Parents livid with SC Superintendent of Education, “peer pressuring” children to get vaccinated

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - The Facebook group -- “Lexington Freedom Defenders” -- feels Superintendent of Education Molly Spearman is encouraging students to “peer-pressure” one another to get other kids vaccinated.

In a recent COVID-19 virtual meeting, Spearman encouraged student athletes to get vaccinated and to get others to do the same.

“The students who are the real jocks and the real leaders if we can get them vaccinated and to speak up, I think that will help,” she said. “There are no requirements, but we’re saying to students if you want to ensure you don’t have to be quarantined during this sports season you need to get vaccinated so if they get vaccinated others will follow along so it’s a lot of peer pressure.”

The Facebook group found Spearman’s words offensive and are livid that Spearman used peer pressure. In response, they put up billboards that read “Lexington kids are not guinea pigs -- say no to the jab.”

Stephanie Burquist with Lexington Freedom Defenders said, “Using peer pressure, using rewards and threats such as you can be quarantined, that’s an indirect threat and it’s wrong when considering a minor.”

Spearman did say that vaccines are not required, and it is a family decision.

“It’s not their right, it’s our choice,” said Burquist.

The group that erected this billboard is the same Facebook group that erected the “Make Masks Optional” billboards.