ok- need serious advice about exemption

[Deir]

For various reasons, I really wan tto enroll my son in Catholic School next year for kindergarten. He was vaxed up to 6 months and then I stopped so he's had some but not all, my other son haas only had Dt. I have been really worried about what was going to happen when I tried to register him and was hoping I could somehow skirt the issue. I can't really claim a religous exemption because I am a registered Catholic. I called today to make an appt for registration and they told me to bring the various stuff. I asked about the vax form and mentioned that he had his annual exam in October and our insurance only covers 1 exam a year. She asked if I had a copy of the preschool form. I do- but here's the rub- my doc is a very holistic, openminded doc. He handed me a blank vax form with his signature etc. so I could fill in the ones he has had. SOoooooo, I have the opportunity to simply lie. What do you think? I'll have to go to confession if I lie but oh well! LOL

[kiara7]

It doesn't matter if you're a registered catholic, for religious exemption you have to have personal religious beliefs against the practice of vaccination.

I wouldn't lie on the vax form.

[Deir]

I know I wouldn't have an issue at Public school to claim a religious exemption, but Catholic school? I was just going to gamble and give it a try but I was assuming they would deny it and he would go to public, which is fine but for many reasons I wanted him to go to the Catholic school. The issue is that now I have a chance to avoid the problem altogether.

[kiara7]

Well, does the school receive any public money? If it does, they have to accept your exemption. I would just call them and without identifying myself ask if they accept exemptions. If they do great, if not you might have to go to plan B.

[Gitti]

My understanding is that the religious exemption is based on personal interpretation of your religion.

I would go by that.

www.insidevaccines.com/wordpress has all the states' exemption if you need it.

[spero]

Originally Posted by kiara7

It doesn't matter if you're a registered catholic, for religious exemption you have to have personal religious beliefs against the practice of vaccination.

I wouldn't lie on the vax form.

Originally Posted by kiara7

I would just call them and without identifying myself ask if they accept exemptions.

Ditto to the posts above.

Catholic schools seem to be hit or miss on the exemption issue. If they indicate that they won't accept exemptions, find out if they get any state/federal funding. If they do accept exemptions, don't submit the vax record at all. Submit a request for exemption instead. And be sure NOT to use specific arguments like aborted fetal cells, which only apply to certain vaccines. You must state your opposition to the practice of vaccination.

[Deir]

So- ideally, my conversation would go like this, "Hi Sister, I am so excited that Myles will be coming to St Luke's. Here is his baptismal cert, birth cert and here is our PA exemption from Vax form" And she'll say- "Great! Thanks." But what I think will happen is I will get a dirty look and she will say "Sorry he can't come here" What do I do then- argue with the principal of a very small school about public funding? I would hate to do that because I work at the church as a singer and everyone knows me. Plus- I really want him to go there! UGH. What a quandry. So much easier when you just follow the crowd. I know all about PA exemption, but that doesn't apply to parochial school! Anyone else have any ideas and/or experience. Isn't there anyone who claimed exemptiona nd went to Catholic school?

[Deir]

Could anything happen to me legally if i lie?

[spero]

Originally Posted by Deir

So- ideally, my conversation would go like this, "Hi Sister, I am so excited that Myles will be coming to St Luke's. Here is his baptismal cert, birth cert and here is our PA exemption from Vax form" And she'll say- "Great! Thanks." But what I think will happen is I will get a dirty look and she will say "Sorry he can't come here" What do I do then- argue with the principal of a very small school about public funding? I would hate to do that because I work at the church as a singer and everyone knows me. Plus- I really want him to go there! UGH. What a quandry. So much easier when you just follow the crowd. I know all about PA exemption, but that doesn't apply to parochial school! Anyone else have any ideas and/or experience. Isn't there anyone who claimed exemptiona nd went to Catholic school?

Look, before you get all worked up, call the school anonymously and ask if the school accepts vaccine exemptions. You may not have anything to stress over at all. If they say no, ask if they receive any state/federal funding - and if they do, you can gently remind them that by law they must accept exemptions. This can all be done over the phone and they need not know who you are.

There are mamas here who have exemptions in Catholic schools, and there are some who've been denied, as well.

If they don't accept exemptions, then it boils down to How badly do you want your kid to attend this school? And you have decisions to make.

Originally Posted by Deir

Could anything happen to me legally if i lie?

Personally, I wouldn't lie. It probably won't get you arrested or anything, but if the school finds out they'll likely kick your kid out and then you're pretty much back where you started anyway.

[Emmeline II]

I would say "Does St. ??? accept Pennsylvania State vaccination exemption forms in lieu of vaccine records?"

As someone said, Catholic Schools are spotty on this issue, but sometimes employees don't know that the state allows exemptions and they are just trying to operate within the law.

[Emmeline II]

Letter From Rome in Defense of Parental Rights on Vaccines

http://www.cogforlife.org/barreiro.htm

Some exerpts:
...expelled from a Catholic educational institution for reasons of non-conformity to a diocesan policy of denying State-allowed religious exemptions... This is a violation of the Catholic Church’s centuries-old teaching on the supremacy of the Moral Conscience and the right of parents to preside over the total wellbeing of their children.

Pending a final judgment on this issue the parental right of conscience is to be considered the binding authority in this matter and the child should not be penalized for non-conformity to a policy which is not defined as Church doctrine or practice.
I don't think a "final judgment" has been issued yet.

[Marnica]

I agree I wouldn't lie....If vaccination does conflict with your personally held religious beliefs than claiming an exemption is not lying. (if they accept them that is) If they don't execpt them, I would not lie on the form just to get my kid in. I personally would have him go elsewhere. I don't think you'd get in trouble legally, but Im sure you wouldn't feel to good about it, and if they found out your kid would get kicked out Im sure. I think it's so sad that parents are forced into even contemplating things like this to protect their children. What kind of socoiety do we live in? Makes me sick!!!

[Deir]

Thanks!!!!

[Deir]

Sorry to belabor this but.. I just called and asked very nonchalantly. The nice secretary said,"I don't know, you'll have to ask the principal when you come in to register. Then I called my neighbor who is very mainstream but nice and asked her if she knew anyone who went there who didn't have some vax's. She took out all the registration info to read through stuff.The form they give for vax is the state form so it has the section on exemption. I am crossing my fingers that it will fly! it says on their website they follow Montgomery County reguations - this SHOULD include exemptions.

[spero]

Originally Posted by Deir

The nice secretary said,"I don't know, you'll have to ask the principal when you come in to register.

See, I would have asked to have been transferred to the principal right then, or at least requested an ASAP callback. I loathe being put off.

The form they give for vax is the state form so it has the section on exemption. I am crossing my fingers that it will fly! it says on their website they follow Montgomery County reguations - this SHOULD include exemptions.

Sounds like you shouldn't have a problem, then.

[kiara7]

Sounds like you're good to go!

Good Luck!

[carriebft]

We did not have a problem with a catholic school exemption in PA (philly suburbs here- montgomery county). I was worried because DD and DS had been going to montessori for camp/school but we decided to change and their old school was really laid back. So I registered last week and got the same form you did it sounds like. We just left the whole vaccination section blank and attached our exemption letter. I handed it in and I have not heard anything back and they did cash our check.....