Mandatory Vaccinations in Maryland

[CaptainChewbacca]

Link

UPPER MARLBORO, Md. (AP) - Scores of grumbling parents facing a threat of jail lined up at a courthouse Saturday to either prove that their school-age kids already had their required vaccinations or see that the youngsters submitted to the needle.

The get-tough policy in the Washington suburbs of Prince George's County was one of the strongest efforts made by any U.S. school system to ensure its youngsters receive their required immunizations.

Two months into the school year, school officials realized that more than 2,000 students in the county still didn't have the vaccinations they were supposed to have before attending class.
So Circuit Court Judge C. Philip Nichols ordered parents in a letter to appear at the courthouse Saturday and either get their children vaccinated on the spot or risk up to 10 days in jail. They could also provide proof of vaccination or an explanation why their kids didn't have them.
By about 8:30 a.m., the line of parents stretched outside the courthouse in the county on the east side of Washington.

Many of them complained that their children already were properly immunized but the school system had misplaced the records. They said efforts to get the paperwork straightened out had been futile.

"It was very intimidating," Territa Wooden of Largo said of the letter. She said she presented the paperwork at the courthouse Saturday and resolved the matter.

"I could be home asleep. My son had his shots," said Veinell Dickens of Upper Marlboro, who also blamed errant paperwork.

Aloma Martin of Fort Washington brought her children, Delontay and Taron, in 10th and 6th grade, for their hepatitis shots. She said she had been trying to get the vaccinations for more than a month, since the school system sent a warning letter. She had an appointment for Monday, but came to the courthouse to be safe.

"It was very heavy handed," she said of the county's action. "From that letter, it sounded like they were going to start putting us in jail."

School officials deemed the court action a success. School system spokesman John White said the number of children lacking vaccinations dropped from 2,300 at the time the judge sent the letter to about 1,100 Friday.

After Saturday's session, 172 more students were brought into compliance, including 101 students who received vaccinations at the courthouse and 71 whose records were updated.
That still left more than 900 students out of compliance with vaccination requirements, White said.

"Obviously, we still have some more work to do," he said.

Any children who still lack immunizations could be expelled. Their parents could then be brought up on truancy charges, which can result in a 10-day jail sentence for a first offense and 30 days for a second.

Prince George's State's Attorney Glenn Ivey couldn't say Saturday whether he would prosecute parents who fail to comply.

"We have to sit down with school and health services," he said. "We haven't ruled anything out. We need to figure out where we stand."

White said the school system, with about 132,000 students, has been trying for two years to get parents to comply with state law. That law allows children to skip vaccines if they have a medical or religious exemption. It was unclear how many medical or religious exemptions were involved.
Maryland, like all states, requires children to be immunized against several childhood illnesses including polio, mumps and measles. In recent years, it also has required that students up to high school age be vaccinated against hepatitis B and chicken pox.

Nichols said nobody actually came before him Saturday, but he was there if any parent asked to see him.
The judge noted the unhappy looks of some of the kids in line waiting for vaccinations. "It's cute. It looks like their parents are dragging them to church," Nichols said.

Pretty drastic. But, if you want conspiracy-theorist hyperbole and anti-vaccine bullshit, check out this guy's version of the story.

[[R_H]]

Some of the comments are hilarious

Im absolutely horrified and would be moving out of my country if any such thing like this ever happened. It is a violation of ones right to freedom. Id rather myself and my children be dead than ever ever inject that crap into our bodies. How many more children have to die or be effected before something will be done to stop these barbaric forced vaccinations.

The irony is astounding. Complete with "Freedom!!11!" wanking and the "Better dead than Red" mentality. The dumb bitch that posted the comment should be asking "How many children haven't died or been affected because of the vaccinations?".

[CaptainChewbacca]

Whaddaya want to bet her answer is 'one is too many'.

[Cairber]

It's not like they can't get exemptions. And the religious exemption is so pathetic that anyone can use it without having to justify the religious belief.

[[R_H]]

Why are there religious exemptions, what's the justification/rationalisation for them? Do they get +1 improved immune response to nasty shit because of their sky friend?

