goldcrown

That doesn't sound legally proper.

Immunisations are not something 'one has to get done'. Since the OP is in CA, for example, three exemptions are available to residents in CA: Philosophical (objection), religious, and medical. Should be a box to tick on the back of the school registration form.

The state would never accept liability for forcing residents to be immunised. There isn't enough money to pay for that.

Vaccine Injury Compensation Program is also an important government program to be aware of, as well as the monetary compensation available for those injured and killed by immunisations.

If one has researched immunisations thoroughly, and still wants to immunise their children, fair enough. But I did jabs for a good while (in the States) and not one patient, parent ever asked me for the manufacturer's insert, for example, for that particular vaccine. Or seemed to know anything about adverse reactions rates, ingredients in the vaccine, etc. Just 'school said we had to get this'.

Yes, I briefed patients best I could, but in today's world, one has to research for oneself. Most everything is available online.

Jerseygirl

NJ state law requires children to have certain shots before they are allowed in school...this applies to public and private schools.

goldcrown

I understand you've been told that, probably many times by 'authorities'.

Since I haven't lived in NJ, what are the state exemptions allowed there?

TouristTrap

http://www.state.nj.us/health/cd/chap14.htm

goldcrown

Thanks. NJ has religious and medical exemption options for declining immunisations (all or some, in the case of medical).

Again, I understand school personnel, etc like to tell people, 'you have to have your child immunised or they cannot be allowed into school'. This is not the full story, and it's unfortunate they pressure people towards medical treatments without acknowledgeing the exemptions provided by the state itself.

Private schools sometimes make their own rules. As they do with curriculum, testing, paddling, all sorts of things.

britvic

All I know is I was not going to butt heads with the school over this and my poor Lad was not allowed to attend in the mean time

goldcrown

Every public school should be very familiar with immunisation laws in their state and exemptions included.

If a school official starts to give anyone grief about a state law, then they will be quickly silenced by a reminder of their obligation to the law. We're not talking about obscure legal stuff open to interpretation. Pretty basic material!

Edited to add: My experience with California public schools is the box to tick for exemption is on the back or otherwise included in the registration form(s). So the school is providing a parent with a very easy way to identify their child as exempted. (aka the school system knows the law!)

SecretGarden

I don't think anyone was speaking in this thread about children who had been marked as exempted. That's the issue. If someone doesn't mark exempt on the enrollment form, then the state policy goes into effect and they are excluded from school on X date until they get their immunizations. As I said earlier in the thread, parents in my school district have PLENTY of time (and I'm talking months in most cases) to get these shots done and are sent several letters warning them of the specific exclusion date. If the parent chooses to send his or her child to school on that date without the documentation, someone (and typically it ends up being gramma or grampa) ends up having to toddle on up to school and retrieve said child.

The governing bodies have a responsibility to carry out the laws and parents have a responsibility to follow directions to insure that their kids remain in school; either that, or tick the box. Very easy.

~SecretGarden

goldcrown

/

There are people in this thread speaking as if the state gives no option except compulsory immunisations. 'have to get them...' 'state requires...' Speaking perhaps, from ignorance of the exemption(s) provided by each U.S. state.

Schools could say, 'your child must obtain the following immunisations by x date, OR provide appropriate exemption statement' but many, many times, ime, the schools send out documents with no mention of the full law language.

This is one reason why U.S. residents come away thinking they have no legal option but to vaccinate their children. Not many parents want to mess up their kids education path, and will do whatever the school personnel tells them to, without researching what the state has to say about education laws.

SecretGarden

Yes, you're right.
Then there are those parents (and I am NOT referring to any on this thread, btw) who have absolutely no objection to getting their kids the shots other than the fact that it takes time out of their TV watching, drug dealing, or screwing on the couch in front of the younger children in the middle of the day to take them to the docs.

Said parents then have the audacity to be enraged when someone calls them on it (IF they have left a contact number, mind you) and end up sending gramma or grampa or auntie up to the school to get the kid, who, through no fault of his own, has been forced to leave probably the only safe environment he has because of his parents' laziness and ignorance of parental responsibility.

Wow, can you tell it's the very end of a school year for me?

I needed that. Thanks for reading my vent.

~SG

goldcrown

I can imagine those scenarios, SecretGarden. Negligence is inexcuseable.

I also want parents to have the full resource of the law, and vaccine information (ingredients, adverse events, and 'get it' about big pharma in the U.S. and how these vaccines are marketed to the public, why doctors write wight papers recommended a course of the vaccine for all kids, etc, etc) before they make these decisions.

So many want to 'do the right thing' and end up simply doing what they are told. That means informed consent is NOT happening.

SecretGarden

Sure isn't an ideal world, is it. *sigh*

~SG

scrubbedexpat097

If a child needs a shot here in Texas, before the shot is given the parent or legal guardian of the child has all the information of the immunization given to them and they are given time to read the information and to ask any questions they have, then they sign the form either saying they have read the information and they are giving permission for the child to be vaccinated or they have read the information and they are declining.

If the doctors office or health clinic fails to give this info then there is legal repercussions.

All states have rules...........immunizations are very important to protect our children. Many of us remember the days of Polio (as I mentioned earlier) and whooping cough,just to mention two very serious illness's that are now well under control because of vaccination.

snowbunny

It's a bit odd to have religious reasons regarding immunisation but hey, okay, it's like conscientious objector status. Only many parents don't have true religious reasons, but rather concerns over one or more vaccines.

I'd love to believe that every parent should have the right to decline any vaccine. HOWEVER, if many parents do so, and some will do it out of unfounded fears of *all* vaccines rather than researching the matter, then "herd immunity" falls and children who have been vaccinated but failed to achieve immunity will be vulnerable and immunosuppressed children will be extremely vulnerable.

Each disease has its own risks and patterns that should be considered. For example mumps may not be so bad in girls but can leave boys sterile. But if the parents of girls all decided to not immunise, that would mean that many more boys would fall ill.

cybersecretary

can of worms or what??? taking my two to GP today for first of the Hep B jabs. I would love to be able to exempt them because they are going to hate me for taking them there and having this done to them - and who can blame them. However, we must get them into school when we move to the US, and even though I dont necessarily think its specifically for their education (they will be repeating the year done in the UK), for social reasons I want them to get integrated and make some friends asap after we arrive.