On April 17, 2023, the Southern District Court in Gulfport ruled that the Mississippi Department of Health must offer a religious exemption to immunizations required for school entry. The judge ruled that not accepting religious exemptions to school vaccines violates our First Amendment right of the US Constitution. The court gave the state until July 15, 2023, to develop a process for offering the religious exemption. On July 14, the religious exemption process was posted on the MSDH website, and parents could begin applying.

Prior to July 14, Mississippi was one of only six states without a religious exemption for students to attend school.

Some parents have sincerely held religious beliefs that do not permit them to vaccinate their children, including objections to the use of aborted fetal tissues in the research and production of some vaccine products. Pro-Life Mississippi supports a religious exemption and celebrates this victory for families in our state. 

Supported by the Informed Action Consent Network (ICAN) and Mississippi Patriots for Vaccine Rights (MPVR), attorneys filed for six Mississippi families.  According to a statement by ICAN: “Those parents were put in an impossible position as they were forced to violate their sincere religious beliefs if they wanted to send their children to school…. ICAN could not be more proud to support this lawsuit that secured this incredible win for freedom!”

All 50 states require vaccinations for children entering public and private schools even though no mandatory federal vaccination laws exist. All 50 states issue medical exemptions, 45 states (excluding MN, WV, CA, ME, and NY) permit religious exemptions, and 16 states allow an exemption for personal or philosophical reasons. 

To attend a public or private school in Mississippi, students must comply with Mississippi’s childhood immunization requirements or obtain a medical or religious exemption. Parents must apply for a religious exemption through the Mississippi State Department of Health.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends getting 29 doses of 9 vaccines (plus the yearly flu and COVID-19 shot after six months old) for kids aged 0 to six. No US federal laws mandate vaccination, but all 50 states require certain vaccinations for children entering public schools.