[CaptainChewbacca]

Jehovas Witnesses (and some others) don't believe in medical treatment, as it is an affront to God. I think the real issue is with the vaccines=autism nutters.

[Cairber]

REligious exemptions are the anti-vaccination crowd's 'way out.' Whether or not they are even religious or even believe in a God or creating power at all. Anyone can use a religious exemption to get out of vaccination. And the kicker is that no questions are allowed...religoius freedom and all that. There are websites out there dedicated to showing parents how to use this loop hole. Just google religious vaccination exemption to see a lot of them.

Recent news story on this:

http://www.todaystmj4.com/features/spec ... 85791.html

[Cairber]

Here are a few sites telling parents how to utilize the loop holes:

link

link

apparently I was wrong and a few states actually require a signed letter from your pastor or something like that.

However, lots of moms I know who don't vaccinate simply get their priests to sign letters because they are against abortion (some vaccines use cell lines that originated in aborted fetuses...something like 30 years ago...)

[FSTargetDrone]

The irony is astounding. Complete with "Freedom!!11!" wanking and the "Better dead than Red" mentality. The dumb bitch that posted the comment should be asking "How many children haven't died or been affected because of the vaccinations?".

What amazes me with stories like this involving people, who demonstrate such profound ignorance of the safety of modern inoculations, who post their outrage on message boards and the like, that they are actually capable of operating computers and finding these message boards in the first place.

The real shame is that their children will be the ones to suffer and those kids have no say in the matter. Plus, these parents potentially put at risk other people in the community.

[Kamakazie Sith]

Jehovas Witnesses (and some others) don't believe in medical treatment, as it is an affront to God. I think the real issue is with the vaccines=autism nutters.

Unless there's a more extreme sect of the JW religion I've never heard of them refusing all medical treatment, but just treatments that involve donating, and receiving blood. Are you sure about your claim?

[SirNitram]

It's the Christian Scientists who refuse all medical treatment. Though I'm sure there's extremist JW's.

[Enigma]

Jehovas Witnesses (and some others) don't believe in medical treatment, as it is an affront to God. I think the real issue is with the vaccines=autism nutters.

We do take vaccines. The only issue we have of the medical field is blood, the rest we take full advantage of.

[CaptainChewbacca]

Jehovas Witnesses (and some others) don't believe in medical treatment, as it is an affront to God. I think the real issue is with the vaccines=autism nutters.

We do take vaccines. The only issue we have of the medical field is blood, the rest we take full advantage of.

Sorry, I guess I got JWs and Christian Scientists mixed up. I appologize.

[Lusankya]

But, if you want conspiracy-theorist hyperbole and anti-vaccine bullshit, check out this guy's version of the story.

As I read that, I couldn't help but begin editing it in my mind.

Following the State of Maryland's threats against parents who refuse to have their children educated, children were herded into a Price George County school being guarded by qualified teachers with detention slips. Inside, the children were forcibly educated, many against their will, under orders from the State Attorney General, various State Judges and the local School Board Director, all of whom illegally conspired to threaten parents with imprisonment if they did not submit their children to education.

The State of Maryland has now turned to Gestapo tactics to force its educational will upon the People, stripping parents of any right to decide how they wish to protect their own children from infectious ideas. Education authorities there have already announced their intent to essentially kidnap parents and throw them in jail, removing them from their children for up to thirty days if they continue to refuse to have their children educated. This will all be conducted at gunpoint, with armed personnel and attack dogs at the ready, making sure nobody steps out of line, and suppressing any attempt at public dissent against the Orwellian education policies.

The entire campaign against these parents is blatantly illegal. There is no law in Maryland requiring the education of children, thus parents who refuse to do so may not be legally charged with violating any law. Instead, Maryland education and school authorities are using Gestapo-like tactics, threatening to charge the parents with child truancy violations, criminalizing them for daring to protect their children from the dangerous ideas found in education (including evolution, a scientific theory containing a neurotoxic form of atheism).

Bolding mine.

