ACLU calls on Governor Justice to veto Vaccine Exemption Bill

Article owned and originally published by WDTV 5 News on Mar. 21, 2024.

Original Article

BRIDGEPORT, W.Va (WDTV) - The West Virginia division of the American Civil Liberties Union has called upon Governor Jim Justice to veto Bill 5105.

Bill 5105 seeks to eliminate the vaccine requirements for private schools, parochial schools (a private primary or secondary school affiliated with a religious organization), or virtual public schools.

The ACLU has released a statement claiming that vaccine mandates do not violate civil liberties, as some supporters of the bill have claimed.

They say, in fact, that vaccine mandates in the right contexts can actually further civil liberties.

“They (vaccines) protect the most vulnerable in society – those with disabilities and fragile immune systems and those who are too young to get vaccinated. All children have a right to an education, and that includes children who may have underlying medical conditions preventing them from getting vaccinated,” they said. “It’s our job to protect them so that they can get the same quality education as everyone else”.

They go on to speak of vaccines in the workplace, and how vaccines make the workplace safer for teachers, administrators, and bus drivers.

Furthermore, they mention that this vaccine exemption bill comes to us during a resurgence of preventable diseases such as the recent uptick in measles cases.

“While we do not support blanket vaccine mandates in all cases, we also do not see a civil liberties problem when it comes to the current vaccine policies in West Virginia schools,” they said. “Vaccines required under West Virginia law are safe and effective at preventing highly transmissible and harmful diseases and it is reasonable to require them in order to attend a school”.

Further Coverage: Charleston doctor pushes vaccine bill veto