Article in today's paper: "Children without proof they got a whooping cough booster shot may...

[MamieCole]

I live in the Bay Area in California. This article was in today's local paper:

http://www.mercurynews.com/science/ci_17919931?source=rss&nclick_check=1

How is it possible that this sort of mis-information is allowed to be printed w/out ANY mention that parents ultimately have rights and don't HAVE to have their child vaccinated as a requirement for attending public school?  

The entire article is unsettling, but this quote just made me so sad:

"Our school is having a competition to fulfill the requirement, and the winning class gets a pizza party or something like that," said 10-year-old..."

It just makes me...

   all at the same time to think of something as significant as getting injected w/a vaccine turned into something you do just to win pizza.

At least the comments to the article give me hope that some parents ARE informed of their rights, despite the article implying the contrary. I'm not even sure the word "may" in the title refers to the fact that there is a waiver option. *sigh*

[SilverMoon010]

The majority of comments in the past for these types of articles would normally favor the article. I'm noticing a lot lately that this does not seem to be the case anymore and people seem to be waking up to the idea that we're actually trying to be controlled on every decision we make and people are not all going for it anymore.  That's a good thing.  The bad thing is that I feel terrible for the kids. Now their education is being affected?  What next? These poor children can't go anywhere anymore without being chased down with a syringe.  It makes me really sad that this is what it's coming down to.

Although I prefer not to homeschool, I would have no hesitation with it if it came down to that. 

[Ldavis24]

when I was visiting a family member in the hospital they were having a "competition" amongst the staff to see which group could get the highest rate of flu vaccines taken....The prize was a flat screen tv or something like that...

I actually took a picture with my phone because I couldn't believe it was real. 

The hospital's flu vaccine goal was 75% which is pretty interesting considering those are the people who supposedly love all vaccines and their GOAL was only 75% vaccinated...

[Marnica]

Originally Posted by Ldavis24 

when I was visiting a family member in the hospital they were having a "competition" amongst the staff to see which group could get the highest rate of flu vaccines taken....The prize was a flat screen tv or something like that...

I actually took a picture with my phone because I couldn't believe it was real. 

The hospital's flu vaccine goal was 75% which is pretty interesting considering those are the people who supposedly love all vaccines and their GOAL was only 75% vaccinated...

This is actually fiarly common. The majority of healthcare workers left to their own devices (ie are not forced) would not get the flu vaccine. Therefore they need to bribe people to reach their goals.

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/ColdandFluNews/story?id=6418974&page=1

this article is from 2008, but from what I understand not much has changed.
 

[miriam]

That has been the mantra for decades.  Every time I went to my private religious school in the late 1950s and 1960s as a student, a new nurse would contact my mom and my mom would have to enlighten the nurse who is supposed to know what the law is. Fifteen years later, my sister came home from the local public elementary school with a note from the nurse demanding that my mother get my sister up to date on her vaccines or she would not be allowed in school; it never ended.  Obviously there is an agenda here to get all children vaxed and NOT to allow parents to know that they have a right or say in the matter of their own child's health. That is why conspiracy theories pop up all over.  When a parent asserts their rights, they are threatened with a CPS investigation or denial of parental rights. Yes, that happens.  The suffering parents to whom these injustices have happened are too happy to stay quiet and be left alone and have their normal life returned to them.  

Maybe you can offer to buy your own child's class a pizza if they feel left out if that is so important.

Write a letter to the editor of the newspaper and quote the law to them.  Go to your own local public school with a copy of the law.  I am in LA and the LAUSD does not give parents the state vaccine paper in the enrollment packet with the exemptions to be checked off on the bottom right hand corner.  When I asked the secretary about it, she suddenly could not speak or understand English and acted like she did not understand what I was saying even when I spoke three other local languages to her.  The principal came out and said that is the district's policy not to put that form into the enrollment packet.  

So there you go.  

It is the district policy not to let parents even have an inkling of what rights they may have.

[miriam]

Originally Posted by Ldavis24 
 

The hospital's flu vaccine goal was 75% which is pretty interesting considering those are the people who supposedly love all vaccines and their GOAL was only 75% vaccinated...

