Another Commercial School Issue

[Oso]

Anyone else run into the issue of kids who haven't had their vaccinations?

As you may know, I live in Hippie Central for the Mid-Atlantic coast, I think we even best Chapel Hill in Hippies per Capita.

Been meaning to post this but hadn't gotten around to it. The problem has solved itself as they pulled the kid from my school because she kept getting sick.

Had this guy come in and he and his kid started taking classes. Found out he is an Ayervedic healer and I was surprised that he was into the external aspects of the kung fu as much as he was. He had told me he and his wife homeschooled his kid. Then one day he mentions that she's never had any of the usual childhood immunizations because of his religious/philosophical beliefs.

So, I started thinking about the ramifications of that.

Obviously one reason the child couldn't go to public school is that you have to have all your shots.

I'm not sure what sort of call to make as far as a commercial martial arts school goes.

Anyone else run into this?

Ignore it?

Require that all your children be immunized per state standards?

[David Jamieson]

I never got my shots either.

I am what you would call middle aged, I rarely get sick, I got all the childhood diseases, mumps, measles, chicken pox and they all passed without any complications.

My brother as well did not get the shots given to him either and his health status is similar to my own.

Now, Im not saying that vaccination isn't a valid form of pandemic prevention. But it must be considered that once TB and Polio were done in, the likelyhood of it floating to the next generation is more or less nullified. And yet the practice of giving kids shots continues.

Our society has pretty high levels of hygiene standards and so a lot of disease is nullified through the simple act of eating better and practicing good hygiene.

Juries still out with me on teh necessity of mass injections simply because of my own experience and the knowledge that despite these injections, kids still get sick and die from a jhost of other things.

I mean, a poliio shot? Polio doesn't really even exist anymore in western society.
It is an interesting topic.

[MasterKiller]

It's not like she can infect others who do have the shots. Kids that have the shots carry the diseases, but they are immune to the pathogen. At worst, she is exposing herself to the dangers of the other kids, not vice versa.

I say it's her (or her parents') decision to make.

I think it is foolish to remove her from a communal activity because she gets sick. She will need to be exposed to pathogens in order to build up her own immune system. Otherwise, she'll be sickly her whole life.

[Oso]

I wasn't trying to debate her parents choice. I have my opinion on them and that's pretty much just that, my opinion.

Feel free to debate that if you wish, I won't jump in on it though.




I was just wondering if any other school owners had run across this and how they had handled it.

I wonder what the current statement is on the need for immunizations....

a CDC page

http://www.cdc.gov/nip/vaccine/state-reqs.htm

and a link from that page

http://www.immunizationinfo.org/assets/files/PDFs/4_SCH.pdf

I work at a private school and I know that in the last four years I've been here we've had 2 instances of whooping cough. And, there was something else that cropped up that was kept tight with admin and the nurse.

[Emeraldphoenix]

Based on the fact that they told you it was based on religious beliefs, I dont think i would go banning them from the school. Public schools are one thing[seperation of church and state ]. The whole immunization thing is a big hype that has been hanging arounf since the 50's generation bought into it. There is actually alot of pro's and con's on both sides of that debate.

She cant make any of your people sick and none of you can be responsible for her being sick as that was a decision her parents made.

Let me ask this question? Would you or would you not teach a person with AIDS? I know huge difference:) But i am curious.

[Oso]

I didn't ban them from the school. don't know where you got that idea. All I know is he said she kept coming down with an intestinal thing every weekend. funny, because she would be at my school on monday and wednesday. but, according to the dad, would get sick on saturdays and consequently started missing every monday.

AIDS is a whole nuther nut. Not even going to go there. Would you?

[Emeraldphoenix]

I didnt say you banned them. I said i wouldnt. Maybe the word banned was too strong. It just sounds like you were a little down on her attending because she did not have shots.

I would absolutely teach someone with AIDS. There would have to be certain saftey measures to take, Like no open wounds/cuts, Probally no sparring allowed due to the unpredictablity of sparring and because of medical conditions that can go allong with the condition.

I dont think that question is untouchable:)

You said she gets sick on sat and doesnt show up on mondays. What do you think is going on there, if anything at all.

[Oso]

I wasn't down on it. I was curious if it was an issue in other schools and if I should be concerned about it.

I'm discouraged that it seems he pulled her because he thought she was getting sick from the other kids...hell, she could have been getting sick from me...I work at a school and I'm sure I cary all kinds of things around on me...I usually shower between work and the guan and I definitely do the hand washing thing multiple times a day.

Basically, I think that people who don't get immunized or have their children get immunized are pretty much counting on the rest of the world to be immunized.

I don't really have a clue about what the sickness was from. He said it was intestinal...if she kept picking up something on Wednesday and it incubated for 48 hours and was a 72 hour thing....???? I dunno....BTFOM

As far as AIDS goes, I pretty much feel the same. Forms and other solo work would be fine but we regularly draw blood with our two person...nothing serious: scratches, busted noses and lips, ripped fingernails.

But, where to start? Have a questionaire? You'd need to cover everything else...hepatitas? mad cow disease?

I work with OSHA regs on Bloodborne Pathogens and deal with all types of body fluid on a daily basis.

Maybe martial arts schools are a little behind the times as far as all that goes but I think we'd be looking at discrimination issues if we said they could do one aspect but not the other.

Anyone know how this is handled in pro boxing? the Olympics?

[Emeraldphoenix]

Interesting point on discrimination? Where is a lawyer when you need one? HINT:eek:

I dont about boxing/olympics either. Another good question.

I started other thread for the AIDS question.

The grey areas always peak my interest.

[KC Elbows]

The missing shot that would concern me would be tetanus, since it's far more likely to be a problem than others. If I had a requirement, that would be it.

David J, I'm not sure you're correct on TB being defeated. Last I heard, it remained among the homeless population here, perhaps not a problem where you are, but still an issue in the states.

[Oso]

Good point, I hadn't even thought of tetanus.



ok...why have I never seen that word as tet anus ???? it'll never be the same now.