“We are creative beings, and we can figure out a way through. So this is my way through, and it’s a process. I’m not through, but I’m going through the process. . . . I’m hoping that this, what I’m going through right now, will push my kids through to a moment that they might need some inspiration to recreate themselves in an unforeseen situation.” - Moe Olivier
In this episode of the New York Mandate Podcast, I talk with Moe Olivier, a teacher who had been working for the New York City Department of Education for 23 years when the DOE refused his request for a religious exemption to the COVID-19 vaccine mandate and fired him.
Moe talked with me about how he became one of the founders of the organization Educators for Freedom, how being involved in the legal actions and protest movement against the mandate affected his perspective, and what happened when he brought his own lawsuit.
He also told me about teaching through the pandemic, what it was like as a father to be barred from his daughter’s school under the DOE mandate, and his new endeavor as a restaurant owner.
If you’re in New York City, you’ll want to hear his announcement about an upcoming event at the end.
More from Moe:
Moe OIivier on X
Moe Olivier on Instagram
Cookerz Blend restaurant website
Check the website for more information about the May 4 Cookerz Blend birthday event.
Cookerz Blend restaurant on X
Cookerz Blend restaurant on Facebook
Here are some links related to things we talked about during the episode:
Educators for Freedom
A group of teachers, staff, parents, and other individuals educating the current and future generation of free thinkers.
Announcement of NYC Department of Education Employee Vaccine Mandate
This is the August 23, 2021, announcement of the vaccine mandate for New York City Department of Education employees by then Mayor Bill de Blasio, Schools Chancellor Meisha Porter, and Health Commissioner Dave Chokshi.
About the New York Mandate Podcast
The New York Mandate Podcast is an ongoing series of conversations exploring the costs and consequences of vaccine mandates in New York City. I talk with workers, students, and parents who have been directly affected by the mandates, as well as legal and policy experts.
In late 2021, the City introduced a series of requirements for workers to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. These requirements were put in place through executive orders issued by the administration of former mayor Bill de Blasio. They covered nearly all workers in New York City, in both the public and private sectors. They also barred unvaccinated adults, including parents, from schools.
Current mayor Eric Adams kept the mandates in place until November 1, 2022 for the private sector and February 10, 2023 for City workers, and has encouraged private employers to put their own vaccine requirements in place.
The views expressed in the New York Mandate podcast are the personal opinions of the people speaking, and are not intended to provide medical or legal advice.
Join the Conversation
Have you lost your job, been put on leave, or lost opportunities to work as an independent contractor as a result of your decision not to comply with a vaccine mandate in New York? Did you take a vaccine against your wishes in order to keep your job? Please get in touch with me at NYMpodcast@protonmail.com.
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