NC Religious Exemption Question

[drowsygirl]

Hi ladies, 

this question is pretty specific, but any help you can offer would be great. I'm not looking for any criticism of my decisions, just help if you've BTDT. 

We're planning an unassisted home birth and also do not intend to vaccinate. In North Carolina, the only exemptions they accept are medical (for allergies to the vaccine and such) and religious. I'm hoping that someone from the pagan community in NC has been in this situation and tell me what you did. I'm gathering all the information I possibly can (and will be reposting this on another thread elsewhere on Mothering) on how you wrote up your religious exemption statement. Because most earth-based religions don't have a strict hierarchy and there are tons of solitary practitioners, like myself, it's going to be hard to site specific beliefs that will be credible in the bible belt. I've been calling pediatricians to set up for my first appointment for baby after she is born (I'm currently 37 weeks & 3 days) and they're all very emphatic on the need to vaccinate. All of the offices I've called require the two of us to come in within 24 hours of baby's birth to make sure she's healthy. I need to have my info together by that time.

If you have any resources that can help me, I would greatly appreciate them. 

[emmy526]

there was a webinar recently on that..here are the links to watch it

Write Your Own Vaccine Waiver: Dr Eisenstein Explains 1/3

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52fGw3G02Tg&feature=player_embedded  pt 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Of9gFYaDegA  pt 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c55r1v9PDiI&feature=player_embedded    pt 3

[drowsygirl]

Thanks so much! I will watch the webinars in the morning. :)

[ma2two]

http://www.immunize.nc.gov/schools/ncexemptions.htm

[lokidoki]

I am in NC and do not vaccinate ~ I did not do a home birth (for many reasons health related as I had a condition during my pregnancy that thrust me onto the high risk list). At any rate DS1 and DS2 are not vax'd at all and we just file a simple religious exemption stating the statute allowing religious exemption. I list the name of my child as well as my information and sign it. I think I got the link on here as to what to include...I will dig to see if I can find it.

It was really simple to do and actually it was not required of anyone ~ I just did it because I found it most simple to do when enrolling my children in preschool and school to just supply to the school nurse in place of vax records. So far (knock on wood) no one has questioned my decisions. I have never heard of anyone questioning your actual religion or even having you include your religious beliefs in the exemption in NC (I have heard of it in other states but not NC).

Hope that helps! Good for you making healthy decisions for your kids (IMO). I have been so pleased with our decision not to vax our kids...

[MarineWife]

why are you looking for vax exemptions for a newborn? those are only required for your unvaxed child to attend school or daycares, maybe. You don't need any kind of exemption statement just to have a child in your home who is not vaxed. If pediatricians are telling you that you legally need an exemption statement to be seen by them and not have your kids vaxed, they are lying to you.

I live in NC and none of my 4 children (although one is an adult) are vaxed anymore. My youngest two have never had any vaxes. The only one I need a vax exemption statement for is the school age child that I homeschool. My younger two, 4 and 7 months, don't need any such thing. The pediatrician that I take them to did ask me to sign a waiver that their practice writes up that documents that I've been informed about vaxes and the dangers of not vaxing and still choose not to but that's it. They cannot require me (or you) by law to tell them why you won't vax, although they did ask.

I've had 2 homebirths in NC as well and never had to take my baby to the doctor. You are not legally required to get medical care for a healthy child. I did have follow up PP visits from my MW, though. My point is that, again, you are not legally required to take your healthy newborn into any doctor's office within 24 hours.

[MarineWife]

and, for the record, it is unconstitutional for anyone to try to make you prove that your religion is against vaxes. all you need for school attendance is a statement that says that you have a bona fide religious belief against vaccinations. You don't need to belong to any particular religion or sect and you don't need any official statement from any religious or church official.

[emmy526]

Originally Posted by MarineWife 

and, for the record, it is unconstitutional for anyone to try to make you prove that your religion is against vaxes. all you need for school attendance is a statement that says that you have a bona fide religious belief against vaccinations. You don't need to belong to any particular religion or sect and you don't need any official statement from any religious or church official.

