand Valley State University, and other Michigan colleges took to the Capitol steps today saying they should not be forced into getting a vaccine to attend school.

MSU Student, PJ Serati, says today’s rally isn’t about getting the vaccine, it’s about forcing people into it.

“People should have the right to make that decision. A lot of our critics tell us hey you have the right to choose a different school, you have the right to quit your job, you have the right to go somewhere else, move to a different country. That is not the United States. The United States allows for the individual to benefit not the institution,” said Serati with Michigan Students Take Charge.

Serati says Michigan college students just want their voices heard.

“We want the students to be the decision-makers one day and if we are allowing students to come forward then some progress can be made there. Students have a place in this fight students have a right to speak their voice,” said Serati.

Some MSU students tell News 10 they don’t mind the vaccine mandate at MSU because they believe it is for the greater good of the students to stay safe and stay in the classroom.

“America is set up in a system where we have to have these kinds of regulations for the greater good and even if it isn’t something you enjoy it’s better for the entire state as a whole,” said MSU student, Haleigh Colombo.

Colombo says if a vaccine mandate is what it takes to have in-person classes and get back to normal she’s okay with it.

“I think it’s nice we can work towards some sort of normalcy again and I think it’s a step in the right direction,” said Colombo.

Nearly 90% of MSU students, staff, and faculty are vaccinated against COVID-19. MSU received more than 4,000 requests for vaccine exemptions. So far over 3,000 were approved and more than 200 were denied.

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