How do you enroll children in school...spinoff?

amother

Indigo

Wed, Aug 17 2016, 5:16 am

Question for the moms who choose not to vaccinate their children, how do you enroll them in schools if they are not vaccinated? Or do you all homeschool? From what I'm seeing all schools mandate that the children be vaccinated or they cannot be accepted in the school.

This is a sincere question, I'm really trying to figure this out. I'm asking because I'm on the fence about vaccinating and I worry about causing problems for my children when it's time for them to start school.
Please no bashing, thanks!

cnc

Wed, Aug 17 2016, 5:21 am

Not all schools mandate that your child be accepted.
The girls school that I send to will not allow unvaccinated children unless they have a proper medical exemption.

The boys school will take any exemption- even a letter that I write by myself.

I vaccinate btw, I'm just giving you information.

amother

Ruby

Wed, Aug 17 2016, 6:55 am

The girls school mandates all children be vaccinated but made an exception.
Boys school never made an issue

If needed I am willing to fight them on it. I do know several ppl. Who did that and won.

amother

Babypink

Wed, Aug 17 2016, 8:04 am

Private schools that accept any government funding (upk, lunch programs, grants) do not have the legal authority to reject a religious exemption and in some states a philosophical exemption that is done properly.

chatz

Wed, Aug 17 2016, 8:21 am

My kids school is strict about documentation. NY allows medical exemptions, so if parents don't vaccinate, they need a letter from the doctor. Check out your state's laws.

There are some schools that won't take the exemption letter. I do not believe this is legal, but you're probably better off avoiding them than fighting them.

amother

Babypink

Wed, Aug 17 2016, 8:43 am

chatz wrote:

NY allows religious exemptions as well

Amarante

Wed, Aug 17 2016, 9:30 am

California no longer has a religious or personal belief exemption so every child must be vaccinated and only exception is medical.

Not to stir the pot, but vaccination is not contrary to Jewish law so how can one obtain such an exemption. It would be used as a loophole which is why California completely eliminates except for medical reasons.

amother

Babypink

Wed, Aug 17 2016, 9:59 am

Amarante wrote:

That's not the reason religious exemptions were eliminated in California. The reasons are political. There are currently only 3 states in the US that do not accept religious exemptions. The state requires you to prove in your religious exemption letter that vaccinations are against your religious beliefs. If your exemption meets the guidelines, it is accepted. You don't have to prove that it's contrary to Jewish law. You do have to prove that it's contrary to your religious beliefs.

cnc

Wed, Aug 17 2016, 10:04 am

amother wrote:

Some quick Googling showed me a DOE memo stating that religious exemptions can be accepted or denied. (I am referring to NY specifically. )

I would be interested if you can point out where the law says that (private ) schools are obligated to accept religious exemptions.

trixx

Wed, Aug 17 2016, 10:06 am

Amarante wrote:

Not to stir the pot, but vaccination is not contrary to Jewish law so how can one obtain such an exemption. It would be used as a loophole which is why California completely eliminates except for medical reasons.

I think most people quote "vnishmartem meod es nafshosechem" where meod is interpreted as - do whatever necessary to safeguard your health - and then say that vaccinations go against this religious belief because they believe them to be unhealthy.

Amarante

Wed, Aug 17 2016, 10:12 am

amother wrote:

You're missing my point. If someone is Jewish and vaccines are not prohibited under the Jewish religion, how can they even make such a claim ethically.

As to whether California's actions were political, I guess anything that is done by the government is to some extent political but the justification was medical because if the rising incidence of diseases which could be prevented by vaccine and because California was the epicenter of some if the outbreaks.

In California, you either vaccinate or home school unless you have a valid medical excuse.

amother

Babypink

Wed, Aug 17 2016, 10:54 am

It is my understanding that private schools can reject exemptions as long as they don't accept any government funding. Once they accept government funding, they don't legally have that option anymore. There are parents that brought this to court and won and you can probably look up those lawsuits online. You will not find a Jewish private school that writes in their school manual "we do not accept religious exemptions." They cannot legally write that. There are sources that I've seen that I will try to dig out later. I honestly don't care what other people decide to do in regards to vaccinating themselves or their children. I do think people should be informed about their rights and legal options in regards to this topic. Maybe someone who looked into this can help out with the sources?

Amarante

Wed, Aug 17 2016, 11:09 am

trixx wrote:

Not disputing your analysis, but it would seem as though the appropriate exemption is the medical one since such an attenuated religious interpretation is not generally viewed as valid.

By analogy, one can get a conscientious objector draft status in the US or at least could when men were actually drafted.

However one had to prove that one actually was an adherent of a religion that specifically prohibited military service like Quaker. It was not enough to claim that ones own personal religious beliefs led one to that conclusion even if one could fine a priest or minister who supported your actions. This was because Catholicism, for example, unlike Quakerism did not specifically prohibit adherents from killing in a war.

suremom

Wed, Aug 17 2016, 11:41 am

cnc wrote:

you are right about private schools that get no gov. funding. but as soon as they accept any government funding, they lose that right.

suremom

Wed, Aug 17 2016, 11:43 am

Amarante wrote:

just to point out, in ca even medical exemptions are hard to get. you need to have a documented 'serious' reaction for that. 'just a seizure' wont do...

cnc

Wed, Aug 17 2016, 11:50 am

suremom wrote:

you are right about private schools that get no gov. funding. but as soon as they accept any government funding, they lose that right.

This is not accurate.

They will not get funding for the specific child that is unvaccinated. I know someone that sends to Satmar and does not vaccinate.The school said they'll take her exemption but will charge her extra because they won't get government funding for her child.

The only time that my sons' school gave a hoot about vaccines was when he was in UPK. They were constantly having inspections and all paperwork and vaccines needed to be in order (with VALID exemptions). Otherwise they accept any note that I write-it doesn't even need to be signed by my doctor.

Amarante

Wed, Aug 17 2016, 11:50 am

suremom wrote:

just to point out, in ca even medical exemptions are hard to get. you need to have a documented 'serious' reaction for that. 'just a seizure' wont do...

California law was deliberately drafted to close off loopholes since the most affluent communities such as Beverly Hills and Santa Monica had the highest rate of exemption so they didn't wants to make it easy to get the medical exemption from well paid pediatricians.

The special snowflakes would not be allowed to feed of the herd immunity of the middle class. 😀😱

Statistically almost no exemptions were based on religious belief but on the even fuzzier personal belief.

ETA And it is my understanding that it is more difficult to get an exemption from Saturday SAT. 😀😀