Were they vaccinating each other or people in the hospital as visitors or patients.  I see the flu vaccine tables in airports and public buildings and churches.  

[Ldavis24]

Originally Posted by miriam 

Were they vaccinating each other or people in the hospital as visitors or patients.  I see the flu vaccine tables in airports and public buildings and churches.  

this was for the people working the hospital. They had broken up into different groups based on departments and somehow a prize was a TV?? I don't know who got it and there were some smaller prizes...It just made me laugh (sort of) because of the fact that they had to use tactics like bribery just to get the people who actually work in a hospital (and therefore should how important a flu shot is right...ugh) to get a flu shot..

[nia82]

That is sad. Especially since California has a philo exemption so even if you vaccinate you don't have to do all of them, so it is a complete and utter lie that you cannot attend public school if you miss a  booster. Truth is you'd need a philo exemption, but that thing is so easy in CA.

I have heard of the reward thing for circumcisions in Africa where they're trying to push the agenda, but baiting kids with pizza? How low can one sink! If that ever happens at my children's school my child will get an extra big pizza for not getting the vaccine. And I guess the why we don't want certain vaccine talk has to start a lot earlier than I thought (so far we have opted for 2 shots, but I am not sure if we will ever do more or not, I don't know yet where we are standing so we are holding off for now, my state only has a religious exemption)

[Arduinna]

Originally Posted by MamieCole 

I live in the Bay Area in California. This article was in today's local paper:

http://www.mercurynews.com/science/ci_17919931?source=rss&nclick_check=1

How is it possible that this sort of mis-information is allowed to be printed w/out ANY mention that parents ultimately have rights and don't HAVE to have their child vaccinated as a requirement for attending public school?  

The entire article is unsettling, but this quote just made me so sad:

Because media ( and schools) are used to further the states agenda.

[SoCaliMommy]

  I was in my daughters school office yesterday and they have a big sign up saying how whooping cough is mandatory for all 7-12th graders starting July,2011 and how they can't attend school without it. Doesn't make sense how they can enforce it since we have the right to sign a waiver.

[Toolip]

Originally Posted by SoCaliMommy 

  I was in my daughters school office yesterday and they have a big sign up saying how whooping cough is mandatory for all 7-12th graders starting July,2011 and how they can't attend school without it. Doesn't make sense how they can enforce it since we have the right to sign a waiver.

But it very well may be mandatory. That's why you have to sign a waiver rather than simply choose not to get the vaccination.

I does bother me how the receptionist has the power to give people a really bad time about the waiver and/or lead them to believe that they cannot get a waiver.

[Lazy Gardens]

Originally Posted by SoCaliMommy   I was in my daughters school office yesterday and they have a big sign up saying how whooping cough is mandatory for all 7-12th graders starting July,2011 and how they can't attend school without it. Doesn't make sense how they can enforce it since we have the right to sign a waiver.

As I interpret the regulation ... they school MUST have EITHER a signed, notarized waiver on file OR proof of vaccination on file before the child enters a classroom. That way, when some child is diagnosed with whooping cough, they can pull the files and immediately send the unvaccinated children home until the outbreak is over.

[Marnica]

That is the whole point. The option of having a waiver is not publicized. Many people do not even know this is an option because they are told the vaccine is mandatory and their child can't start school without it. PERIOD. No mention of an exemption. This is what people object to.

 

Originally Posted by Lazy Gardens 

As I interpret the regulation ... they school MUST have EITHER a signed, notarized waiver on file OR proof of vaccination on file before the child enters a classroom. That way, when some child is diagnosed with whooping cough, they can pull the files and immediately send the unvaccinated children home until the outbreak is over.

[Bayareamom]

I thought I would introduce myself.  I am the California State Director for the National Vaccine Information Center.  I have been handling inquiries from both parents and nursing personnel regarding the new Tdap booster mandate.  First, there are two exemptions to so-called mandated vaccines we can use in California:  One, the medical (if valid) and two, the philosophical.  Contrary to urban myth, the State of California has never had the religious exemption on its books; we do not have a separate form to fill out, specifically for the religious belief against vaccination.  However, the philosophical exemption is a very broad based exemption, therefore it could be argued it also encompasses the religious exemption.

