Posted on 11/14/2007 8:32:37 AM PST by my3centseuro
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.
"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But often the students' addresses and phone numbers have been outdated, making contacting them difficult.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."
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Well my mother and aunt both had polio when they were young. It wasn’t pretty.
This is why VAERS database was created and why the vaccine fund was set up under Reagan. Donna Shallala made it VERY hard to get reimbursed from the fund.
The thing is, Japan had the improved DTaP shot over four years b4 it was used in the US, while we used up our supply of DPT.
If government bureaucrats want to impose their rules on the people, then let the government and not the people, pay for those schools. Last I checked, you and I pay for this (useless) public indoctrination system, whose idea of healthcare is forced vaginal exams and instruction in "fisting."
Some of us are actually paying attention.
What legitimate excuse could the government have for taking the decision (to vaccinate or not) away from the parents?
I’m sorry if I wasn’t clear, I thought I specifically stated that if you use a service or good provided by the gov’t, you’re subject to their dictates.
I also like your “they will shoot you if you don’t”.
“Libs” scoff at this because they don’t want to admit that everything they do through the gov’t ultimately has this threat behind it.
But Gardasil will turn our daughters into SLUTS!</sarc>
I have to pay for the shots for my kids, FWIW.
I will definitely take my little one to a chicken pox party if I know someone who has one. She was supposed to get the vaccine at 12 or 15 months. We declined. If she doesn’t get the chicken pox by the time she has to start school, then we’ll get the vaccine (if I can’t convince my husband to home school before then).
I’d rather her catch them and have a natural immunity for the rest of her life then have her need continuous boosters so she doesn’t get them as an adult, when they are much harder to handle.
Source for the history of what your nephew went through:
What legitimate excuse could parents have for not getting their child immunized?
For starters, the EPA states that if a child has received every vaccination and booster shot up until the age of 12, they would have received enough mercury poisoning to put them into what the EPA defines as a dangerous exposure category. Guess the EPA and APA aren’t on the same page.
Also, the incidence of SIDS within 7 days of the DTP shot is statistically higher. Somthing like almost 2/3 of SIDS cases had had the DTP shot within 7 days of death. Of course, “there’s no link.”
While I don’t know a lot about autism, I’ve read enough stories of “perfectly healthy babies and tots” slide into autistic behavior for “no reason whatsoever.” What was introduced to their system to cause such a radical and permanent change? Cheerios?
When I was a kid, my parents dutifully hauled my brother and me to the doctor to get what shots were available, and I think that was true in most families. What I think spurred some backlash against immunizations was the swine flu fiasco many years ago. So many people developed severe, sometimes fatal reactions to the vaccine.
About the only vaccines I get as an adult are the flu shot and, every 10 years, a pneumonia vaccine. Now before I get the shot, there is this legal consent with every possible reaction, allergy or side effect on it. Unfortunately, these shots are not 100% safe, especially if you happen to be allergic or develop certain side effects. I’ve been lucky. About the only reaction I’ve had is maybe some swelling at the injection site. Some people have not been so fortunate.
Unlike chicken pox, measles can lead to permanent impairment or death no matter how young you are when you get it.
In most states its an all or nothing opt-out. You can’t get some shots and then claim religous exemption because you don’t want others, like the chicken pox vaccine.
You sound like someone who respects scientific method, so you should have no objection to providing me with the supporting data for this claim, right? You've carried out a study of the non-immunizing population, right? Let's see your data then.
And after you've done that, perhaps you can tell me why only those with a medical background are qualified to make decisions about their family's medical care. I'd be fascinated to hear how you reached that conclusion.
Not true. Anybody who works in health care is at risk for Hepatitis B. Best time to vaccinate is before one is exposed to risk. I only wish there was a vaccine against Hep C.
I guess I was just wondering if that was an excuse for some people in Prince George.
Thanks. I guess I was lucky. (counting blessings)
I had measles as a kid as well. My temperature reached 106. Came close to cooking my brain. I still remember the alcohol sponge baths my mother gave me to bring the fever down. Vaccination is a whole lot pleasanter.
“I will definitely take my little one to a chicken pox party if I know someone who has one. She was supposed to get the vaccine at 12 or 15 months. We declined. If she doesn’t get the chicken pox by the time she has to start school, then we’ll get the vaccine (if I can’t convince my husband to home school before then).”
Nowadays, most parents are sold into the Chix Pox vaccine, so you’ll have a hard time finding kids to have a chicken pox party with. Good Luck, though...it’s the only way to get natural lifelong immunity.
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