Brady Collins
In 2019, New York State passed a law eliminating religious exemptions for mandated vaccines for students in schools. This led to an increase in homeschooling, as parents who objected to vaccinating their children on religious grounds sought alternatives to public education. While the new vaccine law does not apply to homeschooled children, parents who choose to homeschool must submit an individualized home instruction plan and maintain attendance records. This has resulted in a surge of interest in homeschooling, with some parents feeling that it is their only option for ensuring their children receive an education while adhering to their religious beliefs.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| New York State Law | § 3205 of the education law |
| Requirements | Children must be vaccinated unless they have a valid medical exemption |
| Immunization Record | Schools must maintain an immunization record for each student |
| Homeschooling | Homeschooling children are exempt from the vaccination requirement |
| School Attendance | Children must attend full-time day instruction from the age of six |
| Medical Exemption | Allowed when a child has a medical condition preventing them from receiving a vaccine |
| Non-medical Exemptions | Not allowed |
| Religious Exemptions | Repealed |
| Impact | Increase in homeschooling and financial implications for families |
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What You'll Learn
Homeschooling as a loophole
In 2019, New York State passed a law that ended religious exemptions for mandated vaccines for students in schools. The bill, signed by Governor Andrew Cuomo, required all children attending school to be vaccinated unless they had a valid medical exemption. This change in the law led to an increase in the number of parents choosing to homeschool their children as a way to avoid vaccinating them.
While the new vaccine law in New York does not directly affect homeschooling, it has indirectly led to a rise in homeschooling as parents seek alternatives to vaccinating their children. The law requires children attending public, private, or religious schools, from pre-K to grade 12, to receive all required doses of vaccines on schedule unless they have a valid medical exemption. This has left parents who refuse to vaccinate their children with limited options: they can either move to another state with more lenient vaccination laws or homeschool their children.
The decision to homeschool can have significant lifestyle and financial implications for families. Some parents may feel that homeschooling is their only option, even if they do not have the educational background or resources to provide an effective education for their children. This can result in a negative impact on the child's education and well-being. Additionally, homeschooled children may not have the same access to healthcare as children attending school, which can lead to cases of medical neglect.
The Coalition for Responsible Home Education (CRHE), an organization dedicated to raising awareness of the need for homeschooling reform and advocating for responsible home education practices, has expressed concerns about parents using homeschooling as a loophole to avoid school health requirements. They caution that homeschooling should be chosen for the right reasons and that parents should have a genuine interest in providing a quality education for their children at home. CRHE recommends applying school health requirements to all children of school age, rather than only those who attend school, to ensure that families who homeschool do so for the right reasons.
While homeschooling may provide a temporary solution for parents who refuse to vaccinate their children, it is important to consider the potential consequences of this decision on the child's education, socialization, and access to healthcare. Homeschooling should be approached responsibly and with the child's best interests in mind, ensuring that they receive a quality education and adequate healthcare regardless of the vaccination status.
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Religious exemptions
In June 2019, New York State passed a law that ended religious exemptions for mandated vaccines for students in schools across the state. Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed the bill, which meant that unvaccinated students had up to 14 days to get their first dose of each series and 30 days to schedule follow-up doses. This change in the law led to some families in New York choosing to homeschool their children.
The new vaccination law does not apply to homeschooled children. This has resulted in an increase in homeschooling, with parents who refuse to vaccinate their children now considering this as an option. However, parents who choose to homeschool their children to avoid vaccination may not always be equipped to provide an effective education. Dr. Rachel Coleman, executive director of the Coalition for Responsible Home Education (CRHE), has expressed concern that these parents may not have their children's educational best interests in mind and may not have the necessary educational background to homeschool effectively.
Coleman also highlights that homeschooling should not be used as a means of avoiding school health requirements and that homeschooled children should have access to the same level of healthcare as other children. She recommends applying school health requirements to all children of school age, rather than only those who attend school, to ensure that families who homeschool do so out of a genuine interest in educating their children at home.
In New York, parents who choose to homeschool must submit an individualized home instruction plan to their school district, including a list of textbooks, names of instructors, and other information. They must also keep attendance records and file quarterly reports with their districts. These requirements ensure that homeschooled children receive a certain standard of education.
While the new vaccine law in New York does not directly affect homeschooling, it has indirectly led to an increase in homeschooling as parents seek alternatives to vaccinating their children. However, the potential educational and financial implications of homeschooling may pose challenges for families who make this choice primarily to avoid vaccination.
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Medical exemptions
In June 2019, New York State passed a law eliminating religious exemptions for mandated vaccines for students in schools across the state. This law prompted some families to turn to homeschooling. However, the new law does not apply to homeschooled children, and medical exemptions are still allowed.
