By Beth Dove

School districts across the state are losing state funds to the tune of half a million dollars because some students have not been properly immunized.

In June, 271 of Utah"s more than half a million public school students had not received the shots needed to comply with state law. As an encouragement to send students home who are not immunized, districts do not receive funding for those students, said Patrick Ogden, state associate superintendent of agency services.

Sixty-four of the non-compliant students are in the Box Elder School District, which along with Granite and Salt Lake, is one of the hardest hit districts. Box Elder stands to lose more than $131,000 this year.

Box Elder School Superintendent Martell Menlove said the loss, a first for the district, represents a significant chunk of a $56 million budget.

But he"s hoping to save some of the money through an appeal to state officials. He pointed out that, since the report came out, all but eight students have either gotten the required shots or filed for exemptions.

If attempts at compromise are unsuccessful, he"s unsure, he said, which programs will absorb the cut.

Menlove said most of the noncompliance stemmed from school-nurse turnover and a recent requirement that secondary students receive a second MMR (measles/mumps/rubella) shot. He said school officials take responsibility for knowing the students needed the additional shot but not following up.

"It was a failure on our part to send kids home from school who did not have that shot," Menlove said. "That"s what we"ll do from now on."

Ogden said new reporting methods could account for the state receiving more accurate data than in the past.

Starting in fall of 2000, school nurses reported student immunization data directly to the state Health Department. Previously, nurses had funneled information to the districts, which then reported to the state.

Ogden said officials are trying to help districts reduce the impact of losing the funds. Local officials are encouraged to make sure nurses reported the data properly, for instance, being sure they based attendance on a daily average.

No immunizations, however, no money, Ogden said.

"Right now, the law is pretty clear."

Standard-Examiner September 8, 2001

Dr. Mercola's Comments:

The vaccine companies have quite a sweet deal. They have convinced most of the state committees to recommend these immunizations for all children. Very few people realize what an expert testified when Illinois tried to pass a law to prevent conflict of interest on these committees: "No infectious disease specialist will be able to serve on this committee! We all take money from pharmaceutical companies." Quite sad. The vaccine companies buy out the experts who serve on the committees that make the recommendations to vaccinate. Once the recommendations are in place, the companies have the government backing them to enforce them by restricting funds to the public schools if children are not in school due to compliance with the recommendations. "No problem" you may say. The vaccines are good and protect us from illness. Well, many would disagree with that assertion. Especially the tens of thousands with clear vaccine related injury. "No problem" you may say. Those individuals can sue the vaccine manufacturer. That used to be true, but many many moons ago the vaccine companies banded together to convince the government that they could not afford to make the vaccines if people were allowed to sue them. So the US government essentially granted them immunity from any lawsuits by establishing the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program, where any injury complaints must be addressed before any legal action can be taken against the manufacturers. Pretty sweet deal for the drug companies that make the vaccines if you ask me. Related Articles: Dr. Mercola's Vaccine Links Page