Open Discussion Forum

Dear Colleagues,

I am the director of a private, faith-based preschool, where our policy has been to require vaccinations as a requirement to enroll. We have allowed exemptions for medical reasons only.

Our state legislature now requires that we enroll all children whose parents, for reasons of conscience, do not want to vaccinate their children. They used to let private schools set their policcities but no more.

In fairness to other parents whose children are vaccinated, our board is considering having all parents sign a consent form upon enrollment, permitting us to share information without disclosing anyone's identity. So, if an unvaccinated child were to enroll, their consent form would permit us to inform other parents in the room that an unvaccinated child is in their child's class, and if they had an immunocompromised family member, or became pregnant, they could take extra precautions.

Has anyone tried this?

Does anyone have a form they would share?

I'm thinking of calling it the "greater good consent form."

Thank you, and I'm not trying to start a vaccine war. Just trying to live together in peace, transparency, and safety.

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Nina Burrows
Preschool Director
FUMC Preschool
TX
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Dear Colleagues,

I am the director of a private, faith-based preschool, where our policy has been to require vaccinations as a requirement to enroll. We have allowed exemptions for medical reasons only.

Our state legislature now requires that we enroll all children whose parents, for reasons of conscience, do not want to vaccinate their children. They used to let private schools set their own policies, but no more.

In fairness to other parents whose children are vaccinated, our board is considering having all parents sign a consent form upon enrollment, giving us permission to share information without disclosing anyone's identity. So, if an unvaccinated child were to enroll, their consent form would give us permission to inform other parents in the room that an unvaccinated child is in their child's class, and if they had an immunocompromised family member, or became pregnant, they could take extra precautions.

Has anyone tried this?

Does anyone have a form they would share?

I'm thinking of calling it the "greater good consent form."

Thank you, and I'm not trying to start a vaccine war. Just trying to live together in peace, transparency, and safety.

This may sound kind of silly but what does your liability insurance company say?  Additionally, I would encourage your board to consult with a liability attorney.  Ultimately, your board is on the hook.  

Dear Colleagues,

I am the director of a private, faith-based preschool, where our policy has been to require vaccinations as a requirement to enroll. We have allowed exemptions for medical reasons only.

Our state legislature now requires that we enroll all children whose parents, for reasons of conscience, do not want to vaccinate their children. They used to let private schools set their own policies, but no more.

In fairness to other parents whose children are vaccinated, our board is considering having all parents sign a consent form upon enrollment, giving us permission to share information without disclosing anyone's identity. So, if an unvaccinated child were to enroll, their consent form would give us permission to inform other parents in the room that an unvaccinated child is in their child's class, and if they had an immunocompromised family member, or became pregnant, they could take extra precautions.

Has anyone tried this?

Does anyone have a form they would share?

I'm thinking of calling it the "greater good consent form."

Thank you, and I'm not trying to start a vaccine war. Just trying to live together in peace, transparency, and safety.

Our state requires that we can inform the families, without sharing personal information, of any child in the center that are not immunized. 

Our center's policy is that all children are immunized.  We used to allow children to enroll that had exemptions and if a communicable illness was present in the center that family would have to leave the center for the period of time based on the illness.  There was a family that was exempt when we had a round of pertussis.  Based on our policy and the state, the family was asked to stay home for the duration of the incubation period.  That family enrolled in another center and did not share with them that their child was exposed to pertussis.  We felt awful for the other center!

This is what we hand out to families upon enrollment from the state and then share our policy.  

Hope that this helps!

This may sound kind of silly but what does your liability insurance company say?  Additionally, I would encourage your board to consult with a liability attorney.  Ultimately, your board is on the hook.  

Dear Colleagues,

I am the director of a private, faith-based preschool, where our policy has been to require vaccinations as a requirement to enroll. We have allowed exemptions for medical reasons only.

Our state legislature now requires that we enroll all children whose parents, for reasons of conscience, do not want to vaccinate their children. They used to let private schools set their own policies, but no more.

In fairness to other parents whose children are vaccinated, our board is considering having all parents sign a consent form upon enrollment, giving us permission to share information without disclosing anyone's identity. So, if an unvaccinated child were to enroll, their consent form would give us permission to inform other parents in the room that an unvaccinated child is in their child's class, and if they had an immunocompromised family member, or became pregnant, they could take extra precautions.

Has anyone tried this?

Does anyone have a form they would share?

I'm thinking of calling it the "greater good consent form."

Thank you, and I'm not trying to start a vaccine war. Just trying to live together in peace, transparency, and safety.

This is incredibly helpful, Cynthia!

Thank you so much. I will take this to our board and our church leadership, as well as to our insurance and lawyers. It is helpful to have something in writing to bring to them.

Thanks again,

Nina Burrows

Our state requires that we can inform the families, without sharing personal information, of any child in the center that are not immunized. 

Our center's policy is that all children are immunized.  We used to allow children to enroll that had exemptions and if a communicable illness was present in the center that family would have to leave the center for the period of time based on the illness.  There was a family that was exempt when we had a round of pertussis.  Based on our policy and the state, the family was asked to stay home for the duration of the incubation period.  That family enrolled in another center and did not share with them that their child was exposed to pertussis.  We felt awful for the other center!

This is what we hand out to families upon enrollment from the state and then share our policy.  

Hope that this helps!

This may sound kind of silly but what does your liability insurance company say?  Additionally, I would encourage your board to consult with a liability attorney.  Ultimately, your board is on the hook.  

Dear Colleagues,

I am the director of a private, faith-based preschool, where our policy has been to require vaccinations as a requirement to enroll. We have allowed exemptions for medical reasons only.

Our state legislature now requires that we enroll all children whose parents, for reasons of conscience, do not want to vaccinate their children. They used to let private schools set their own policies, but no more.

In fairness to other parents whose children are vaccinated, our board is considering having all parents sign a consent form upon enrollment, giving us permission to share information without disclosing anyone's identity. So, if an unvaccinated child were to enroll, their consent form would give us permission to inform other parents in the room that an unvaccinated child is in their child's class, and if they had an immunocompromised family member, or became pregnant, they could take extra precautions.

Has anyone tried this?

Does anyone have a form they would share?

I'm thinking of calling it the "greater good consent form."

Thank you, and I'm not trying to start a vaccine war. Just trying to live together in peace, transparency, and safety.