Few topics get people so hot under the collar as vaccines. It’s easy to find a rabid opinion on the topic, but is the issue really as polarized as it is portrayed? Is it really a never-ending debate between the “anti-vaxxers” and the rest of the general public, where one side is absolutely right and the other dead wrong?
As an Empowered Parent, you know most decisions we make for our kids aren’t black and white. There are many considerations, especially when health and safety are on the line. Whether certain vaccinations are right for your child, and in what setting, are very nuanced and serious questions.
So let’s talk about vaccinations in school. Your child is under your care while he or she is a minor. They count on you for their protection. Just about anything a school does beyond assigning homework and giving out Band-Aids requires permission from a parent. How many permission slips have you signed in your time?
There’s a mother in Idaho right now fuming because the school gave her daughter a flu vaccine without permission. The school claims there was an administrative error that caused a “misidentification.” This Empowered Mom wanted her daughter vaccinated at the doctor’s office in case of any reaction. Luckily, there was none.
However, a New York family was not as lucky in 2009 when a school nurse accidentally gave a swine flu vaccine to a child with epilepsy, landing the child in the hospital. In recent years there have been reports across the country of parents finding out after the fact that HPV vaccine was administered to their sons or daughters, with some serious complications.
Let’s pause for a moment: I’m not advocating that you don’t vaccinate your child. I’m not a doctor. I’m a lawyer. I won’t tell you what’s right for your family, but I will tell you what your family’s rights are.
So here’s info to consider if your little one brings home another permission slip and it comes with a vaccine info sheet: Vaccine administration is the practice of medicine. If someone other than a doctor is doing it, there are laws or regulations in place to authorize a nurse, or “health department official,” or pharmacists to step in, and to dictate in which circumstances they are authorized. Getting a vaccine is not like grabbing your bottle of aspirin and taking a couple when needed. Vaccines need special care in transport and storage. Proper handling and disposal need to be followed. Certain protocols need to be followed to prep them for use, like inspection for damages or maybe even reconstitution.
Further, your child has special considerations and needs. He or she could have a reaction, and that reaction could be serious. Maybe your child already got that specific vaccine; maybe your child is afraid of needles or the health care process and you want to be with them to soothe their anxiety; maybe your child had a bad reaction after another vaccine or has a serious medical consideration. Or maybe you, as a parent, hold a firm belief that is contrary to the administration of one or more vaccines.
So to answer the question: Yes, a school can vaccinate your child if you give them permission. Whether you give that permission is up to you. Refusing permission for a specific vaccination, or a proper vaccine legal exemption can protect your rights and your child, but unfortunately mistakes do happen. Stay up to date on what’s going on in the school and of any initiatives your school may have.
Vaccination rights lie at the heart of being an Empowered Parent. Nothing less than your child’s health is on the line. Be a truly Empowered Parent-Don’t let the dog eat your homework when it comes to whether, where, and when your child is vaccinated.
About Valerie Borek
Valerie Borek, Esq. is a Delaware County native with a passion for empowering people. She believes a strong family is a building block to strong communities. She founded her law firm to serve families with a focus on parenting and family rights. As a mother herself, she knows that parents face tough choices and need support. Valerie is grateful to be in a profession where she can guide people through life’s circumstance so they can focus on the things in life that matter most. Valerie finds her greatest motivation in helping families strengthen their health and wealth. These two foundational areas of life resonate through the day-to-day and when we feel comfortable and secure in these spheres, we are free and enabled to create and nurture the lives we desire. Visit her at www.vboreklaw.com
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