non-vax moms in RI who have used religious exemption forms for school

[lovebeingamomma]

please PM me and tell me how I would go about this, thanks!

[Orionsmama]

I am also curious about this. Do you know if it is an all or nothing approach? What if you choose only certain vax to omit? Will they accept exemptions on certain ones?

[lovebeingamomma]

bumping...still looking for information from non-vaxers!

[dmcleary17]

My son goes to preschool in MA, but if you search the archives, you will find lots of advice... :)

[laneysprout]

You just need to obtain a "Vaccine Exemption" form from the school.  DD started private nursery school this fall and I just called the director of the school over the summer to get the form, it was no big deal.  For public school, it really depends on the school district how easy or difficult it is to get the form.

The form itself covers both medical and religious exemptions.  For medical exemptions you need to list the specific vaccines you're skipping or delaying (and why).  It requires a signature from your physician.  The religious exemption is a blanket exemption, so you don't need to list anything.  

Most people who are delaying, rather than not vaxing at all, use the religious exemption since you don't have to claim a specific religion or belief system and it doesn't require a signature other than yours - and because there is no one to check up on whether you have given any previous vaccines (and really, you could have just recently converted, etc.).  It's a triplicate form with one copy going to the state, one to the school, and one for your records.  

Hope this helps!

[lovebeingamomma]

thanks!

[mrspnut82]

Hi I'm signing my daughter up for Kindy this fall and will be dealing with this. I have her partially vaxed and basically got kicked from our pedi because of not fully vaxing. I am wondering if you got the form and how did they react to your asking. What city are you in? I'm kinda nervous like they will ask all sorts of questions and wonder why she got 1 vax at her 5 year appt or somthing. Let me know if you have done anything about it yet. thanks

[mama516/419]

My son goes to the school department preschool for having special needs and all we had to do was get a letter from our religousue advisor and becouse they cant comment on any religon you choose I had my mom write one - what better advisor then ones own mother ? They never gave me a form . It did need to be on letter head but with  computer that took all of 5 minutes , then sign and have stamped and your done.

[muldey]

I'm in Woonsocket and have had a hard time.You DO NOT need a letter from a religious advisor.You HAVE to have the form form the health dept,which the school should have.I had a very hard time getting the forms.I had to run around the city to different schools to get them.They kept handing me the temporary exemption form,I had to explain to them over and over what I needed.Here's the info the schools are SUPPOSED to follow(with samples of the forms):

http://www.health.ri.gov/publications/requirements/SummaryDaycarePreschoolAndSchoolAndRecommendationsForGrantingExemptions.pdf

The middle school in Woonsocket is the worst.They say they require a letter from a pastor,which is completely wrong.I had to call the superintendent over and over,finally they voted with the school commitee to give it to my family.That should never have happened.I had to threaten that I would call a lawyer.I'm sure I'm going to have to go through it all over again,my dc are going into the 5th and 8th grades this Sept.At least the school uniform waiver was easy to get!My ds has autism and will not wear any pants with buttons or zippers.So he wore black jogging pants all year long,with uniform tshirts.Sometimes I cannot stand this city!But I'm stuck here as I'm poor and my dad owns the apartment I live in.Oh well,good luck on getting the exemption,let us know how it goes please!HTH!

[plantmama]

Your school should have the forms on file.  Sometimes dr.s offices have them as well.  I simply said "I need a religious exemption form for vaccines."  If they ask you questions they are being nosy.  But some people are genuinely curious and open to not wanting to vaccinate your kids and just want to chat about it.  In Providence and Pawtucket schools, I have never had an issue or even a raised eyebrow.

Personally I just write that they have had no vaccines but you can check the ones they have had if you want and then you just sign it.  Hopefully most places don't make you go through so many hoops.  That sounds rough, Muldy!