Thanks for the link! The information there says that the parent has to complete the exemption form at the school office, "where school staff can verify the signature of the parent or guardian". They're sure not making this easy...
I'm thinking my school may not even have this form yet, so I'll wait and go in at the end of the school year and ask for it, but this is a pain. Too bad it can't be mailed in.
Thanks for the link! The information there says that the parent has to complete the exemption form at the school office, "where school staff can verify the signature of the parent or guardian". They're sure not making this easy...
I'm thinking my school may not even have this form yet, so I'll wait and go in at the end of the school year and ask for it, but this is a pain. Too bad it can't be mailed in.
It is the standard immunization/exemption form. They should always have them on hand as new students could show up at any time.
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But the 7-12 grade Tdap requirement is new, and does not apply until July 1, 2011. So my guess is that most schools do not have the new exemption form yet. It was actually just printed this month. The exemption form, CDPH 8261 is ONLY for the Tdap vaccine. The signature on the back of the blue card will not count.
Or, parents can write their own exemption statement. The law does not require that a pre-printed form be used.
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But the 7-12 grade Tdap requirement is new, and does not apply until July 1, 2011. So my guess is that most schools do not have the new exemption form yet. It was actually just printed this month. The exemption form, CDPH 8261 is ONLY for the Tdap vaccine. The signature on the back of the blue card will not count.
I guess they want you to reallllllllllllllllllllllllllllly think about it; I'd be making some alterations to that form http://www.mothering.com/community/forum/thread/1286070/bad-mommy-form-is-coming-to-california-schools
In the notices I've received from the school nurse, it says that if a waiver is "already on file" then the student is exempt from the new requirement. I wonder if that means I should sign the waiver BEFORE the July 1st deadline or if it's O.K. to just sign it when they start school in August? I thought of calling the school nurse about it but then thought better of it because I had a bad experience with another school nurse who harrassed me through the mail and on the phone after I signed a waiver a few years ago for my kindergartener.
The deadline to get the shot or sign an exemption is not July 1, unless you are in summer school or year round school. The deadline is the first day of the new school year, any time after July 1.
That's interesting the school nurse said if the Blue Card exemption is already signed, you're covered. I thought they were going to insist on the separate Tdap exemption form being signed.
I guess that's the day the law goes into effect, right? I believe the schools in this area are year round. I need to sign a waiver for my middle schooler entering 7th grade. I didn't know there was a new, separate form for the Dtap.
/
I went to the school office today and asked for the exemption form. She was very nice, called around trying to find out if anyone had it. They don't have it yet anywhere in my county.
I had written up my own form as a back up in case they didn't have the form. She would gladly have taken it, except when she called the district office they said-nope-only the form will do (which no-one has yet). She said it's"the Department of Health" (behind this) and that they said, "they're working on it".
This is so stressful for me! I've received one letter by mail, one e-mail, one phone call, and every time I pull up my boys' gradebook to look at it I see: they must have this vaccine or no school next year! Which is why I wanted to take care of this and not wait any longer, but no-one has this form yet.
It's not really my school's fault. I know they're just following orders and the letter, e-mail(s), etc, are because they want kids to be able to attend the high school next year so they're making sure people know/don't forget, etc... but it totally is so stressful for me to have this constantly in front of my and in my mind about their not attending school if, etc...
If they're going to make this a law, they ought to have the exemption form! Which they don't. Yet. But then I think---well, the law doesn't go into effect until July 1'st. Does that mean no form until July 1st? (when office staff are all on vacation, and no way to get the exemption form until school starts?) At which point they'll tell my boys they can't attend because I haven't submitted vax's?
The school can't print/create this form themselves--they're waiting on the health department, and they're "working on it". Again, this is so stressful...
The health department doesn't allow anything but the form. The letter written by a parent won't do. Just the form, the form, the form (which they don't have, etc., etc., etc.) It makes me feel crazy and totally so stressed.
