New York schools defy doctors, deny vaccine exemptions for children with severe reactions

• School districts in New York are being sued for rejecting medical vaccine exemptions despite documented life-threatening reactions in two children.
• An 11-year-old girl nearly died from vaccine-induced inflammatory syndrome, yet her exemption was denied, with officials threatening CPS intervention.
• A 17-year-old boy with severe vaccine-induced autoimmune disorders was denied an exemption because his psychiatrist, deemed not a “correct” type of doctor, wrote the request.
• Schools ignore physicians’ warnings, instead following rigid CDC guidelines that override individualized medical judgment, even when providers refuse to vaccinate high-risk children.
• The lawsuits challenge systemic corruption where districts face fines for accepting exemptions, exposing how bureaucratic compliance is prioritized over patient safety and parental rights.

Two New York families are taking their school districts to federal court after officials denied their children’s medical vaccine exemptions despite documented histories of life-threatening reactions. The lawsuits, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York, challenge the Webster Central and Penfield Central School Districts for rejecting exemptions for an 11-year-old girl and a 17-year-old boy, both of whom have severe vaccine-related health conditions.

The 11-year-old, identified as Sarah Doe, suffered a near-fatal hospitalization in 2022 after previous vaccinations triggered multisystem inflammatory syndrome and septic shock. Her treating physician warned that further vaccination was “absolutely contraindicated.” Yet Webster Central School District denied her exemption, citing rigid CDC guidelines rather than individualized medical judgment. When the family attempted to comply under duress, multiple providers refused to vaccinate Sarah, citing her documented risks.

Meanwhile, a 17-year-old identified as Michael Doe, who has a history of severe vaccine-induced airway constriction and autoimmune disorders, was denied a meningococcal vaccine exemption by Penfield Central School District. The district’s medical director, Dr. Robert Tuite, allegedly dismissed the exemption because it was written by a psychiatrist and deemed the “wrong” type of doctor, despite federal rulings affirming that any licensed physician can certify such exemptions.

Schools defy federal precedent, threaten families with CPS

The lawsuits follow a significant federal preliminary injunction in Doe v. Oceanside, where a judge ordered a New York school district to allow a teen back to school pending final resolution of her case, finding she was likely to succeed in her claim that the district violated the Americans with Disabilities Act by denying her medical exemption for the hepatitis B vaccine despite warnings from six physicians. That case, funded by Children’s Health Defense, signals that courts may reject school districts’ attempts to override treating physicians’ judgments.

Yet in Sarah’s case, Webster Central School District allegedly escalated its coercion by involving Child Protective Services (CPS). According to court filings, a Monroe County health official called Sarah’s mother, warning that CPS could intervene if Sarah remained unvaccinated, even as medical providers refused to administer the shot. The family was left in an impossible bind: risk their child’s health or face state retaliation.

Systemic flaws put children at risk

The lawsuits allege that school officials routinely ignore physicians’ warnings, instead deferring to CDC checklists that exclude conditions like MTHFR gene mutations, despite evidence linking them to severe vaccine reactions. In Sarah’s case, the district’s denial letter explicitly stated that her condition was not listed in the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) guidelines, effectively overriding her doctor’s judgment.

Attorney Chad Davenport, representing both families, noted that New York schools have been “insulated” from accountability because families must first appeal to the state education commissioner in a process that historically sides with districts. “Not one final decision has ever resulted in the New York State Education Department overturning a school’s decision to deny a vaccine waiver,” he said.

Legal battles expose deeper corruption

The cases highlight a broader pattern of regulatory capture, where school districts and health agencies prioritize bureaucratic compliance over patient safety. In Michael’s case, Tuite admitted to the exempting psychiatrist that he had previously faced state reprimands for approving a medical exemption, suggesting systemic pressure to deny valid requests.

Davenport also revealed that districts claim they face “$2,000 per day” fines from the New York State Department of Health for accepting exemptions later deemed invalid. “That is what they are being threatened with,” he said. “I don’t know how that message is being conveyed from the Department of Health to the schools, but it is.”

The lawsuits seek temporary restraining orders to allow the children to return to school, along with compensatory and punitive damages for emotional distress and lost educational opportunities. For Sarah, who has been barred from classes since September, the stakes are urgent. Court documents describe her as “in tears,” isolated from peers, and failing multiple classes due to her exclusion.

A fight for medical freedom and parental rights

These cases underscore a critical question: Who decides what’s best for a child’s health, their treating physician or a school bureaucrat? The federal ruling in Doe v. Oceanside set a precedent that schools cannot second-guess doctors, yet districts continue to defy it.

As Davenport noted, the legal battles send a clear message: “School districts can no longer deny medical exemptions without facing judicial challenges.” For families like the Does, the fight isn’t just about vaccines; it’s about preserving the right to informed consent, bodily autonomy, and access to education without coercion.

Sources for this article include:

ChildrensHealthDefense.org

ChildrensHealthDefense.org

DemocratAndChronicle.com

ChildrensHealthDefense.org