Vax exemption for private preschool in western suburbs Chicago.

[gorgorita]

Hi
We decided to put DD into a 2day preschool program.
We picked two schools, both are private (Montessori in La Grange and Kensington school in La Grange)
As I know by law vax exemption works only with public schools and daycares assosiated with public schools. How do I go about this issue with private schools?
How can I ask them politely beforehand if they will accept my unvaxed kid? I don't want to pay registration fee to both schools just to be denied later. If I ask them straight forward, will I be brushed off right away?
How do I handle such a situation?
Also, there is a childhood center( like a daycare and I don't know if it;s considered public school)) from our park district in Westchester that we can apply to. They gave me forms with the medical form that has no section where I could put an exemption.
Do I need to go to local health dept and ask for an exemption form? Is there one?

[nycmom18]

just posted something similar-interested as well!

[katiesmom]

This is a good site for that.
I put my dd in private preschool. I enrolled her, and when they asked for the health info, I just turned in my exemption. She is in private school still, and i've never had a problem. It's nerve wracking the first time, but the law is on your side.

[katiesmom]

Sorry, forgot to post the site.
http://www.vaccineawareness.org/Illi...Exemptions.htm

[chisub]

We've done some vax, but not all (like Hep B). How does it work if we aren't religious? I'm not about lying, but don't people without a specific religion have legal protection in IL? Is there a way around it based on strong personal belief?

[katiesmom]

Not in IL. If your beliefs aren't strictly religious, they won't accept your exemption. There is no conscientious or philosophical exemption in this state.
You don't have to be any part of an organized religion, you just have to state your objection in religious terms.

[Brownie~]

I am interested in this too. DS got into a private Catholic school for preK. We also have not vaxed. I don't know what their attitude is toward not vaxing, though. It is the only school we got into, so I don't want to get booted! I was thinking of calling anonymously to find out...dunno if that is a good idea or not. You think I should just submit our exemption on day 1 and cross fingers instead?

[mommy2naomi]

My younger dd is partially vax'd and went to a private daycare. When I handed in the paperwork, I gave them my letter of exemption. There wasn't a single question. In fact, religious institutions are used to them.

[Brownie~]

Did you pediatrician fill out your paperwork showing that DD is partially vaxed? I was under the impression that the exemption is an "all or nothing" thing. I thought that the ped would have to leave the vax section totally blank, even if DS winds up having some before he starts school.

[LEAW]

If the pedi signs the form, they have to fill it out with all the info that they have in your records - this might be partial vax on the list.

What a lot of friends here do is see the pedi for the selective vax, but have a family practice doc (or HomeFirst) fill out the physical/vax form for schools. Because the pedi holds all the vax records, the 2nd doc has no info to put on the form, so it stays blank.

[mommy2naomi]

From what I understand, there is nothing in the law that specifies that you have to be religiously opposed to all vaccines. In fact, some of the letters that I read while writing mine was indicating which vaccines they were opposed to due to what specific reasons (embryos, etc.).

I stressed about it too at first, but now its really not a big deal. My younger DD is 2 years old and a few months, she's only had 5 shots. We switched recently from the daycare center to a private home daycare and they don't care at all.