My kids like school a lot. My oldest will be a senior next year--he needs to finish high school and graduate, so he can go on to college after that. Plus he is involved in activites at school which he totally enjoys. I can't take school away from them.
Continuing adventures in search of: the form:
I called the District Office for my boys' high school: they responded and told me when they get it they'll (gasp-and hurray) e-mail the form to me. The person was very nice on the phone. Both here and this morning at the high school the people were friendly and wanted to be helpful.
Before this I talked with the Health Department of my county. They were: unkind, harsh, pushing the vaccine... One person argued with me that the Personal Belief Exemption form requires the signature of the doctor. They don't have it there yet they said. I had in front of me the power point example from the previous link which only asks for the parent's signature. But she was adamant--the doctor's signature--she's certain, yet she does not have the form there at the county health department (probably has never seen it).
So there were my different encounters today. The school was so nice and wanted to help me. No problem regarding my asking for the exemption form. The Health Dept---argumentative, unkind, etc.
I feel much better now, after the District Office said she'd e-mail the form when she gets it.
Whew.
(as long as they don't ever have an "outbreak" we'll be OK)--only 3 people have to get it--that's what they call an outbreak. So that makes me nervous. Otherwise I feel much better.
Thanks everyone for listening in to my ranting about trying to get this exemption for my children.
S
Shame, shame on your school district and on your county. It is on line. Here it is.
http://www.cdph.ca.gov/programs/immunize/Documents/pm286b.pdf
Print it up and charge them the $ for your time, paper, electricity, and ink.
This is what makes me suspicious of schools, the government, and the drug companies. They lie and they get away with it.
Liars!
I had a written letter ready for the school, but the health department has told them they can't accept anything except the form from the parents, so the school didn't accept it yesterday. She honestly wanted to take my letter, but after making a phone call she was told nothing but the form was allowable. It's the county health department who is the authority over the school. The school has to go by what they say, even if they're misinformed.
I was told so many things I knew were untrue when I called the health department yesterday. The first person I talked to told me to use the blue form (that was after she was argumentative with me saying go get the shot, thinking I was a teenager calling---so crazy--I asked for when will this form be available and she begins an argument about what age am I and etc.) Then, when I convinced her, no, there's another form, she transferred me. Then that person said a doctor must sign it and since she was adamant I finally gave it up. (I doubt she's ever seen the form--they don't have it, but she "knows" the doctor must sign) Oh well. She lied to me as well, because when I first asked her when the form will be ready she said they didn't have it and didn't know. At the end of the phone call she said three weeks. But she was lying as she initially told me she didn't know.
I'm being told over and over that my kids won't be able to attend next year through all these various means of reminders by the school. That's stressful for me. I have no back up from anyone. In fact, my husband would take them in a minute to get them the vax if he was reading the notices. I've never done the exemption route before, since I didn't learn about vax damage until my boys were around 10 and had already had their childhood vax's. (which damaged their immune systems by the way which I see every day and caused learning problems in my youngest son) I know that this exemption is available (whenever the form comes out), but until then I will get letters, e-mail, notices online at the school's web, saying my kids aren't able to attend, because they don't have this newest vax.
And then, (from what I've read on the web) just three people have to get pertussis to call it an outbreak (probably within the county, not the school). And my kids will be out of school. This results in my feeling stress too. If that happened would my kids remain unvaxed? Nope. I know for sure my husband would insist on the vax. He has no interest in vax damage stuff, still has complete faith in the system and all that. And so there's more stress upon me (internally). I don't want my kids harmed, either by the poison in the vax, or on the other hand by being refused or turned out of school.
I want an exemption from this new Tdap vax. To do that requires the new form. They made a new form specifically for the new requirement. The old one won't do for this.
I totally understand the worry about exclusion from school during an outbreak, especially since your husband would insist on your kids getting the vaccine at that point. But I can assure you that exclusion is based on cases in the school, not the county. (Unless the health department could prove your child was exposed to pertussis outside of school). And unless you read it was 3 cases on your health department's website, I don't think that's necessarily true. For example, if just one student in the school is diagnosed with pertussis, but it's someone your child sits next to in class everyday, your child might be excluded. But if 5 people in the school are diagnosed, but for example they're in a different grade and are always in a separate building of the school, your child might not be excluded, because there is no chance of exposure.
