North Carolina Kindergarten Health Assessment - Religious Exemption

[Guest guest]

Hello Everyone,

I haven't posted in a while but have some info to share with fellow North Carolinians. We've just moved to Wilmington, NC from Cape Cod, MA where we had lived for 20 plus years and where my oldest 4 children entered school with religious exemptions for vaccines. Here in NC, you are required to submit both vaccination records and have your child go through a "health assesment" that covers many areas and may include a TB test. I submitted my exemption letter for vaccination when I registered my son and was told that he must get the health assessment. They give you 30 days from the start of school to comply. I did my homework and found that there is indeed a religious exemeption in the law and so will be filing this tomorrow after receiving a threatening letter stating that if I did not send in the vaccination record and the health assessment this week, that he would be suspended from school.

I am re-submitting the vaccine letter (for their convenience0 as well as the letter opting out of the health assessment. Of course the threatening letter mentioned nothing about this option so sharing so that others might be made aware that it exists.

Hoping that there will not be any problems but if there are will stand firm in my knowledge of the law and will not be threatened or bullied by them. Know your legal rights folks!

Blessings,

Mavis

http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/EnactedLegislation/Statutes/HTML/BySection/Chapter_130A/GS_130A-442.html

§

130A‑442. Religious exemption.

If the bona fide religious

beliefs of the parent, guardian or person in loco parentis of a child are

contrary to the health assessment requirements contained in this Article, this

Article shall not apply to the child. Upon submission of a written statement of

the bona fide religious beliefs and opposition to the health assessment

requirements, the child may attend kindergarten without submitting a health

assessment report. (1985 (Reg. Sess., 1986), c. 1017, s. 1; 1987, c. 114,

s. 2.)