How do I ask a private school if they accept non-vax kids?

[robynholly]

I would assume that they would just say "No". I don't want to go thru the application process and then hand them my exemption letter for it to then be turned away, but maybe that is the only way? What do you think?

[Deborah]

I used to work at a private school.

You could ask them for a list of requirements for enrollment without being specific. If they don't have any such list pre-made, you could ask if there is anything that would cause an application to automatically be rejected, again without being specific.

Or you could ask a friend or relative to phone for you and ask if they accept the standard state exemptions in regard to vaccinations.

The reason I'm suggesting all this round-about stuff: privacy. No reason for the front-office person to know your child's medical information. If the front-office person actually processes applications, then they will know, but generally once it gets as far as paperwork all the usually privacy stuff starts functioning, whereas oral questions are, in my experience, subject to gossip.

What flavor of school is it? And how desperate are they for students?

[frolick16]

I just asked, if they did not accept non-vaxed kiddos we wouldn't be attending so what did it matter if they knew. If they did then it was no biggie as they had probably already dealt with other non-vaxed kids. The school we attended was a Waldorf school.

[Deborah]

Waldorf schools are generally tolerant.

The other schools I've heard discussed are Catholic, which are sometimes very rigid. As in no vax, no school.

Even if a school is okay with the exemption, medical information is private unless you choose to share it. So I recommend that people be careful about sharing it.

[ammiga]

What state are you in? In many states, schools don't have a choice.

I live in a state where all schools must accept non-vaxed student, but I wanted to see how hard it would be to get dd into the very small private school at our place of worship. I asked for a copy of all the paperwork they needed filled out prior to admission, and in the welcome packet was a form for vaccines with a place to sign if we were opposed. So I knew we were good!

[robynholly]

I live in Massachusetts. I was under the impression that private schools could do whatever they want if they do not receive any money from the state.

[ammiga]

Looks to me like the laws in MA apply equally to public and private schools. if you go to this site and download the pdf titled "School Immunization Regulations", the MA laws are spelled out and state that they apply to public and private schools. A religious exemption should work at any school, unless I am reading something incorrectly.

[Emmeline II]

Originally Posted by ammiga

Looks to me like the laws in MA apply equally to public and private schools. if you go to this site and download the pdf titled "School Immunization Regulations", the MA laws are spelled out and state that they apply to public and private schools. A religious exemption should work at any school, unless I am reading something incorrectly.

I agree. The vax requirements apply to public and private students and "shall not" apply to those same students.

http://www.nvic.org/Vaccine-Laws/sta...achusetts.aspx