I suggest you start slowly educating your husband about vaccine dangers, in a manner you think he would be most receptive to. It's stressful enough to think of the possibility of kids being excluded from school during an outbreak, but I would be freaking out too if I knew that meant my kids would be getting the vaccine.
Thank you for this information about outbreaks. This is very helpful knowledge. I thought it was probably the county and that outbreaks would be dictated from the county health department--which would be worrisome, especially after what I'd just experienced in talking with them by phone. This is a whole lot better.
My husband--he's not open. He even goes and gets the flu shot for himself. I've told him "no more vaccines" regarding the boys and he's said OK to pacify me, but if he knew it was a school requirement I'm sure it would be a different story. They haven't been to the pediatrician for visits for years-since I stopped vaxing-as I know new ones are always being pushed there and my husband is the one who takes them. I was reading on learning disabilities boards for years because of my sons' problems. Eventually I found books recommended regarding vaccine damage. If my son hadn't had all his problems I would probably still be in the dark and think they're just fine. Vax damage in my children (especially my youngest) is what took me on a path to becoming knowledgeable.
My husband treats me condescendingly. He doesn't value what I say. He will go along with things sometimes to pacify me, but he doesn't value knowledge I might have. He kind of shuts his ears to me in anything like that.
Thank you for this information about outbreaks. This is very helpful knowledge. I thought it was probably the county and that outbreaks would be dictated from the county health department--which would be worrisome, especially after what I'd just experienced in talking with them by phone. This is a whole lot better.
My husband--he's not open. He even goes and gets the flu shot for himself. I've told him "no more vaccines" regarding the boys and he's said OK to pacify me, but if he knew it was a school requirement I'm sure it would be a different story. They haven't been to the pediatrician for visits for years-since I stopped vaxing-as I know new ones are always being pushed there and my husband is the one who takes them. I was reading on learning disabilities boards for years because of my sons' problems. Eventually I found books recommended regarding vaccine damage. If my son hadn't had all his problems I would probably still be in the dark and think they're just fine. Vax damage in my children (especially my youngest) is what took me on a path to becoming knowledgeable.
My husband treats me condescendingly. He doesn't value what I say. He will go along with things sometimes to pacify me, but he doesn't value knowledge I might have. He kind of shuts his ears to me in anything like that.
That truly sucks and I would ask you why you tolerate that - but I suppose that is a marital issue not a vaccine issue 
MomofBoys2,
The blue waiver philosophical exemption form regarding this new Tdap booster mandate has been mailed to all California school districts by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH). Simply ask for the form from your school district office. All you need to do is sign and date it, and ensure it is placed in your students' school files before or by the first day of school for the following school year.
You may also write your own letter to the district, stating you are electing to opt out of this mandate. Simply state you are philosophically opposed to vaccinations, including to the recent Tdap mandate, date and sign it, and return it to your students' school, again, ensuring it is placed in your students' files before or by the first day of school for the following school year.
Hope this helps.
-Kim Kovalchik-Ii
California State Director - National Vaccine Information Center
Cal Health & Saf Code § 120365 (2006)
§ 120365. Letter or affidavit stating beliefs opposed to immunization; Temporary exclusion from school
Immunization of a person shall not be required for admission to a school or other institution listed in Section 120335 if the parent or guardian or adult who has assumed responsibility for his or her care and custody in the case of a minor, or the person seeking admission if an emancipated minor, files with the governing authority a letter or affidavit stating that the immunization is contrary to his or her beliefs. However, whenever there is good cause to believe that the person has been exposed to one of the communicable diseases listed in subdivision (a) of Section 120325, that person may be temporarily excluded from the school or institution until the local health officer is satisfied that the person is no longer at risk of developing the disease.
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