April 26, 2023
By Caroline Chang, American Media Periscope
There were only six states in the country that did not allow for religious exemption for children to attend school, from Kindergarten through college, without being vaccinated according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Childhood vaccine schedule, which now is 76 doses from birth to 18 years old. Now that number is down by one, only 5 states remain.
This took over a decade in the making, with parents in the state of Mississippi fighting for their religious exemption right to send their children to school without being vaccinated. Furthermore, the state has been violating its citizens’ First Amendment rights since 1979.
Federal Court Restores Religious Exemption to State Vaccine Mandate for Attending School in Mississippi
In Gulfport, Mississippi on April 17, 2023, the law firm of Siri & Glimstad LLP announces a federal court ruling following an evidentiary hearing, whereas the court has ruled that the state of Mississippi is required to give its residents a religious exemption for their children to attend school.
A written entry on the court’s docket was issued shortly after the hearing providing, in relevant part: proceedings before District Judge Halil S. Ozerden, hearing on plaintiffs’ motion for a preliminary injunction. The court heard testimony and additional arguments. The court will grant the plaintiffs’ motion, from and after July 15, 2023.
Was One of Only Six States
Mississippi was one of only six states that did not grant religious exemptions for students to attend school. California, Connecticut, Maine, New York, and West Virginia are the other 5 states.
Many parents have sincere religious beliefs that do not permit vaccinating their children. Especially because of the involvement and development of vaccines using the products of aborted fetal cell lines.
These parents were put in an impossible position by being forced to violate their convictions, and their beliefs, in order to send their children to school. Many stood strong by their convictions, choosing to homeschool, while still pursuing their rights with Mississippi lawmakers.
Parents in Mississippi Have Been Fighting Since 2012
The Co-Directors MaryJo Perry and Lindey Magee of Mississippi Parents for Vaccine Rights (MPVR), and many other powerful parent activists have led a relentless pursuit for Health Freedom since 2012.
For over 10 years they got nowhere with their state legislation. The Lieutenant Governor made sure their motion never got out of committee. That is why they had to bring this case to a federal court.
The refusal to recognize religious exemptions has needlessly harmed these parents and children by forcing them to homeschool, if homeschooling was not by choice, however, it became compulsory. Or the other option was to move out of the state.
The Refusal to Recognize Religious Exemptions
The state of Mississippi does grant medical exemptions, showing that it can accommodate students that are unvaccinated. They had simply chosen not to grant an exemption when it came to personal or religious beliefs.
The plaintiffs are incredibly heartened that a federal court agreed that the state cannot afford a medical exemption without also granting a religious exemption. By doing so they are violating the First Amendment.
The six plaintiffs in this case included a pastor who had to exclude his own daughter from his private Christian school, because he could not get a religious exemption for her.
The Judge Issued a Thoughtful Ruling
Judge Ozerden issued a thoughtful ruling from the bench, recognizing the importance and the magnitude of the infringement of religious freedom in the state, and issued a written order to follow.
The litigation for this lawsuit was funded and provided by the Informed Consent Action Network (ICAN). Counsels for the plaintiffs are Aaron Siri, Elizabeth A. Brehm, Walker Moller, Catherine Cline of Siri & Glimstad LLP, and Chris Wiest, of Chris Wiest, Attorney at Law.
Mainstream News Is Silent About This Case
This case is the first time there has been a reversal on this issue from a federal court. This is Big News and very good news for Health Freedom everywhere. However, the mainstream News did not report on this at all, complete silence. I searched all the major News stations and could not find one word of this story.
You don’t suppose the mainstream News does not want word of this federal court decision to get to the other 5 states that still do not allow the religious exemption. In this ruling, the judge states “…by doing so they are violating the First Amendment.”
5 Remaining States That Do Not Allow Religious Exemptions
Here is a list of those other 5 states again and how long they have been violating their resident’s First Amendment rights. California eliminated this First Amendment right for their residents, with its abolishing of the Personal Belief Exemption (including religious beliefs) in 2015, with the passing of SB 277.
Connecticut eliminated this First Amendment right for their residents, when they took away Religious Exemption in 2021, with the passing of SHB 6423 (PA 21-6).
Maine eliminated this First Amendment right for their residents when it abolished Religious and Personal Belief Exemptions in 2019, with the passing of HP 586.
New York eliminated this First Amendment right for their residents when it abolished Religious Exemption in 2019, with the passing of A02371.
Can you believe this, the state of West Virginia has NEVER given its residents this First Amendment right, because they never allowed Religious Exemptions. Therefore, they did not need to take this right away. WOW!
After 44 years Mississippi has finally been restored with this First Amendment right! Their religious exemption, enacted in 1960, was struck down by the state’s Supreme Court in 1979 as an equal protection violation and thus unconstitutional (Brown v. Stone, 378 So.2d 218).
This News is so important to share with people who live in the 5 remaining states, who are still engaging in taking away their resident’s constitutional rights. If you live in one of the 5 states, and/or know anyone who lives in one of these 5 states, please share this article with them.
This first big win for Health Freedom in Mississippi feels amazing! We must continue to make sure no state takes away anyone’s constitutional rights ever again. Health Freedom is a constitutional right and a God-given right to our own body autonomy, and the body autonomy of our children.
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Author Bio:
Caroline Chang is a producer and podcast host of Awake 2 Oneness Radio for 8 years. She is also the founder of the KYLE Foundation (“Keep Your Light Expanding”), named after her son who is in spirit, and co-founder of Universal Oneness Alliance. Caroline has been on the frontline of the Truth and Freedom movement since March 2020, as well as a speaker, author, and mentor to many who are dealing with difficult life situations.