The reason many, if not most, of our school districts in California do not inform parents about their state's right to the use of our exemptions, is because there is nothing within the state's regulatory provisions within the statute itself, which mandate they do so.  So we have two exemptions on the books in this state, but no enforceability within the statute which requires parents be INFORMED about those exemptions.  Hopefully, as with what just happened in Colorado, this will change - but that has to happen via the legislative process.  Colorado has now passed a Bill into law which now requires all Colorado school districts to inform its parents about their exemptions. 

As far as the waiver form some of you are having issues with:  The California Department of Public Health mails out the philosophical waiver form to all California school districts.  There is no need to download any of these forms off the Internet.  This form, or card, is a blue form; one side has all the requisite information re: all the vaccines 'required' for school entry and a place to check off for each vaccine your student has received; the other side contains the exemption language and a place for you to date and sign as well.  I was recently contacted by a parent who notified me that her school district was taking the state card information and xeroxing ONLY the portion which showed the vaccine information.  The exemption language had been redacted.  Although the CDPH tells me that this was because of convenience for the parents, I disagree.  Some school districts tend to be more prone to withholding the exemptions information from parents, than others.  It is up to parents to educate themselves about these exemptions and notify your district superintendent when you see things like this happening.

As far as the new Tdap mandate:  The CDPH has issued a new waiver form regarding this new mandate.  The reason they state this was needed is because the Tdap mandate FOR THIS AGE GROUP is a new requirement, thus the information contained on the older form waiver cards, does not contain information to complete regarding the Tdap booster for this age group.  For those of you who elect to exempt your student from the Tdap booster, simply ask your school district personnel (usually its nursing staff personnel) for the new Tdap philosophical waiver exemption form.  Also, contrary to some of the information being disseminated to parents, there is absolutely no statutory requirement that you sign off on these new Tdap waiver forms in front of school district personnel, and that would include anyone in the nursing staff as well.  Simply sign and date the form and make sure it is contained in your student's file before or BY THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL FOR THE FOLLOWING SCHOOL YEAR. 

I would also encourage all of you at the Mothering Forum to join us over at the National Vaccine Information Center's Advocacy Portal.  When you sign up (completely free), you will be able to track all legislation issues regarding vaccination/healthcare issues, in your state. 

Thanks!

[miriam]

The state may be mailing the blue immunization form to the districts, so it is up to the district to show it to the parents?

Los Angeles Unified School District does not put the blue immunization form into its enrollment package.  They simply demand that an immunization record be presented at the time of enrollment.  Therefore anyone in the Los Angeles Unified School District area will need to download the form from the internet.

I have confronted the school secretary and principals about this and they act like I have three heads. A nurse is never available.

My point is that they really do not see it as their place to inform any one of their rights.  If you are not willing to enforce your own rights, then maybe you do not deserve them.

[Bayareamom]

Miriam,

I should have clarified:  The blue waiver form that is sent to all school districts in California, should be contained within the school enrollment packet for every student.  If you would like, please feel free to email me and I can call your school district's superintendent and educate them (in a polite way, of course).  Again, this blue waiver form is from the California State Public Health Department and should be included within the school enrollment form.  Unfortunately, not all school districts USE the state form when handing out school enrollment packets. 

You state, "My point is that they really do not see it as their place to inform anyone of their rights."  But I've explained that there is no enforceability within the California regulations contained within the statute, which requires school district personnel to inform parents about exemptions.  It's a poorly written law; just because laws are in place, does not always make them GOOD and/or JUST laws.  Unfortunately, the only way to change poorly existing written law, is through either the legislative process and/or the court process.  So no, I'm absolutely not blaming parents for not understanding their own state's rights to the use of these exemptions. 

The CDPH has an agenda; to ensure maximum percentage of vaccination rates in the State of California.  I'm just surmising, but one could safely assume this legislation was written the way it was, to simply assure this agenda is maintained. 

