CHARLESTON W.Va. (WVDN) – Senator Patricia Rucker, R-Jefferson, today criticized the State Board of Education’s motion to send a letter to the West Virginia Professional Charter School Board asking it to ensure its in-person schools refuse to accept religious exemptions to compulsory vaccinations issued by the state Bureau of Public Health.
“Public charter schools were created to give West Virginia families the freedom to choose an alternative path for their child’s education, and many of these parents have sincerely held religious beliefs that prohibit their children from compulsory vaccination,” Senator Rucker said. “The law related to public charter schools gives the State Board authority to monitor for compliance on school performance standards, but it is not the entity that governs them day to day. The Professional Charter School Board has already adopted its own policy in relation to these exemptions.”
Last week, the Professional Charter School Board issued a statement clarifying that it will continue to advise charter schools that only students who are granted exemption letters from the Bureau of Public Health would be exempt from providing evidence of full vaccinations.
“For the State Board of Education to attempt to force their will upon these charter schools -against the State’s Equal Protection for Religion Act- is heavy handed and wrong,” Senator Rucker said.
“The Professional Charter School Board is adhering to its mission, which is to support the schools and the families who want something different from our state’s traditional public schools. The Legislature’s intent was clear when it passed the law creating them: Families want and need choices when it comes to their child’s education, and one size does not fit all. I applaud the PCSB’s decision to respect its families and I will continue to do everything in my power to advocate for parental rights.”
