MD Schools - Vaccination Waivers

[BD4life]

Hi everyone,

Moving to Takoma Park or Silver Spring, MD and wanted to know which areas in Silver Spring(e.g., colesville, cloverly, white oak, hilandale) have issues with accepting vaccination waivers. Any advice or suggestions on public or private schools that are less problematic. We were told to go to Takoma Park, but we also like Silver Spring. Tired of hearing that it's a state requirement when it's not. We were also told to try Columbia, MD.

Thanks!

[raelize]

as far as i know, i think all the public schools will accept the religious waiver. i imagine that in all those places you listed there are enough non-vaxers that the schools are used to it. i can't say anything about hte private though.

[BD4life]

Thanks!

Thanks for the info. Had a bad episode with birth at hospital due to our views on vaxing. Didn't know it would be a big issue or that we would be labeled. So, trying to move to area where we will not have any issues when dd is old enough to go to school. We were thinking we may have to homeschool.

[lillymonster]

Originally Posted by rachel_eva

as far as i know, i think all the public schools will accept the religious waiver. i imagine that in all those places you listed there are enough non-vaxers that the schools are used to it. i can't say anything about hte private though.

I agree, I know people in Carroll and Frederick County who don't vax and have children in public schools, so it can be done.

[Awaken]

we've lived here for over 10 yrs and I've never heard of any specific area being more or less likely to give you problems. the religious exemption is a state law so any city or neighborhood would have to accept it at a public school. My kids have gone to daycare, many different camps, a variety of public and private schools and no one has ever questioned it. As long as you have your forms filled out and everything's in order, I doubt you'll have a problem. (I do understand your concern, I was really nervous that we'd be questioned or kicked out when my kids first started in various programs, but it's always been fine.)

good luck with the move!

[KatyLinda]

When I filled out my daughter's medical info for school there was a spot to sign for the exemption on the forms (we're Baltimore City). She is vaxed, so we didn't use that, but I thought about it so I didn't have to deal with all the paperwork from the ped's office!

[BD4life]

Thanks!

Awesome! I hope we're ok. We didn't know if some areas were worse than others. So, just want to be in the right SS area.

[MommyHawk]

in MD there is a spot at the bottom of the vax form for religious exemption. Sign it and don't worry about it. They can't ask any questions about your religion, so don't answer any unless you really want to. It's not an obligation to explain and it's actually against the law - separation of Church and State - for anyone to ask or badger you about it.

[sleeveless]

I'm coming late to this thread, but I wanted to post for anyone who is interested. I was very anxious about this issue when we moved to MD recently. My kids are in public and private schools. We filled out the MD vaccination form (downloaded from the internet ) and signed the part at the bottom that says "religious exemption". I turned it in to both schools, and had no problems whatsoever. I did not draw attention to it, nor did I make a big deal when I was asked why the vaccination part wasn't filled out. I just said I signed it at the bottom and shut my mouth. I also used it at summer camp, and was asked why it wasn't filled out. Same answer, smile, mouth shut. I've heard MD is not a problem state for non-vaxers, as is, say, New York or New Jersey, and that's been my experience so far. My kids have some vaxes, but not all, so I signed the form and included the sheet from the ped that listed the vaxes they do have. I did not list their vaxes on the state's vaccination form I signed, since I thought that would raise questions. HTH. MD is not supportive of non-vaxing, so I keep very quiet about it.

[Awaken]

I'm turing in another school form so just noticed something on the religious exemption I hadn't noticed before.  It says the religious exemption is not valid in case of emergency or epidemic of disease!  My form is from 2009.  Does this mean it is legal for them to force kids to be vaccinated, if "they" deem it to be an emergency or epidemic?  :(

[muttmom92]

Originally Posted by Awaken 

I'm turing in another school form so just noticed something on the religious exemption I hadn't noticed before.  It says the religious exemption is not valid in case of emergency or epidemic of disease!  My form is from 2009.  Does this mean it is legal for them to force kids to be vaccinated, if "they" deem it to be an emergency or epidemic?  :(

I could be wrong, but I think it just means that they can keep your child out of school unless he's vaccinated.

[Pariah]

Originally Posted by muttmom92 

Originally Posted by Awaken 

I'm turing in another school form so just noticed something on the religious exemption I hadn't noticed before.  It says the religious exemption is not valid in case of emergency or epidemic of disease!  My form is from 2009.  Does this mean it is legal for them to force kids to be vaccinated, if "they" deem it to be an emergency or epidemic?  :(

I could be wrong, but I think it just means that they can keep your child out of school unless he's vaccinated.

Yes, this is my understanding as well. Your child wouldn't be able to come to school in the event of an "outbreak" of a disease that is vaccinated for.

[Awaken]

Ok, that is fine with me, then :)