I have written to all California school districts and informed them that parents should be given notice as to their exemption rights in an honest and upfront way.  Some schools have been more forthcoming about the exemptions notifications to parents, others have not.  If your school is deliberately disinforming you about your exemptions rights, they are behaving in an illegal manner, Miriam.  Believe it or not, unless school officials are sometimes challenged on this issue, they can normally slide by with this type behavior because most parents simply unaware of their rights.  But when parents DO become aware, it is so important to confront your school officials - politely - and notify them they've been incorrect as to the information they've been giving parents. 

I had a situation just yesterday wherein a parent contacted me and explained that her district nurse told her she had to seek consultation through her physician before she could use her waiver.  THIS IS PATENTLY FALSE INFORMATION.  When I received that information, I contacted the CDPH, informed the Director of the Immunization Branch about this particular district nurse's behavior and that nurse received a phone call from the CDPH. 

The CDPH WILL contact any school district personnel who do not handle their exemptions protocol with the parents correctly. 

Please feel free to contact me if you need further help.

[Bayareamom]

To further clarify, here is the statute itself:  Please note:  If you would like, you can simply write a letter to your student's school, informing them you are philosophically opposed to vaccinations. 

Also, you may choose to use your California Philosophical Exemption for any vaccination you feel is not appropriate for your student.  That is, if you selectively vaccinate for certain diseases, you may choose to use your philosophical exemption to those vaccinations you are opposed to.  The same holds true for the new Tdap booster requirement as well. 

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.

[ma2two]

If people aren't aware of their rights, they can't enforce them. Unless they've heard otherwise from somewhere else, it's understandable that someone would believe a school official who says vaccines are required for school and even lies by saying, "no exceptions."
 

Originally Posted by miriam 

My point is that they really do not see it as their place to inform any one of their rights.  If you are not willing to enforce your own rights, then maybe you do not deserve them.

[ma2two]

Thank you, Bayareamom for all that accurate information regarding California school vaccination law.

To sum up, California parents can choose to decline all or some vaccines for school, due to any beliefs they may have. For every grade and for every vaccine except Tdap, the place to sign is the back (second page) of the California School Immunization Record (PM286b) "blue card." http://www.cdph.ca.gov/programs/immunize/Documents/pm286b.pdf

For the Tdap vaccine required this coming year for 7-12th graders, the form to sign is the Personal Beliefs Exemption form (CDPH 8261)

http://eziz.org/PDF/IMM-1038_PBEforminstructions.pdf This form is not available on the internet.

Because many parents might object to the wording on that form, they should know about Section 120365 of the CA Health and Safety Code, which you quoted above, which says they can write a letter that the vaccine is against their beliefs. There is nothing in the law saying a parent has to sign the form the school provides.

Edited by ma2two - 5/26/11 at 4:02pm

[Bayareamom]

ma2two,

Thank YOU for summing this up so articulately! 

I think there may be some confusion as to what I'm referring to when I refer to the 'enforcement,' issue.  What I meant re: the enforcement issue, is that there is no provision within the statute itself which requires school district officials to inform parents of their right to the use of these exemptions.   Example:  One particular nurse told me she was not going to tell the parents in her school district that they had a state's right to the use of these exemptions - which then prompted a call from me to this nurse's Superintendent, who then assured me this particular nurse's opinion did not reflect the opinion of this school district and assured me that they would follow all state guidelines when it came to this Tdap mandate. 

So although the schools may withhold this information from the parents, if parents ask for a waiver, the school officials have to provide the waiver/information to the parent. 

A little info. re: the NVIC:  http://www.nvic.org/about.aspx

"The National Vaccine Information Center (NVIC) is a national charitable, non-profit educational organization founded in 1982. NVIC launched the vaccine safety and informed consent movement in America in the early 1980's and is the oldest and largest consumer led organization advocating for the institution of vaccine safety and informed consent protections in the public health system.  The National Vaccine Information Center (NVIC) is dedicated to the prevention of vaccine injuries and deaths through public education and to defending the informed consent ethic in medicine.   As an independent clearinghouse for information on diseases and vaccines, NVIC does not advocate for or against the use of vaccines. We support the availability of all preventive health care options, including vaccines, and the right of consumers to make educated, voluntary health care choices."

And again, if there is anything I can do to help any of you living in CA re: the new Tdap booster mandate, feel free to pm me!

--Kim