Parents of Unvaccinated Kids Decry Religious Exemption’s End
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Parents of unvaccinated children in New York state are protesting the repeal of a religious exemption to school immunization requirements.
Hundreds of parents gathered in front of the state education building Monday to urge state officials to delay the elimination of the exemption.
Lawmakers approved the change in June amid the nation's worst measles outbreak in decades.
State law requires all students to be vaccinated, although exemptions are still available for children who cannot get immunized for medical reasons.
Some parents at Monday's protest said the new law may force them to homeschool their children or move out of New York.
Opponents have also filed legal challenges seeking to block the change.