Press Release: 7 March 2001
Contacts: Barbara Alexander Mullarkey 708-848-0116
Mary Gorski 708-442-5915

PRESS CONFERENCE
Thursday, March 8, 2001 - 9:15 am
James R. Thompson Center, 15th Floor Press Room
100 W. Randolph, Chicago

Immunization Advisory Committee Meeting
Thursday, March 8, 2001, 10:30 am-12:30 pm
James R. Thompson Center, 8th Floor Conference Room

RE: Proposed Changes in Vaccination Rules

Illinois Vaccine Awareness Coalition members are pleased that the IAC recommends removal of vaccination exemptions for college and higher education admission based on church membership.

We now need an amendment to The Child Care Act of 1969 regarding the same provisions for parents of children in day care. The Illinois Department of Public Health has no definitions for "recognized church" or religious organization," the admission criteria. Does this law violate a parent's First Amendment right?

IVAC requests that IAC remove schools' authority to reject religious exemptions for vaccinations. In a letter to IVAC, the State Board of Education stated: "In determining whether a written statement constitutes a valid religious exemption, school districts should not inquire into the validity, orthodoxy or reasonableness of a religion or religious teaching."

"Rather, the inquiry is whether the exemption is based upon a sincerely held belief, whether the belief is religious and whether the belief is set forth with sufficient specificity to conclude that it conflicts with having the required immunization."

IVAC spokeswoman, Barbara Alexander Mullarkey, says, "Parents continue to express dismay over the vaccination objection process." The Board's current policy places an undue burden on the shoulders of local school authority to determine vaccination objection validity. Standards are lacking as to the schools' decision-maker-superintendent, principal, nurse, etc. Because of First Amendment rights, will school personnel be vulnerable to a lawsuit if a religious-belief objection is denied in a subjective manner?