Exemption question for summer camp

[jessicaSAR]

I am hoping to get a quick bit of advice on preparing an exemption for summer camp. My dd is homeschooled, so we have never needed an exemption. But she will be attending an YMCA summer camp and the health form asks for a clergy letter if you are claiming a religious exemption.

We are in CT, and I do not think we are required to specify a religion for a religious exemption, so a clergy letter cannot be required, right?
Also, we have the standard CT school vaccine exemption form. Do most of you use your school exemption forms for other activities, or do you write up a separate religious exemption? And, if so, is there a general form available that I could use?

Thanks for any advice.

[Gitti]

Originally Posted by jessicaSAR

We are in CT, and I do not think we are required to specify a religion for a religious exemption, so a clergy letter cannot be required, right?
Also, we have the standard CT school vaccine exemption form.

http://www.vaclib.org/exempt/connecticut.htm

I don't see where they can request anything other than the regulare exemption form for camps. I would simply hand that in with the law included.

Read through the link I've posted for you and use something like -

(We / I) {First and Last name(s)}, as the {(parent (s) /guardian(s)} of (name of child) are exercising our rights under the First Amendment of the US Constitution , Conn. Gen. Stat. § 19a-55 (b), Statute: Sec. 9, and under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 19a-79(a)(1) to receive Religious Exemption from Vaccination, ALL injections, & testing.

Maybe include something like this: Being a person of Strong Christian Morals, it is against my Deep, Sincerely Held, Religious Convictions to accept the injection of any foreign substance into my Body or the Body of my Children. This includes, but is not limited to, any and all, Vaccinations, Shots, Tests for Diseases, Oral Vaccines, Epidermal Patches and in any other way that Live or Killed Bacterium, Viruses, Pathogens, Germs, or any other Microorganisms, may be introduced into or upon my newborn's body.


For sure include this:

Applicable law has been interpreted to mean that a religious belief is subject to protection even though no religious group espouses such beliefs or the fact that the religious group to which the individual professes to belong may not advocate or require such belief. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as amended Nov. 1, 1980; Part 1605.1-Guidelines on Discrimination Because of Religion.

Our legal rights are guaranteed by the free exercise clause of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Recent court decisions have upheld the rights of individuals seeking exemptions from immunizations based upon personal and religious reasons. On the U.S. Supreme Court level in Frazee V. Illinois Dept. of Security, 489 U.S. 829, it was found that a state may not deny an exemption simply because a person is not a member of a formal religious organization.

[jessicaSAR]

Thank you! That is exactly what I am looking for, just some reasonable wording. I just want to have all my ducks in a row so we don't get sent home on the first day.

[Gitti]

You are welcome. On second thought I would omit what I had posted in BLUE.

Keep it short and stick to the law. That's all that's important. This way there are no loop holes to question you about religion.

One more thing, make sure you sign it, if possible both, you and the child's father and if you can, get it notarized (it look so official!).

[Fyrestorm]

I'm in CT. DH works for our local YMCA and DD attends preschool and camp there. I just used a simple "it is against our religious beliefs" format. The Y takes state and federal funds and must accept all state exemptions as the state requires and that is all they need.

This is the letter I submitted for preschool:

To Whom It May Concern:

As the parent(s)/guardian(s) of **___________, we hereby assert that the immunization of this student would be contrary to the Religious beliefs of this child. Therefore, this child shall be exempt from the required immunizations under Section 10-204a of the Connecticut General Statutes and shall be permitted to attend school except in the case of a vaccine-preventable disease outbreak
in the school.

[Emmeline II]

Insert CT law:

To whom it may concern;



(We / I) {First and Last name(s)}, as the {(parent (s) / guardian(s)} of ______________________(name of newborn child) are exercising (our/my) rights under the US Constitution, PUBLIC HEALTH LAW, ARTICLE 21. CONTROL OF ACUTE COMMUNICABLE DISEASES,TITLE VI. POLIOMYELITIS AND OTHER DISEASES, NY CLS Pub Health § 2164 (2002), to receive Religious Exemption from Vaccination, ALL injections, prophylaxis, & testing due to our genuine and sincere religious beliefs which are contrary to the practices herein required.

The U.S. Supreme Court held in Frazee V. Illinois Dept. of Security, 489 U.S. 829, that a religious belief is subject to protection even though no religious group espouses such beliefs or the fact that the religious group to which the individual professes to belong may not advocate or require such belief. This ruling is also reflected in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as amended Nov. 1, 1980; Part 1605.1-Guidelines on Discrimination Because of Religion.


Sincerely,

Your signature.
Date

[NaturalMom4]

What if the summer camp is private and not state funded?  My son just got refused by the local country club for summer camp!!  We got a physical from an MD and attached the form we signed 8 years ago initially refusing vaccines for our son... 

I'm in CT as well.

[ma2two]

My child attended an overnight YMCA camp. Vaccine dates were requested on one of the forms. I filled in some dates. They never checked up on it. They also required a form to be filled out by a doctor. But the doctor's form did not ask for any vaccine information.