Can a private preschool refuse my unvaxed dd?

[riversong]

We're starting to apply to preschools and they're all private. Do they have the right to refuse my philosophical exemption? I haven't tried it yet, but I'm concerned she'll get rejected if I even ask about it. What have other people done with private schools?

[janellesmommy]

Print this: http://www.dhs.ca.gov/publications/forms/pdf/pm286b.pdf If you want it to look super official, print it double sided on blue paper. Fill it out, and give it to the preschool with the registration papers AFTER they accept you. Don't ask them in advance if they accept exemptions. With the registration papers, they'll give you a form to fill out, called "Physican's Report--Child Care Centers". Under "Immunization History," write "See signed affidavit on the backside of California School Immunization Record (PM286B)"

Doing this, I have not had any problems with several private preschools.

[PerennialMom]

We're at a private preschool and had absolutely no problem with the exemption. Know your state laws.

[Fyrestorm]

My understanding is that if they recieve anything from the state (even a milk subsidy for exampe) They must accept all exemptions that are allowed by the state.

[riversong]

Thanks! I guess I'll just turn in the blue form when I apply and not say anything about it. I'm just afraid we'll find the school we love and get set to go there and have them turn us away because they're afraid dd is a health threat. It makes me sad to think about. I know CA allows philosophical exemptions.

[Plummeting]

They can only decline to accept them if they're affiliated with an institution of religion and they don't accept any public funding. Religious preschools can refuse to accept anyone based on practically anything, using their religious principles as the reason.

[tiffer23]

As long as they are not government funded, then yes, they can refuse. I worked at a non-religious private daycare and they refused non-vaccinated children, UNLESS there was a serious medical condition in which it was impossible for the child to be vaccinated. We had one little boy that had had some serious issues since birth and could not be vaccinated because of them, he was accepted.

[LongIsland]

Originally Posted by riversong

Do they have the right to refuse my philosophical exemption?

Private schools (except colleges) are not required to obey the Constitution and they don't have "open" enrollment like public schools. Therefore, they can refuse to accept your child for any reason and they can remove your child for any reason. Some states like Texas and Nevada do have certain protections for children enrolled in private schools.

Personally, every private preschool I have ever contacted for my almost three year old has never had a problem (I spoke with a total of five private schools).

He was in a nursury program when I worked for a few months and it was not a problem, the state daycare health form even had an exemption portion on it, so I didn't have to write a letter. He will be going to a private preschool program in September (different school) and it's not a problem for them either.

As far as government funding - it would be very difficult to find a a private school that is publicly subsidized. In fact, most state consitutions forbid it.

[Plummeting]

Originally Posted by LongIsland

Private schools (except colleges) are not required to obey the Constitution and they don't have "open" enrollment like public schools. Therefore, they can refuse to accept your child for any reason and they can remove your child for any reason. Some states like Texas and Nevada do have certain protections for children enrolled in private schools.

Maybe it's because I'm in Texas, but I've specifically read that private schools do not have the right to decline or remove children for any reason. They have to meet certain criteria in order to do that. I guess it was just Texas....

[LongIsland]

Originally Posted by Plummeting

Maybe it's because I'm in Texas, but I've specifically read that private schools do not have the right to decline or remove children for any reason. They have to meet certain criteria in order to do that. I guess it was just Texas....

Yes, Texas is unique in that has some good protections for exemptors. The only problems - the child has to actually be enrolled in order for the protections to work and private institutions are able to exempt themselves from regulation under that one agency Angela mentioned. If they're exempt, the law doesn't apply to them.

[riversong]

Thanks for the info.

Good news today. We visited a school we really liked and they had a sign posted saying all children must present an immunization record to enroll. At the bottom of the sign it said to talk to them if your child is not vaxed. Well, I asked the director and she said it was no problem, I just needed to sign the blue card. Her grandkids are unvaxed. How cool is that? I worried for nothing.