If There Is an Epidemic

The major concern involving required vaccinations for students is that the Georgia Department of Public Health can withhold unvaccinated children from attending school during an "epidemic or threatened epidemic." It does not specified what is considered an epidemic, leaving openings for confusion and misunderstandings.


Georgia Department of Public Health Can Require All Students Attending the School to Be Vaccinated

"...the Georgia Department of Public Health may require, by prohibition of the medical/religious exemptions and exclusion of a child from school, all children attending a school or daycare facility to get vaccinated as part of the pandemic planning/response." This not only goes directly against the idea of freedom of religion, but it also denies the Georgia Constitution. In Paragraph III of the Georgia Constitution, it states, "Freedom of conscience. Each person has the natural and inalienable right to worship God, each according to the dictates of that person's own conscience; and no human authority should, in any case, control or interfere with such right of conscience." Georgia schools such as Georgia Cyber Academy are no exception.


Why Does This Matter in Virtual Schools?

This should not apply to virtual schools. Virtual schooling is online, at home or where ever you are, away from others, independent. If the concern is about how this religious exemption may affect others, that should not matter when it comes to virtual schooling. Also, as brought out ealier, this goes directly against the idea of freedom of religion and against the Georgia Constitution.

However, there is a concern about state testing (which is in-person). People may question whether or not unvaccinated students will be allowed to test. This should not be a concern during an epidemic. As done before during the year of 2020, in-person testing can be put on hold if there is an epidemic. The focus during an epidemic should not be testing—it can be set aside until a better time. The main focus should be the health of the students.