Catholics please help (vaccination issue) - Page 2

[moondiapers]

Originally Posted by spero

Not in MS or WV.

In NYS, only public schools and schools that receive state/federal funding are legally obligated to accept exemptions.

Not saying that it's right, mind you ... but that's the letter of the law as of today.

Ofcourse not, there isn't an exemption in those states for anyschool (except medical)

[spero]

Originally Posted by StacyL

Here's a list of recent cases for NY. An excerpt from an interesting one:

Notable Cases

I must tell you that non-vaxers who know the law backwards and forwards do not think very highly of Patricia Finn. She's been known as a money-grubber who has botched exemption cases. She charges $600 up front to write a letter that seems to be often rejected by the courts.

http://mothering.com/discussions/sho...8&postcount=20

http://mothering.com/discussions/sho...8&postcount=25

http://mothering.com/discussions/sho...0&postcount=23


Honestly, NYS non-vaxers would do better to come here to the vax board and search the archives (LongIsland's posts, specifically) for exemption advice. LI and MindfulBirth helped me enormously when I was seeking exemptions for my kids.

And I didn't have to pay them a dime.

Unfortunately, private schools who do not accept state and/or federal funding are, in fact, within their legal rights to deny exemptions. It sucks, but it's the law as it stands. The case that Stacy cited doesn't change this, it just states that the Archdiocese of NY changed their position.

there is no longer a standing blanket rejection for Catholic school children to secure religious exemptions to attend parochial schools in the New York Archdiocese.

"no longer a standing blanket rejection" just means that the Archdiocese agrees to consider religious exemptions, not that the law has forced the Archdiocese to accept them.

[StacyL]

The cases by Finn, Vinnedge, Phillips, etc. are settled and won because of the fact that the rejection of the religious exemption by any diocese (or private school, for that matter) is trampling on the parents' First Amendment rights, and is therefore unconstitutional. The dioceses and schools are simply backing down, rather than take it to trial and spend money on attorneys when they are going to lose.

I would not be so quick to disparage the name of an attorney who has a list of cases successfully settled in this area of law within the last 12 months, based solely on the opinion of an MDC user (LongIsland) who has not posted on MDC in well over a year.

From January 21, 2007:

Originally Posted by LongIsland

When I spoke with her (Finn) a few years ago, she never asked me what, if any, religious beliefs beliefs I held ...She charges $600.00 to "write" a letter which contains a bunch of scripture. she's under the impression that submitting a letter on law firm letterhead is going to have some sort of magical powers over a school district in New York

Regardless of what that user thinks, this attorney is successful in settling these cases favorably for her clients.

The fact that there are attorneys and advocates out there such as Vinnedge, Phillips, and Finn, who are so successful is information that should be spread far and wide to help those on MDC who might see it. The people who need legal representation can decide if they are the right attorney to represent them and for what fees after they have spoken to them.

Here is an excerpt about Ms. Finn from her site:

Ms. Finn's firm represents thousands of children throughout the United States whose parents chose not to vaccinate for both medical and religious reasons. The firm also handles vaccine injury cases. Ms. Finn is an experienced attorney with broad based litigation experience in all levels of courts from the District court level to the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. Together with other like-minded organizations, Ms. Finn is working to change laws making the ability to obtain an exemption from vaccines more widely available. This is particularly important in states like New York where it is sometimes difficult to secure a religious exemption from vaccines.

Here is an interesting video with Alan Phillips, where he discusses religious exemption. He also states that this area is not a money-maker for attornies, and that the few that work in this field are intelligent, compassionate individuals.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTffR...eature=related

[spero]

Those of us who are long-time posters in the Vaccinations forum know the incredible value of certain contributors, LI among them. It doesn't matter if they no longer post - the information they left for us is still invaluable, and has helped countless MDCers in the quest for knowledge of vaccines and exemptions.

[mommamiagal]

HI ..Pertussis seems to be recurring. Do you worry about this very contagious, very alarming bacteria, and why doesn't it respond to antibiotics?