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Judge orders them to get students' shots up-to-date or risk 10 days in jail
By Matthew Barakat Associated Press
Published on Sunday, Nov 18, 2007
UPPER MARLBORO, MD.: Hundreds of grumbling parents facing a threat of jail lined up at a courthouse Saturday to either prove their school-age children had their required vaccinations or see that the youngsters submitted to the needle.
The get-tough policy in the Washington suburbs of Prince George's County was one of the strongest efforts made by any U.S. school system to ensure its youngsters receive their required immunizations.
Two months into the school year, officials realized that more than 2,000 students in the county still didn't have the vaccinations they were supposed to have before attending class.
So Circuit Court Judge C. Philip Nichols ordered parents in a letter to appear at the courthouse Saturday and either get their children vaccinated on the spot or risk up to 10 days in jail. They could also provide proof of vaccination or an explanation why their kids didn't have them.
By about 8:30 a.m., the line of parents stretched outside the courthouse in the county on the east side of Washington.
Many of them complained that their children already were properly immunized but the school system had misplaced the records. They said efforts to get the paperwork straightened out had been futile.
Aloma Martin of Fort Washington brought her children, Delontay and Taron, in 10th and sixth grade, for their hepatitis shots. She said she had been trying to get the vaccinations for more than a month, since the school system sent a warning letter. She had an appointment for Monday, but came to the courthouse to be safe.
''It was very heavy-handed,'' she said of the county's action.
School officials deemed the court action a success. School system spokesman John White said the number of children lacking vaccinations dropped from 2,300 at the time the judge sent the letter to about 1,100 Friday.
After Saturday's session, 172 more students were brought into compliance: Vaccinations were given to 101 at the courthouse, and the records of 71 others were updated.
That leaves more than 900 students out of compliance with vaccination requirements, White said.
Any children who lack immunizations could be expelled.
Their parents could then be brought up on truancy charges, which can result in a 10-day jail sentence for a first offense and 30 days for a second.
Prince George's State's Attorney Glenn Ivey couldn't say Saturday whether he will prosecute parents who fail to comply.
UPPER MARLBORO, MD.: Hundreds of grumbling parents facing a threat of jail lined up at a courthouse Saturday to either prove their school-age children had their required vaccinations or see that the youngsters submitted to the needle.
Get the full article here.
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