It’s official, Washington, D.C. schools are requiring all students aged 12 and older to get the COVID-19 vaccine before returning to the classroom this fall. Students who don’t get it won’t be allowed in the classroom and could face being kicked out of school completely if they don’t comply.

According to the Council of the District of Columbia, “No student shall be admitted by a school unless the school has certification of COVID-19 immunization for that student or the student is exempted.”

Students, however, can apply for a religious exemption if a parent or guardian provides written evidence receiving a vaccine would violate their religious beliefs or if a physician certifies in writing it is unsafe for the student to get the covid-19 vaccine.

The mandate doesn’t only apply to public schools in the district, but public charger schools and private schools must comply to the 12+ covid vaccination requirement or face expulsion after 20 days after being requested to show proof of vacation.

“A school shall permit a student to attend for not more than 20 school days while the school does not have certification of immunization for that student. If immunization requires a series of treatments that cannot be completed within the 20 school days, the student shall be permitted to attend school while the treatments are continuing if, within the 20 school days, the school receives written notification from whomever is administering it that the immunization is in progress,” the rule stipulates.

The policy goes into effect in the fall of the 2022-2023 school year.