A number of districts across the state of Maryland are reporting that many students are out of compliance.

Beginning Monday,nearly 5000 students could be kept from entering school unless parents provide proof that their children have completed their health assessment.

According to The Baltimore Sun, Baltimore schools CEO Sonja Santelises told the school board:

“I cannot stress how important this is.”

This year’s requirements for entry into kindergarten, first and second grades include two doses of Varicella vaccine, which protects against chicken pox.

Students entering seventh through ninth grades are required to have one dose of Tdap vaccine, which protects against the bacterial diseases tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis, and one dose of Meningococcal vaccine, which protects against meningitis.

Not everyone is willing to tow the party line on the vaccination initiative.  The Maryland Coalition for Vaccine Choice is vocal in their dissent on the requirements.  They write:

The primary objective of the Maryland Coalition for Vaccine Choice (MDCVC) is to create, support, and pass a bill allowing for a Conscientious Exemption to Mandatory Vaccination in MD into law. If passed, Maryland would become one of 20 states to allow vaccination choice by providing parents with the right to a conscientious or philosophical vaccination exemption.  MDCVC believes vaccine mandates are unconstitutional and supports parents’ rights to informed consent regarding vaccination.  Informed consent requires that a parent/guardian be provided full disclosure of all information including vaccine ingredients, warnings, contraindications and possible adverse reactions resulting from administration as listed by the vaccine manufacturers and the Physician’s Desk Reference, (PDR).

Maryland has mandatory vaccination regulations; however, a child can attend public or most private schools with select or no vaccines if the parent/guardian provides a valid medical or religious exemption certificate to the school administrator. Private and religiously affiliated schools may or may not accept religious vaccine exemptions, however.  Maryland does not currently allow parents to use a conscientious/philosophical vaccine exemption, which would change if a bill passed into law.