Ohio online public school Vax exemption questions

[ursaminor]

My mother is enrolling my younger sister in an online public school. She has previously been enrolled in a local public school. My mom is having trouble logging onto Mothering, so I am asking advice on her behalf.

This online school has three exemptions they accept. Medical with a doctors note/signature, philosophical, and religious. for the latter two they would like the appropriate box checked and an attachment explaining why. I was under the impression that school cannot ask for specific religious reasons, but since my mother is claiming philosophical exemption, I there anything she should or should not say? Do they have the ability to reject her statement? My mother has never had to attach a statement for an exemption before. Any advice would be much appreciated. She must have this paperwork out by tomorrow.
Thank you.

[angelpie545]

Does this online school require the students to meet for tests? Or is it entirely online? I guess I'm confused as to why an entirely online school would want vaccine information, since there would be no chance of anyone getting sick in the virtual world. It doesn't make sense. In any even, your mother could simply state: "Vaccines are against my philosophical beliefs" in the explanation box. I doubt they will hassle her about it.

[ursaminor]

Originally Posted by angelpie545

Does this online school require the students to meet for tests? Or is it entirely online? I guess I'm confused as to why an entirely online school would want vaccine information, since there would be no chance of anyone getting sick in the virtual world. It doesn't make sense. In any even, your mother could simply state: "Vaccines are against my philosophical beliefs" in the explanation box. I doubt they will hassle her about it.

I do believe it is entirely online. seems a little strange that they would need an in depth reason for not vaxing.

[mamadelbosque]

I'm sure they don't. Check the philosphical box and write 'against personal beliefs' and you should she should be fine. No need to go in depth, as far as I know!!

[ursaminor]

Thank you both, I agree. I know she wrote out a concise paragraph about her philosophical reason for not vaxing. I'll let her know she should just affirm in writing it is against her philosophical beliefs & nothing more.

[ASusan]

I agree with PP. The simplest statement possible.

[blessedwithboys]

I'm assuming this is a virtual charter school? Based on that assumption...

Originally Posted by ursaminor

This online school has three exemptions they accept. Well, they would have to. It's the law, not just something this school does. Medical with a doctors note/signature, philosophical, and religious. for the latter two they would like the appropriate box checked and an attachment explaining why. I was under the impression that school cannot ask for specific religious reasons, but since my mother is claiming philosophical exemption, I there anything she should or should not say? Yes, see below. Do they have the ability to reject her statement? No, see below. My mother has never had to attach a statement for an exemption before. How was it done through the physical school? If it's a virtual charter school, the process shouldn't differ one bit. Any advice would be much appreciated. She must have this paperwork out by tomorrow.
Thank you.

From what I can find via a super quick search, this is the exemption part of the law:

"(4) A pupil who presents a written statement of the pupil's parent or guardian in which the parent or guardian declines to have the pupil immunized for reasons of conscience, including religious convictions, is not required to be immunized."

So all she needs for a philo. exemption is to write "For reasons of conscience, my child is exempt from vaccination requirements." I didn't see anything to suggest there was a form, as we have here in FL. (We have a form for religious exemption. We don't have philosophical here.)

They should not be able to reject her exemption, although if they use a standard form, they may reject a hand-written note.

Is this a virtual (public) charter school, like Connections Academy, or a private online school?