Strengthen Rights to Refuse Vaccination
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The following comes from Gary Krasner, Coalition For Informed Choice and is intended for residents of New York State. There is information (particularly - Most Parents Don’t Know That) that we felt was important to all so it is being shared here.------------------------------
Important Information Request That Will Help To Strengthen Rights To Refuse Vaccination In New York State. Gary Krasner, Coalition For Informed Choice Who Should Respond?
All NYS residents who support a law that allows people, and not doctors or school officials, to make medical choices for themselves and their children. Who We Are:
Sharon Kimmelman (Vaccination Alternatives) and I (Coalition For Informed Choice) are long time activists who advocate for people having the right to choose for themselves and their children in matters involving life and health. NVIC and other leading organizations and activists in this field know who we are, and can vouch that the information you supply to us will be held in confidence by the state legislators who will be working on our behalf. What We Need From You:
I would like you to email to me at least a one paragraph statement that indicates your general support for the rights of parents and individuals to refuse vaccination requirements by the state legislature. You do not necessarily have to be a parent or student faced with the requirement. Just state your opinion. You might also add that you support the religious exemption and think that it should be expanded to include philosophical beliefs, and even medical opinion (i.e.--for people who question the safety and efficacy of vaccination). Just show your basic support, preferably in your own words. Additional comments are also needed by those parents or students who had claimed the religious exemption for school. Please describe your experiences with school officials when you had claimed the personal religious exemption for yourself or your child. Were there extra demands that were made upon you by school officials, beyond the first written letter you had delivered to the school? For example, did they ask you to further explain your religious beliefs, either through a questionnaire or a personal interview? Read the itemized list below to get an idea of what some schools are demanding. If they denied your claim, then describe the reasons they gave for denying it. If you already had exemption status and the school or health officials had attempted, or succeeded, in rescinding your exemption, then describe what happened. Obviously, this additional testimonial and commentary is intended to document how burdensome it is to actually claim the religious exemption. Another kind of comment that would be welcome is from parents that have been adversely treated in any way-say from hospitals, school nurses, child protection services, etc. - as a result of claiming the religious exemption. Describe what happened. We will review all statements, and check for grammar and spelling errors. So don’t worry if your statement isn’t relevant, or properly worded. Why We Need This Information:
Sharon Kimmelman (Vaccination Alternatives) and I want to try to put a stop to the unlawful demands placed upon parents who claim this exemption, and the subsequent denials to qualify for the exemption. Some of the demands made by School and Health officials have been unlawful, extra-legal, unconstitutional, or otherwise not stated in the NYS law. This, together with other novel tricks, are intended to deny or rescind vaccination exemptions. Parents that do not fully understand their rights under the law, and are not prepared to correctly respond to the evolving tactics from school officials, are falling victim to these tactics. Other actions by the schools are diminishing the opportunities of students with exemptions. For example, many schools are now prohibiting unvaccinated students from attending classes taught by teachers of child bearing age, or participating in school trips, or other group activities.
Most Parents Don’t Know That:
1. They are not required to answer ANY questions about their religious beliefs whatsoever. A simple written statement that vaccination is not consistent with their personal religious beliefs is all that is required.
2. They do not have to be a member of any religion whose tenets oppose vaccination.
3. They do not have to write their exemption claim on a paper with the letterhead of any church, or signed by any clergy.
4. They do not have to periodically "update" their exemption status with subsequent letters to the school.
5. The school has absolutely no right to determine whether or not their religious views are sincere.
6. The school is not permitted to determine that your religious views are "feigned or fraudulent." The school’s attorney or a DA must prove it to a judge.
7. The school cannot delay your child’s entry into school once you have submitted your first letter notifying them that you wish to claim the exemption. What We Hope To Achieve:
Your brief statements will NOT be turned over to any school or health officials. But in using these statements, we hope to demonstrate to a couple NY State Legislators that many New York State residents support, or wish to take advantage of legal exemptions from vaccination. Also, to document that many people who had claimed the exemption had been unlawfully dealt with by the School and Public Health Systems. We will also make legal arguments and provide specific cases that are particularly flagrant. With the assistance of these lawmakers, we hope to obtain an order from the Commissioner of Education that some or all of the things that some School Superintendents are doing should be discontinued. A copy of the order would likely be distributed as widely as possible to allow parents to quote from it should they still encounter problems with their school. This alone would cut down on multiple exchanges with the school, trying to negotiate these issues, while feeling the pressure that your child may not be admitted, as the opening day of school approaches. Your Names And Addresses
While your names will be kept confidential, it is important to prove to the legislators that this problem is widespread and is happening to real, verifiable people. So please put your names and addresses (phone numbers preferable, but optional) at the end of your statement, after your one paragraph (or more) statement. We will absolutely not be able to use your statement if your address is not included. The legislators we will work with will be trustworthy and sympathetic to our aims, else we wouldn’t employ their services to help us. The only use that your statements will have for them is to assure them that there is popular support for this effort, and that school officials have indeed exceeded the law. They will be all too aware of the opposing forces. So your statements are essential. Please take 10 minutes to write it now and email it to me. Email all statements to: cfic@nyct.net Please Forward This Request To Other N.Y.S. Parents You May Know. Thanks, Gary Krasner ---------------------------------------------------
Coalition For Informed Choice
Gary Krasner, Director
188-34 87th Drive, #4B
Hollis, NY 11423
fax/phone: 718-479-2939, email: cfic@nyct.net Sharon Kimmelman
Vaccination Alternatives
POB 346 New York, NY 10023
212-873-5051
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