WELL...WHAT-A-YA-KNOW!
VACCINES ARE NOT REQUIRED FOR YOUR CHILD TO ATTEND SCHOOL IN LOUISIANA!!
Many of us have been told that vaccines are required in order for our children to attend school in Louisiana. In fact, a law is even cited to make us believe this – LA R.S. 17:170.4. But, did you know that this same law, also, states that vaccines are not required for our children to attend school???
It's one of those things that lawmakers do in order to get their unconstitutional bills passed--they create “exceptions.” These "exceptions" are necessary so that our elected officials do not violate our God-given rights while they, also, work to appease the bureaucrats insistent on creating the all-powerful government.
Unfortunately, this habit of creating “exceptions” keeps the lawmakers technically in the clear; but, the language of these types of laws creates a pathway for the bureaucrats to confuse the public on what is actually required.
In the case of vaccination “requirements” to attend school, the way the school system words these "requirements" is what confuses parents: they only refer to the requirements in the law without ever informing parents of their ability to waive these requirements for their children:
FOR EXAMPLE
--LA R.S. 17:170 A.(1)(a) requires:
Each person entering any school within the state for the first time, including elementary and secondary schools, kindergartens, colleges, universities, proprietary schools, vocational schools, and licensed day care centers, at the time of registration or entry shall present satisfactory evidence of immunity to or immunization against vaccine-preventable diseases according to a schedule approved by the office of public health, Louisiana Department of Health, or shall present evidence of an immunization program in progress.
HOWEVER
--Subsection E. of the same law states:
No person seeking to enter any school or facility enumerated in Subsection A of this Section shall be required to comply with the provisions of this Section if the student or his parent or guardian submits either a written statement from a physician stating that the procedure is contraindicated for medical reasons, or a written dissent from the student or his parent or guardian is presented.
LIKEWISE
--Subsection A.(1)(a) of state law 17:170.4 says that children 11 and 16 years old "shall" show proof of meningococcal disease to enter school.
HOWEVER
--Subsection B. of the same law states:
The provisions of Subsection A of this Section shall not apply to the following persons:
(1) Any person whose parent, tutor, or legal guardian signs a waiver stating that the person shall not be immunized against meningococcal disease for religious or other personal reasons. "
Why aren’t the school’s required to make this clear to parents?
WHAT ABOUT HOMESCHOOLERS??
--Subsection A.(1)(c) of LA R.S. 17:170.4 states:
“Except as provided in Subsection B of this Section, each student who is eleven years old and each student who is sixteen years old and is participating in an approved home study program pursuant to R.S. 17:236.1 shall provide satisfactory evidence of current immunization against meningococcal disease in accordance with a directive provided by the state Department of Education and the Louisiana Department of Health that shall be based on the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education as provided by rule adopted by the board in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act."
HOWEVER
--Subsection B. of 17:170.4 still applies:
The provisions of Subsection A of this Section shall not apply to the following persons:
(1) Any person whose parent, tutor, or legal guardian signs a waiver stating that the person shall not be immunized against meningococcal disease for religious or other personal reasons."
Why isn’t the Dept. of Education/BESE required to make this clear to homeschooling parents??
SO, WHAT ABOUT COLLEGE & UNIVERSITY STUDENTS???
This waiver of vaccination requirements business is, also, true for college & university students. Yes, you read that correctly!
In fact, most universities provide a form that can be completed to “request exemption from the vaccine requirement.” Here is a screenshot of the top section of one such form:
Unfortunately, this form presents yet another example of the state’s educational system deceiving constituents regarding their legal right to waive this requirement:
While ULL would like you to believe that you must “request exemption,” the fact is that college & university students, also, have the authority to waive this requirement without "requesting" anything!
--LA R.S. 170.1 C. states:
The provisions of Subsection A of this Section shall not apply to the following persons:
(1) Any person who is eighteen years of age or older and who signs a waiver provided by the postsecondary education institution stating that the person has received and reviewed the information provided pursuant to Subsection B of this Section and has chosen not to be vaccinated against meningococcal disease for religious or other personal reasons.
(2) Any person who is a minor and whose parent, tutor, or legal guardian signs a waiver stating that the person has received and reviewed the information provided pursuant to Subsection B of this Section and has chosen for the student not to be vaccinated against meningococcal disease for religious or other personal reasons.”
Why aren't the colleges, universities, and Board of Regents making this clear to students and their parents???
WHAT ABOUT THE LA DEPT. OF HEALTH
Here is vaccination requirement info from our LA Dept. of Health in a screenshot dated today - July 15, 2021:
This is a clear case of our LA Health Dept. playing the same deceptive game with parents! According to LA Law 17:170.4, a doctor need not ever be involved in the waiver process. The parent or student of legal age simply has to let the school know in writing that they waive this requirement for their child or themselves.
Why are various departments of the state trying to make parents think that they don’t have the sole authority to make these decisions for their children????
Why are various departments of the state trying to make young adults think that they can’t make these decisions for themselves?????
TO BE CLEAR
The authority to waive this requirement rests solely with the parent or student of legal age per LA RS 17:170 Subsection E; LA R.S. 17:170.1 Subsection C; and, LA RS 17:170.4 Subsection B.
LA law is clear: parents or students of legal age merely need to provide in writing that they dissent from the vaccination requirement.
It’s time our lawmaker’s use their police power and legislate the requirement that schools, universities, and all departments of the state inform constituents of their legal right to waive vaccination requirements.
Rather than appeasing the bureaucrats, it is past time that our senators and representatives do their actual job which is to secure our God-given & individual rights against the mob...especially when the mob is comprised of the departments of our state government.