Schools see rise in unvaccinated students

In the past four years, the number of students in Tomball and Magnolia ISDs who have received waivers from mandated vaccines for “reasons of conscience” has risen by 85 percent and 13 percent, respectively, according to data from the Texas Department of State Health Services.

A respective 1.46 percent and 1.82 percent of each district’s students filed for exemptions in the 2015-16 school year. However, it equates to more than 200 students from each district.

MISD Director of Communications Denise Meyers said the district does not receive any information on why students are exempt. It only receives confirmation that a student is exempt from one or more mandated vaccines. Meyers said enrollment growth may factor into the number of exemptions; however, as information is limited, she said the district could not comment specifically on why the percentage of exempted students has increased.

[caption id="attachment_197201" align="alignright" width="220"] According to the Texas Department of State Health Services, Tomball and Magnolia ISDs have seen an increasing number of families that have sought exemptions for their children for reasons of conscience. District officials said since little information is shared with school districts about vaccine exemptions, no specifics could be given on why an increased number of students are receiving exemptions.[/caption]

Parents and students can request a vaccine waiver for medical reasons and reasons of conscience, which include a religious objection.

TISD Director of Health Services Cathy Pool said the number of exemptions is not a concern as less than 2 percent of TISD students are exempt for medical and reasons of conscience in the 2016-17 school year.

“The total number of students exempted from vaccinations is not significant to cause concern due to a high level of immunity within the community,” Pool said.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the spread of an infectious disease is unlikely when a majority of individuals within a community are immune to the disease.

For a medical exemption, parents or guardians must have a signed letter from a physician indicating the required vaccine “poses a significant risk to the health and well-being of the child or student or any member of the child’s or student’s household,” according to the DSHS. However, a reasons of conscience exemption requires only that a parent or guardian complete a request to the DSHS and have it notarized.

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