Exceptions to the Illinois School Immunization Law

Illinois law provides for exceptions to the requirement to have your child immunized prior to entering school.  The statutory deadline for providing proof of immunization is October 15 or such earlier date as the school designates, unless the parent files an objection based upon religious grounds or registers a medical objection signed by a doctor.  See 105 ILCS 5/27-8.1 and 20Ill. Adm. Code 695.30.  The medical or religious objection is then filed with the State for its approval.  In the event the objection is found insufficient, the child will face exclusion from school until compliance is accomplished. Here some additional guidance from the state on invoking either exemption.

While personally, I am not taking a position either for or against immunizations (that is an individual and/or medical decision), parents need to know how they can opt out of the requirement of immunizations in school.  Too often, parents either find themselves in a last minute crunch because the school did not give timely notice, or the parent provided a medical objection and the school found the letter to be insufficient.   I am attaching a form (in pdf format) that should be sufficient for the school and the State health authorities in most cases, so parents will not have to reinvent the wheel each year.  I cannot represent that this form will work in every case; my strong suggestion is to file it early in the year to allow parents time to provide any additional documentation to invoke the immunization exception. Click here to download the form.

Comments

[Nancy Salberg]

Our children should not be forced to take such awful, mind altering immunizations. I have been doing lots of research and have found that not only is there mercury in some vaccines, but also cancer
cells. What is the need to vaccinate for the flu or chicken pox, we have all experianced these. It just builds our immune systems. How come there are no reported Ammish children with Autism?(THEY DON'T IMMUNIZE!) Why does everybody look down on parents who actually are looking out for the health of their children? People need to stop being sheep and do their research.
RON PAUL FOR PRESIDENT!
2008

[Tiffany Clausing]

I agree that there is really no good reason to immunize our children. My kids have never been immunized and are healthier than most kids I know. People wonder why their children get the flu or unexplained illnesses 10 times throughout the year. Stop overloading their system with junk!