Vaccination question - NOT A DEBATE

mckayleesmom wrote: This isn't a post to start a debate...I just have a question for those that chose not to vaccinate their kids. How do you enroll them in school? Don't children have to be completely vaccinated to enter school? I have been curious about this for a long time and keep forgetting to ask.

C&K*s Mommie replied: This thought crossed my mind too, I was wondering the same. In Florida for both public and private schools it is a requirement.

mckayleesmom replied: That is what I thought....But I know that today alot of people chose not to vaccinate at all or only certain ones......I know that some might homeschool, but Im sure that not all do....so how do they get around it to get their child in school?


I watched an episode of STRONG MEDICINE a while back and there was an episode where a little boy wanted to go to school, but the mother wouldn't vaccinate him because her older son was autistic and she blamed imunizations...In the end I think the boy was enrolled in school somehow, but I don't remember if they got around it or vaccinated him.

~Roo'sMama~ replied: We do vaccinate but I think here if you choose not to you just have to fill out something saying you don't vaccinate for personal or religious reasons. They can definitely still go to public school.

mom2my2cuties replied: Shot records have a spot on them that is checked by the doctor if the parent chooses not to vaccinate for whatever reason. But there also has to be an attached explination.

Public school must still take those students, but I do know private schools can and a lot do reject unvaccinated students.

paradisemommy replied: i always thought the ones that choose not to vaccinate are the same ones that choose to homeschool cause i was under the impression you have to vaccinate to go to public school...

Nina J replied: I also thought you had to vaccinate to go to school, for liability reasons..

luvmykids replied:
Same here.

J-rod replied: edit - i thought this said vacation not vaccination

My3LilMonkeys replied: Virtually all (or maybe all - I'm not 100% sure) states have a religious/moral exemption from vaccinations. All you have to do is fill out the forms and your kids can still attend public school.

gr33n3y3z replied: public and private schools in NJ have to have their shots
bc of this reason Its the law that all children who didnt have the Hep.B shots could not attend the next year in school until the shots have been started or compleated the series of 3.

3_call_me_mama replied: exemption forms.
All states have a medical exemption (if your child is allergic ot the shots basically)
all states except 2 have a religious exemption (you state that your religious beliefs do not allow you to vaccinate~ you DO NOT need to tell them what religon you are~ it's actually the law in bsome places that the canot ask you that)
and 16 states (including VT~ where we live~) have an ethical/moral exemption. (Basically you state that it is morally wrong in your opinion to vaccinate your child~ based on ingredients, etc)
A daycare center (public ~ not necessarily a private home) or public school HAS to accept your child if you are in a state that alows for exemptions. Since there is no law stating that you must vaccinate your child they cannot disallow you to enrol if you have teh proper exemption.

HOWEVER if you do have an exemption and an epidemic breaks out at teh school 9say a ton of kids come down with chicken pox your child may be asked to stay home since they are not vaccinated ~ they may or may not be depending on the school) For example here a child recieved his MMR shot on Monday (this is a real story) and broke out in a rash Tuesday and Yesterday was diagnosed with full blown measles (which he got from the vaccine) and three kids in his daycare center are unvaccinated and they were asked to stay home yesterday yesterday today and tomorrow to ensure they don't get teh measles and spread them.

And it's not a school's liability... since it's not a law in states that have an exemption... cause in all reality your child will still come into contact with unvaccinated children wether they attend school with them or not (grocery stores, dr's offices, malls, playgrounds, church, even sleepovers with friends that they dont' go to school with..) it is quite suprising how many kids are unvaccinated or partially vaccinated and it's just not discussed so no one really knows.

lisar replied:
Thanks for the info. I didnt know all that. Nice to learn something new.

boyohboyohboy replied: I might be sorry I asked this, but arent the kids who are not vaccinated exposing those other kids who are to childhood illnesses that have been almost erradicated?
isnt that what they are saying has brought back large out breaks of TB and Mumps?

I am too am just looking for some education not a debate...

holley79 replied:

I'm not of the medical profession but I think if the other children are vacinated and become exposed they may get a "mild" case instead of a full case. If this makes sense.

my2girls replied: Even though I have homeschooled my children since day one, we still have to fill out exemption forms ( at least in California and Nevada). I fill it out and say (in CA/NV) it is for religious reasons ,CA and NV do not have a moral clause.
So not all unvaccinated children are homeschooled. This topic is even debated in the homeschool circles as well.
Yes, the rumor is that unvaccinated children pose a risk to vaccianted children, but you would think it would be the other way around.

JanetH replied: yeah I don't know. Both my boys are vaccinated but I wouldn't want to send them to public school due to all the sicknesses they can catch.

redchief replied:
Just a minor clarification to what Lisa said.

There are two means to be excused from vaccinations in New Jersey:

1) Medical - A physician may exempt a pupil from vaccination on medical grounds (allergies, child already has immunity due to having had the illness, other medical reason under which vaccination would endanger the child's health)

2) Religious - "provided the parent or guardian explains in writing how the immunization conflicts with the exercise of bona fide religious tenets or practices of the pupil." This exemption is almost never granted since most mainstream faiths have embraced vaccination as not being against religious tenets.

General philosophical or moral objections are considered insufficient grounds and the child will be denied entry into the school system. These rules include both public and private schools in which state monies are accepted by the school.

ETA: Even home schooled children must be vaccinated if the parent is accepting the education at home stipend.

punkeemunkee'smom replied: There are exemption forms that you can fill out based on Concientus objection (you have an objection based upon the use of animal products or other ingredients found in shots) or Religious exemptions (If you do not accept blood products,have a religious objection to the use of fetal tissue,etc) The recent outbreaks of Whooping Cough,Measles and Mumps have almost all been cases of the illness caught by a booster shot or children who have younger siblings who have just recieved their vaccinations and have carried the live virus home and spread it to their older siblings and carried into school. Every child in our school system who got whooping cough last year was vaccinated against it. The shots do not garuntee immunity. Children who are not vaccinated do not carry germs around that they have not been exposed to so in other words if these illnesses are nearly irradicated kids who have never been exposed to them won't be carriers of them. Many of the viruses that are introduced in vaccinations are able to be tested in the child's bloodstream for weeks or months (in the case of MMR) so unvaccinated children can be at risk to 'catch' something from a recently vaccinated child but they don't carry the germs themselves simply becaise they have not been exposed

Calimama replied: Wow I didnt know that.

punkeemunkee'smom replied: Just some info

Just incase anyone wants to know. There are NO compulsatory (federal or otherwise) vaccinations in our country.



An honest objection as a parent submitted in writting to a school can not be denied. They can also not ask in most cases what your religion is main stream or not!