Need courage. Post your exemption story.

[rlenk]

Hi. I need courage to file my religious exemption. I was hoping to hear some exemption success stories or even failure stories (I need to be prepared). I'm located in IL so the religious exemption is my only option.

[DQMama]

Hi, I don't know the IL laws but here in VA, they are not allowed to ask your religious affiliation or the reasons for your exemption. I was especially scared though, because my kids attend a private church school at the church we belong to. The church is not "officially" opposed to vaccines so I wasn't sure what their reaction would be. But they never said a word. I handed it in along with the standard blue physical form and that was the end of it. For various reasons, this school was the ONLY option for ds (we have full day public K and he was NOT ready and this was the only pre-K in the area designed specifically for 5-year-olds; it has a 1:5 student teacher ratio so he is THRIVING there).

Now my only concern is if there's a chicken pox or measles outbreak--my kids would have to stay home until it was over because that's what it says on the exemption form.

If indeed the law in IL is that they are not allowed to ask, and they do ask, I would probably say, "Thank you for your concern but I don't feel comfortable discussing my religion" and then smile But that's my style--yours may be different.

Edited to add: Even though my religion is not "officially" opposed to vaccines, I feel okay about filing. I truly believe that God would not want me to inject toxins into my kids.

[spero]

Not in IL, but I've been successful in NY which is a notoriously tricky state.

[Gitti]

On this site under "Links" you'll find exemptions for every state. Read through yours and come back and ask for specifics. You'll get lots of help here. We have used a religious exemption for the last 3 years without any questions or problems whatsoever.

[thepeach80]

It's easy to get a religious exemption here, I've done it several times. Hope things go well.

[KLM99]

My exemption story for daycare: I wrote a letter quoting the law allowing religious exemptions, got it notarized, and handed it in to the director with our application. No one said a thing at the time and no one's said anything to this day. Believe me - they've probably seen them before

[crittersmom]

I'm currently in HI and had no big problem getting a religious waiver for Kindergarten registration.There is a form they are supposed to have here, and I asked for it, they looked at me blankly and then took a couple of days to produce it.I filled it out and turned it in with the rest of the registration paperwork.I haven't been questioned even though we have since transfered schools and there have been several free flu vaccine clinics through the school.