Horrible waiver form... suggestions

[Trisha]

The school gave me a new form to fill out for my boys. They already had one on file from last year but this one is different and terrible! Its from the state of michigan department of community health. Heres what it says. If someone has a suggestion on how to handle this (quickly) I would appreciate it.

IMMUNIZATION WAIVER FORM
INSTRUCTIONS TO PARENTS OR GUARDIANS:
Vaccine-preventable diseases are still with us. In many cases, they cause disability or death. Immunizations are one of our most cost-effective measures to protect children from harmful diseases. A high proportion of children must be immunized to prevent outbreaks of disease in school settings and other places where children work and play closely together.

[paragraph removed.. it just stated the vaccines required]

A parent or guardian wishing to exempt his or her child from a particular vaccination must provide a written statement indicating the religious or philosophical objections to the vaccination(s). A child who has been exempted from a vaccination is considered susceptible to the disease or diseases for which the vaccination offers protection. The child may be subject to exclusion from the school or program, if the local and or state public health authority advises exclusion as a disease control measure.

By signing this waiver, you acknowledge that you are placing your child and others at risk of serious illness should he or she contract a disease that could have been prevented through proper vaccination.

http://www.birmingham.k12.mi.us/NR/r...aiver_2009.pdf

ACK... can i just cross things off that i disagree with??

[SunshineJ]

So they're trying to make you legally liable then? That's what it sounds like! I would cross it out and write instead "By signing this wavier I am acknowledging that my child may be more at risk of contracting a disease that vaccines are intended to prevent. However, due to the nature of illness and the fact that vaccines do not always provide a permenant resistance to the disease for which they are for, I will NOT accept any liability, legal or otherwise, for the wellbeing of individuals outside my immediate family."

They can't force you to accept responsibility for something over which you have no control - and gee, doesn't this go back to the argument of if you believed that vaccines worked, why would you be worried about my unvaxxed kid?

[janellesmommy]

Look here and scroll down to Michigan. http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=953402

According to the law, no specific form is required.

[Purple Cat]

I NEVER would sign that form -- it's like admitting that you fully acknowledge you are commiting medical neglect. You MUST provide a written statement as to your religious or philosophical exemption. I would write a letter detailing the statute required in your state for exemption, copying it word for word. I would then write your personal religious or philosophical reasons for not vaccinating. I would then conclude the letter by stating htat you have fulfilled the statutory requirements for exemption. I would in the letter that you cannot sign the form required b/c you do not agree with the statement they require you to admit to and also state that no where in the statute does it require you to agree to such an admission to exercise your constitutional rights to a religious exemption (or statutory right to a philosophical exemption.)

DO NOT SIGN IT.

[bbrandonsmom]

If you don't have to sign it, don't. Find out, and if they ask, tell them you don't have to by law. Might want to toss them some info about how vaccinated kids also develop the diseases.

[Mary-Beth]

Do not sign that waiver.

Do not sign it.

Find a different waiver that simply states you are exercising your right to waive vaccinations.

[Turquesa]

Janellesmommy has it right. Your state has no law requiring you to sign it.

This form is not just self-incriminating. I would refuse to sign it also because it's inflammatorily false. Today in the U.S., there is no quantifiable risk of your child spreading diseases like diptheria or polio, and the thought of your child spreading tetanus or Hep B on the playground (as your public health officials know fully well) is laughable.

[BeckyBird]

I hate that. What happens if your child is damaged from the vaccine. Does the pharmaceutical company accept liability? Oh no, that's right--they are exempt! So how can a parent sign a form like this, accepting risk? It is a one way street with these forms, a very unfair one.

[Trisha]

My printer broke so I couldnt print out the one I found and liked so I just changed a few things. Where it said "In many cases, they cause disability or death." I changed MANY to RARE and I just crossed off these lines:

The child may be subject to exclusion from the school or program, if the local and or state public health authority advises exclusion as a disease control measure.

By signing this waiver, you acknowledge that you are placing your child and others at risk of serious illness should he or she contract a disease that could have been prevented through proper vaccination.

For my reason, I copied something I found here:
I am exercising my rights under the US Constitution to receive Religious Exemption from Vaccination due to our genuine and sincere religious beliefs which are contrary to the practices herein required.

The school is great and has no problem with my waiver, but I felt very uncomfortable signing my name to anything like that. I agree with what everyone here says. I dont anticipate any problems but you never know what can come and bite you on the arse later especially with so much government control taking over our lives