This isn’t really an article about my irritations about PA’s homeschool law, but I am inwardly getting a bit warm. Everytime I hear from our school district I get a bit irritable ‘cuz I have my opinions. Yep I do.
Probably my kids all have all of their shots already and this is totally irrelevant. But this is what is on my mind right now. Yep it is.
I just got a letter in the mail informing me that the Health is MANDATING (yes it was in all caps just so I wouldn’t miss that :) that all students attending school must have certain vaccinations. This is a change for the 2016-2017 school year.
In addition, I suppose, to everything else they’ve always needed, they now need their 2nd dose of Varicella (Chicken Pox) and their 2nd dose of Mumps.
Yay! What fun it is to comply. (And to go riding in a one horse open sleigh – yay!)
I have no idea whether my children have had these or not. Probably have since we do get them their shots.
But this letter did get me thinking. What is the law concerning homeschoolers on this one? I never can quite figure it out. There are many sites saying one thing or another. I know that if I have a religious objection then we don’t have to do diddly. I can object to just about anything based on my religion. But I never have.
I looked at the actual law this time, instead of every forum and homeschool-helpful website I could find. (The religious exemption above is straight from the PA law on immunizations.) Good call.
I found the Immunization code on the PA Department of Health website.
It is kind of silly. Yes, homeschoolers must comply with the immunization requirements of the school law.
The funny part is that the penalty for not complying is that the child cannot go to school until they get their shots. Sounds good to me. :) Well, they are allowed for 8 months so they have plenty of time to comply.
I always get irritated when I hear from the school district and when I see all these laws the government has contradicting my freedom. I know, its a matter of public health. Don’t worry, we do get our kids immunized, I just get irritated anyway.
If it were up to me my kids wouldn’t get their immunizations, but I do have a husband and he keeps me honest. I guess ;)
