Westโ Virginia Judge Upholds Religious Exemptions to School Vaccineโ Mandate
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A West Virginia judge has ruled in favor of โขallowing religious exemptions to the state’s school vaccine mandate, certifyingโ a class action lawsuit representing familiesโ who โhave sought or may seek such exemptions. Kanawha โขCounty Circuit Judge david Froble’s decision, made last month, impacts 570 families currently utilizing religious exemptions and extends to future applicants.
The rulingโข centers โon the interpretation of state law regarding religious exemptions for required vaccinations before school attendance. West Virginia โขlaw mandates children โreceive โvaccines for chickenpox, hepatitis B, measles, meningitis, mumps, diphtheria,โ polio, rubella, tetanusโ and whooping cough.โ Though, the judge’s โขdecision preserves the right for families โto seek exemptions based on religious grounds.
Froble determined the number ofโ exemptionsโค granted thus far represents a small fraction โคof the overall student population and “would not meaningfullyโ reduce vaccination rates or increase health risks.”โ he certified the case as a class action, ensuring consistent legal standing for families navigating the exemption โคprocess.
the decision arrives โas debates surrounding vaccine mandates continue nationwide. At least 30 states have religious freedom laws,often modeled afterโ the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993,which allows challenges to federal regulations interfering โขwith religious beliefs.
The Associated Press contributed to โขthis report.