LOS ANGELES—The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) fired nearly 500 employees for refusing to comply with the district’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate, while more than 34,000 students in the district are currently unvaccinated. The LAUSD Board, which has one of the strictest COVID-19 policies in the nation, unanimously voted Dec. 7 to terminate 496 unvaccinated employees. Employees were required to receive their first shot by mid-October, and to be fully inoculated by Nov. 15. Most employees who were terminated had likely been put on leave since mid-October. “Parting ways with individuals who choose not to be vaccinated is an extremely difficult, but necessary decision to ensure the safety of all in our school communities,” Megan Reilly, the district’s interim superintendent, said in a statement. “We wish everyone the best in their future endeavors and encourage everyone to get vaccinated.” Meanwhile, 34,000 students have not received their first vaccine shot, meaning …