Did you know that School Vaccinations are not Mandatory? If you went through the Martin County School Board’s Parent Guide you would think that in order for a child to attend school in Martin County they would have to have the following vaccinations:
Immunizations
2010-2011 School Year
Kindergarten through 7th Grade:
- Five doses of Diphtheria, Tetanus,Pertussis vaccine
- Four doses of Polio vaccine
- Two doses of Measles, Mumps, Rubellavaccine
- Three doses of Hepatitis B Vaccine
- Varicella vaccine: Kindergarten,1st grade, and 2nd gradestudents are required to have:two doses of the Varicella vaccine (if thestudent has not had Chicken Pox).Students in grades 3 through 8 must have one dose of the Varicella vaccine (if the student has not had Chicken Pox).
Students in grades 7 through 12 are also required to have:
- Tdap Booster
- Hepatitis B and MMR vaccines must beup-to-date
There are no state immunization requirements regarding Meningococcal Disease for K-12 students. Parents and guardians wanting to learn more about Meningococcal Disease and the vaccination recommendations by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention should visit: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/.
All children entering the Martin County School District for the first time must present a physical exam (Form 3040) completed within one year prior to school entry date and signed by a licensed physician.
What you do not see is how to obtain an exemption for these requirements. As Stated in the 2010 Florida Statutes in Title XLVIII Ch 1003.22 you can get a waiver to exempt your child from this requirement:
1003.22 School-entry health examinations; immunization against communicable diseases; exemptions; duties of Department of Health.—…
4) Each district school board and the governing authority of each private school shall establish and enforce as policy that, prior to admittance to or attendance in a public or private school, grades kindergarten through 12, or any other initial entrance into a Florida public or private school, each child present or have on file with the school a certification of immunization for the prevention of those communicable diseases for which immunization is required by the Department of Health and further shall provide for appropriate screening of its students for scoliosis at the proper age. Such certification shall be made on forms approved and provided by the Department of Health and shall become a part of each student’s permanent record, to be transferred when the student transfers, is promoted, or changes schools. The transfer of such immunization certification by Florida public schools shall be accomplished using the Florida Automated System for Transferring Education Records and shall be deemed to meet the requirements of this section.
(5) The provisions of this section shall not apply if:
(a) The parent of the child objects in writing that the administration of immunizing agents conflicts with his or her religious tenets or practices;
(b) A physician licensed under the provisions of chapter 458 or chapter 459 certifies in writing, on a form approved and provided by the Department of Health, that the child should be permanently exempt from the required immunization for medical reasons stated in writing, based upon valid clinical reasoning or evidence, demonstrating the need for the permanent exemption;
To see the Full Chapter Click Here
To See the 2010 Florida Statutes Click Here
Do not be forced to give your child unwanted vaccinations. For more information you can call the Martin County Health Department 772-221-4000 ext. 2249 . You can also CLICK HERE to visit our website to read more about this statute.