[Alyrium Denryle]

I am going to say this once, and only once. There is no credible link to autism with vaccinations. None. Zero, zip. Does not exist, just like God, who does not in fact heal the sick or even listen to your prayers (if he exists)

by not vaccination your little parasitic offspring, you put everyone else at risk. So get over your poorly rationalized fear of doctors and take your kids in for your shots, you miserable shit-for-brain parents

[Cairber]

Don't some vaccines use blood parts as ingredients and as part of the production process? Wouldn't that negate a JW's ability to get them? Or is it a selective thing when it comes to blood?

Isn't this the same with medications?

[SCRawl]

All I needed to see from CC's nutter was this:

As more and more parents are becoming informed about the dangers of vaccinations and their link to autism...

As there is no link, the argument falls apart. Thanks for playing, here's a copy of our home game, go fuck yourself.

And really, the religious exemption bullshit needs to go too. You don't want to give your kids the eeevil medicine? Fine, go live some place that doesn't require it. Just a tip: don't drink the water there, if you know what's good for you.

[Enigma]

Don't some vaccines use blood parts as ingredients and as part of the production process? Wouldn't that negate a JW's ability to get them? Or is it a selective thing when it comes to blood?

Isn't this the same with medications?

When it comes to blood fractions in certain vaccines then it becomes a grey area and it is left to the individual to decide.

Many cases the medications that are made from blood fractions can also be made without them (which ones I do not know) and those that can't be made without the blood fractions again falls under the conscience of each JW member. Does that med or vaccine's make-up consists of a signficant fraction of blood or even whole blood or is it so minute?

It used to be that we say no to anything involved with blood but now with more up to date medical technology, knowledge and procedures it changes things a bit. Whole blood transfusions is still a no no, but everything else falls under the conscience of each JW.

[CaptainChewbacca]

Can a JW donate blood? I admit I'm curious.

[Broomstick]

Why are there religious exemptions, what's the justification/rationalisation for them? Do they get +1 improved immune response to nasty shit because of their sky friend?

I can't speak for other groups, but I'll attempt to explain the Amish reasoning (difficult, as I am not one of them)

The Amish don't believe in insurance, and won't use lightning rods, or vaccinate their children. (They are also exempt from social security taxes, the flip side being they can't collect it, either) It runs into conflicts with God's will (or so I have been told). They will, however, pool community resources to rebuilt after fire, flood, or storm; and they will pay for medical care for community members that weren't vaccinated. In other words, their stubborn refusal to cover their asses this way do not burden the larger society, they deal with the consequences themselves.

As for contagious diseases - in the past they have willingly complied with all quarantine requirements. When there have been outbreaks they have been, for the most part, confined to the Amish and not spread outside their communities. They are not causing a problem to larger society.

I think it really is the autism/vaccinations are teh evahl! crowd that are the worst culprits. They aren't self-isolating, and they don't cover the costs of medical care for children damaged needlessly by disease.

[CmdrWilkens]

I understand the religious exemption, and its there for the same reason religious organizations are tax exempt: the state cannot support a religion nor should it take from a religion. If you are individually retarded and believe something that's your right UP UNTIL the point when it can harm others. In this case its a hazy line because the people affected are your kids so I'm torn on whether childhood immunization should continue to be exemptable. Its right on that line where religion intrudes upon the rights of others.

[Xisiqomelir]

Can someone explain the origin of the autism story? My vague understanding was that there was a mercury compound involved somewhere in the murky past, but I really don't know the details.

[SCRawl]

Can someone explain the origin of the autism story? My vague understanding was that there was a mercury compound involved somewhere in the murky past, but I really don't know the details.

Someone also pointed out that there was a time correlation between the MMR vaccination and autism diagnoses, but that's all it was.

[TheKwas]

It's about time the state got serious about forced vaccinations. Parents that are opposed to vaccinating their childern for retarded or ignorant reasons are simply child-abusers. Plain and simple.

[SCRawl]

It's about time the state got serious about forced vaccinations. Parents that are opposed to vaccinating their childern for retarded or ignorant reasons are simply child-abusers. Plain and simple.

Oh, but that's not all. They're also endangering the rest of the population. For that reason alone, we need to stomp reason into their little brains.