The state of New York requires all children attending public, private, or religious schools, from pre-K to grade 12, to receive all required doses of vaccines according to the recommended schedule. The only exception is for those with a valid medical exemption. A medical exemption is permitted when a child has a medical condition that prevents them from receiving a vaccine, as determined by a physician. The medical contraindication or precaution must be consistent with ACIP guidance or other nationally recognized evidence-based standards.
To ensure the health and safety of children, New York's Public Health Law §2164 requires schools to maintain immunization records for each student as part of their cumulative health record (CHR). Schools must also keep a list of susceptible students who are at risk in the event of an outbreak of a vaccine-preventable disease.
While the new vaccine law does not directly affect homeschooling, it is important to note that homeschooled students who wish to participate in school-sponsored events or activities not open to the general public must provide proof of immunization. Without this, they will be denied access to the school building.
The Coalition for Responsible Home Education (CRHE) has expressed concern that some parents may choose to homeschool to avoid school health requirements rather than out of a genuine interest in providing their children with a homeschool education. They advocate for applying school health requirements to all children of school age, regardless of whether they attend school. This ensures that families who choose homeschooling do so for the right reasons and prioritizes the health and well-being of all children.
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Impact on families
In June 2019, New York State passed a law eliminating religious exemptions for mandated vaccines for students in schools across the state. This law prompted some families to turn to homeschooling. The new law does not apply to homeschooled children, although parents of these children must produce proof of immunization if they wish for their children to participate in school-sponsored events or activities.
The new vaccination law could keep over 200 students out of Staten Island schools. One Staten Island resident, Gerard Del Prete, said that there are 230 families represented on Staten Island involved in the New York Alliance for Vaccine Rights. He added that his daughter isn't a threat to anyone and that his family is considering moving out of New York State so that his daughter can attend school under a religious exemption.
The decision to homeschool comes with serious financial implications for some families. For example, Christine Salica of Westerleigh said she is forced to work less as a makeup artist to homeschool her 11-year-old, which is taking a financial toll on her household.
Homeschooling is not a viable option for everyone. Rita Palma, one of the founders of the New York chapter of Children's Health Defense, an anti-vaccination organization, said that "homeschooling is not for everyone." She also pointed out that some parents who choose to homeschool their children due to vaccine hesitancy may not have the educational background needed to homeschool effectively.
Parents who choose to homeschool their children are required to submit an individualized home instruction plan to their school district. This plan includes a list of textbooks, names of instructors, and other information. Parents must also keep attendance records and file quarterly reports with their districts, documenting total hours of instruction and material covered.
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Vaccine laws in other states
In New York, children attending any school, including public, private, and religious schools, from pre-K to grade 12, must receive all required doses of vaccines unless they have a valid medical exemption. This law does not apply to homeschooled children unless they wish to participate in school-sponsored events or activities, in which case they must provide proof of immunization.
The vaccination laws vary across different states in the US. Here is a look at some of them:
- Arizona, Illinois, Maine, and North Carolina have signed orders to ensure that most residents can receive COVID-19 vaccines at pharmacies without individual prescriptions.
- California, Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington have formed an alliance to make their own vaccine recommendations.
- Delaware and New Jersey have expanded access to COVID-19 vaccines, with pharmacies in these states providing the shots.
- Illinois has issued an order that applies to everyone aged 65 and over and people aged 18 and above with a risk factor.
- Pennsylvania has allowed pharmacists to administer COVID-19 vaccines without prescriptions.
- Colorado has followed suit with Pennsylvania, allowing pharmacists to administer COVID-19 vaccines.
- In New York, pharmacists can prescribe COVID-19 vaccines to anyone aged 3 or older.
- States like Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Maine, North Carolina, Oregon, Utah, and West Virginia require individual prescriptions for COVID-19 vaccines, according to CVS's interpretation of state policies.
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Frequently asked questions
No, the new vaccine law in New York does not affect homeschooling. The law eliminates religious exemptions for mandated vaccines for students in schools across the state. However, homeschooled children are exempt from these vaccination requirements.
Parents who choose to homeschool their children in New York must submit an individualized home instruction plan to their school district. This plan includes information such as the list of textbooks, names of instructors, and attendance records. Homeschooling parents are also required to file quarterly reports with their districts, documenting the total hours of instruction and material covered.
The new vaccine law in New York has led to a surge in interest in homeschooling among parents who don't want to vaccinate their children. Some families have chosen to homeschool their children due to religious or personal beliefs, while others have moved to states with more lenient vaccination laws. This has resulted in a steep uptick in queries to homeschooling organizations and has sparked debates about the role of homeschooling in avoiding school health requirements.
