Current law requires students who attend public and private school to be immunized unless the parents have religious, moral, philosophical, or personal objections or a doctor states that an immunization is medically inadvisable. L.D. 1563 would strip away all except religious and medical exemptions and allow an administrative agency to dictate the diseases against which immunizations all children in the state must receive. This bill would significantly affect home school families who teach their children at home as part of a non-approved private school, but would not directly affect those who operate under Code of Maine Rules Chapter 130. Home School Legal Defense Association encourages ALL Maine home schoolers to oppose this bill-when the rights of some citizens are reduced, the rights of all are in danger. There is tremendous controversy over the impact of immunizations.
Parents have a right to direct the provision of health care to their children.
The state should not override the decisions of parents, especially in the area of preventive care, where many different approaches are respected. Some parents are convinced, based on research they have done, that it would be better for their children not to be immunized. Whether or not we agree with their conclusion, their right to make this decision should be protected. Current law respects this parental decision in that it allows an exemption for moral, philosophical, or personal reasons. L.D. 1563 would compel immunization of home school children who are part of a non-approved private school despite parental conviction against immunizations that it would not be wise.