In NY,  the school board has to "approve" your religious exemption. Meaning, they can deny it if they want to. 

[MarineWife]

Originally Posted by emmy526 

In NY,  the school board has to "approve" your religious exemption. Meaning, they can deny it if they want to. 

That is federally unconstitutional. Since the US Constitution provides for freedom of religion, you can have any religion you want with any rules or doctrines that you want, even if you make them up yourself. You can belong to an established religion but still have your own separate/additional religious beliefs. Of course, to fight it you'd have to hire an attorney. Maybe the ACLU could help if you want to look into challenging that.

[Amy M]

Hi!  I just used the basic exemption that stated the law and then stated the fact my religion (I am pagan as well although I would not put any identifing info on the form) does not allow for immunization.  It is actually a premade one I found- google nc religious exemption and I'm sure you will find it.  My doc has never asked for anything official, he just asks if I want to do them and I say not now thank you.  The only problem I had was signing up my son for K this year.  I really want to homeschool and this almost put me over the edge but my hubby really wants to try school first.  Anyway the counselor and nurse both kept repeating they had never had a religious exemption and did not know what to do with it.  Which I completely believe in the area I live in.  The nurse then asked me for a copy signed by my pastor.  I told her she could not ask me that.  She said she needed one signed by a doc. for medical exemptions so she would need a pastor or clergy for religious.  I repeated she could not ask for that, we went back and forth and I finally said that if she gave me her contact info I would have my lawyer contact her to discuss it.  She left and I am assuming called someone b/c she came back a few minutes later saying everything was okay.   I really do not think they were trying to be difficult and it was all very pleasant I just know in rural NC where I live they have probably never seen it before.  I only mentioned the lawyer because I knew we were just going to go back and forth and she was not going to believe me.  Say lawyer in public school and people start trying to find the right answers pretty quick  :)  

Anyway as far as the doc I would just keep telling them you are delaying/researching and if you can't find anyone try a naturopath or chiropractic.  My kiddos rarely see the doc only for yearly visits and mostly b/c I like them and want to be on their books in case something major happens.  The few times I have taken them somewhere for real illness my doc hasn't been able to see them anyway and we just go to the local urgent care.  I would not sign the paper saying you are refusing to vax even though you know all the risks.  That's just me though.  Congrats on the babe!

[lauraliv]

Hello. What i have to bring in school if i do not want any vaccine because my (religin) . I want to move in NC

[emmy526]

Originally Posted by lauraliv 

Hello. What i have to bring in school if i do not want any vaccine because my (religin) . I want to move in NC

 

Quote:

Religious Exemption

G.S.130A-157. Religious exemption

If the bona fide religious beliefs of an adult or the parent, guardian or person in loco parentis of a child are contrary to the immunization requirements contained in this Part, the adult or the child shall be exempt from the requirements. Upon submission of a written statement of the bona fide religious beliefs and opposition to the immunization requirements, the person may attend the college, university, school or facility without presenting a certificate of immunization.

There is no form for requesting religious exemptions in North Carolina. To claim a religious exemption, the parent or person requesting the exemption must write a statement of their religious objection to immunization, including the name and date of birth of the person for whom the exemption is being requested.

http://www.immunize.nc.gov/schools/ncexemptions.htm

[lauraliv]

Oh ok thank you. I have to write some thing from bible? Or not

[Rrrrrachel]

A religious exemption is not lited to Christianity. Any sincerely held religious belief can be used for an exemption. You don't need to write anything from the bible

[lauraliv]

Oh ok. Thank you so much. I will go to nc on monday i am so happy.

[lokidoki]

I just use a very basic form that states the statute for religious exemption. I had to provide one to my ped for his file for both of my boys...and then one to both the preschool for my youngest and the public school for my oldest. It was easy and to date I have had no backlash or questioning.