"Vaccinate your kids or go to jail!"

[KBCraig]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/13/AR2007111301408.html

Get Kids Vaccinated Or Else, Parents Told
Pr. George's Threatens Legal Action

By Nelson Hernandez
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, November 14, 2007; Page B01

The parents of more than 2,300 Prince George's County students who failed to get needed vaccinations could face fines of $50 a day and up to 10 days in jail if their children do not meet the state's immunization requirements, county officials said yesterday.

The threat of legal action is a last resort after months in which Prince George's has struggled to get its 131,000 students immunized for chicken pox and hepatitis B, as mandated by the state. More than 2,300 students have not been immunized and have been barred from attending schools, almost two months after a Sept. 20 deadline for meeting the requirement.
   
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"We can do this the easy way or the hard way, but it's got to get done," Prince George's State's Attorney Glenn F. Ivey (D) said at a news conference in Upper Marlboro. "I'm willing to move forward with legal action."

School officials have made calls, sent letters and conducted home visits to make arrangements for free appointments for the needed shots. But often the students' addresses and phone numbers have been outdated, making contacting them difficult. Other students have received the vaccines but failed to get the necessary booster shots.

The school system turned to the justice system as a final option and received the backing of Circuit Judge William D. Missouri, the county's administrative judge, and Circuit Judge C. Philip Nichols Jr., who handles juvenile matters.

"This is an educational crisis," said R. Owen Johnson Jr., chairman of the school board. "This is a public health and a children's rights issue."

Nichols and Ivey sent another round of letters to the families still out of compliance. Nichols's letter ordered the parents to show up at Prince George's Circuit Court for a court hearing and a free vaccine; Ivey's letter warned that "unexcused absences by your child may subject you to a criminal charge."

They expect almost 1,700 children to show up Saturday with their parents for the first in a series of Circuit Court hearings on the matter. School officials said the parents would receive a verbal reprimand from the judge and be ordered to have their children immunized in the courthouse. The students would then be allowed to return to school.

Parents who do not appear could face fines of $50 for each day they fail to get their children immunized after being charged. They also could serve up to 10 days in jail. Ivey said he hoped charging parents would not be necessary.

"The goal is to get kids in school, not to put parents in jail," Ivey said.

Missouri said he looked forward to talking to the parents who had not gotten their children immunized, to understand why.

"I'd like to know exactly what the reasons are because the reasons may be able to be addressed without ratcheting it up to this point," he said.

Schools officials said they were sorry the crisis had gone this far, but that it needed to be solved immediately.

"This has really, really been a difficult time for us," said Betty Despenza-Green, the school system's chief of student services. "It hurts us when any child is out of school because he needs to be immunized, and so we felt we needed to be creative. We need those students immunized. We need them in schools."

[Ogre]

Only government.

First, they accept that all children, no matter what, MUST be in schools.  Then they demand that everyone bring their child to school -- and if you don't, they'll put you in jail.  Then the tell the ones without injections that they're not allowed in school -- and remind parents that if their children are not in school, they'll go to jail.  Now they threaten to throw the parents in jail for not showing up at court.  And what will happen to the children while the parents are in jail for not going to court?  Well, the court will take them away and force them to school.

And people claim America is a free country.

[shyfrog]

They can always move to a state that doesn't "require" immunizations. None of my (5) children have ever been "shot"

[coffeeseven]

They can always move to a state that doesn't "require" immunizations. None of my (5) children have ever been "shot"

Same here. I've got 2.

Alex Jones interviewed / yelled at the Prince George D. A. today. I hope they get a flood of people to protest.

[Fragilityh14]

my jaw dropped (literally) for several seconds after hearing this on the radio today.

I imagine there are religious exemptions, but what about atheists who think vaccines are dangerous?

[coffeeseven]

my jaw dropped (literally) for several seconds after hearing this on the radio today.

I imagine there are religious exemptions, but what about atheists who think vaccines are dangerous?

The attorney said I decided to do something about it. Pure ego.

[J’raxis 270145]

my jaw dropped (literally) for several seconds after hearing this on the radio today.

I imagine there are religious exemptions, but what about atheists who think vaccines are dangerous?

The attorney said I decided to do something about it. Pure ego.

Better than the usual responsibility-muddling "it was decided that..." that most bureaucrats are so fond of, no?

[kola]

"Remember - besides certain laws that apply only to government medical specialists - there is no law that enforces the mandatory use of any vaccine in the United States. Enforced medical treatment is an assault and a violation of the 14th amendment. You do have a right to say NO"

http://www.infowars.com/articles/ps/vaccines_md_state_atty_admits_no_law_vaccines_mandatory.htm

[Rochelle]

I imagine there are religious exemptions, but what about atheists who think vaccines are dangerous?[/quote
Irrelevant. All you have to say is that vaccinations are against your religious beliefs. They don't have to know what those religious beliefs are.

[MaineShark]

my jaw dropped (literally) for several seconds after hearing this on the radio today.

I imagine there are religious exemptions, but what about atheists who think vaccines are dangerous?

Atheism is a religion, so it is protected as such.

Joe

[Faber]

Atheism is a religion?

[MaineShark]

Atheism is a religion?

Yes.  Atheism is the belief, taken on faith (just like any other religion), that there is no god of any sort.  As such, it is protected by the First Amendment.

Of course, that's getting afield of the original topic, but it is the reason why atheists must be accorded the same protection as theists, legally.  It's us poor agnostics who have to duke it out...

Joe

[Faber]

Atheism is a religion?

Yes.  Atheism is the belief, taken on faith (just like any other religion), that there is no god of any sort.  As such, it is protected by the First Amendment.

Of course, that's getting afield of the original topic, but it is the reason why atheists must be accorded the same protection as theists, legally.  It's us poor agnostics who have to duke it out...

Joe

[ThePug]

Atheism is a religion?

No more than "Theism" is. There are atheist religions, though. Like Objectivism.

As for vaccinations, I'm wholly unconvinced about the supposed evils of them, but I still absolutely oppose making them mandatory.

[Fragilityh14]

I dislike it when under religion Atheism is an option...it should be "none"