US Diocesan Immunization Policy Survey

Children of God for Life is conducting a survey on Diocesan Immunization Policies for Catholic schools.

Background:
For the past 25 years, parents in the United States and around the world have sought religious exemptions from vaccines derived from aborted fetal tissue. In response, some who oppose these exemptions have argued that the Catholic Church considers such vaccines “morally acceptable.” However, the June 2005 statement from the Pontifical Academy for Life, approved by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, clearly upholds the right to abstain under proper conditions.

Purpose of the Survey:
Immunization policies for Diocesan Catholic schools vary widely across the United States. Through this survey, we hope to hear directly from parents so we can better understand how these policies differ and how they affect families.

Our goals are to:
• Gather information about immunization policies in Catholic schools across the country.
• Understand parents’ experiences with religious exemptions and school enrollment.
• Work toward ensuring that every child has access to a Catholic education, regardless of vaccination status.

Thank you for taking the time to complete the survey!

Confidentiality

To protect your privacy, we do not require you to provide personal information. We understand that some families may feel uncomfortable sharing identifying details because of concerns about possible repercussions.

How the Information Will Be Used

The information collected through this survey will be used to help us assess current concerns and guide our efforts to foster constructive dialogue and practical solutions among dioceses, schools, and families.

If You Choose to Share Contact Information

If you consent to provide your name and contact information, it will be kept in the strictest confidence. We hope to work with you and other local families to seek a solution together. For further information see the end of form.

Diocesan Immunization Policy Survey

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Diocese(Required)

Diocese State

1. Does your Diocese have a policy on exemptions for state mandated vaccines for Catholic school attendance?(Required)

Yes

Unknown

2. Does your Diocese allow:(Required)

Religious Exemption from ALL Vaccination

Religious Exemption from Abortion Derived vaccination ONLY

Conscience/Philosophical Exemption from ALL Vaccination

Conscience/Philosophical Exemption from Abortion Derived Cell Line Vaccines ONLY

Medical Exemption Only

3. Do you have a copy of this policy?(Required)

Yes

If YES, please upload file here.

Drop files here or

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, Max. file size: 64 MB, Max. files: 4.

PDF or DOC extensions

IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A COPY OF THE POLICY, ARE YOU AWARE OF ITS TERMS OR DETAILS? For example: Are any exemptions for vaccine mandates recognized (medical or nonmedical)? If nonmedical exemptions are recognized, are these for reasons of religious faith or conscience or "philosophy" or all of these? Are all religious exemptions treated the same (recognized or denied), or are some religious exemptions granted while others are rejected? Are Medical Exemptions permanent or temporary?

Please Explain

4. Are nonmedical exemptions from vaccines easy or difficult to obtain (or renew)?(Required)

Easy

Difficult

Please Briefly Explain:(Required)

5. Do you have correspondence or statements from the Catholic Diocese or School leadership regarding the policy?(Required)

Yes

I'd rather not state

IF you selected YES, please attach/upload file here

Drop files here or

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, Max. file size: 64 MB, Max. files: 4.

If you selected NO, do you have direct knowledge of statements, etc.? If so, please summarize what you know.

6. Has the policy changed recently or has it been in effect for a long time (more than 10 years)?

7. If you were denied an Exemption (Medical or Religious) would you return your child to a Catholic school if the policy was reversed?(Required)

Yes

Unsure

Additional Comments/Concerns

Personal Information/ OPTIONAL

Name

First Last

Address

Street Address Address Line 2 City State / Province / Region ZIP / Postal Code Country

CAPTCHA

+JMJ

Thank you for filling out our survey! May God Bless you and your families as we continue to push forward so that no child is denied a Catholic Education due to their vaccination status! Share with friends and family via email and/or social media so that we may get a tremendous response!