Florida Catholics slap down state AG by rejecting religious vaccine exemptions
Summary
Florida’s Catholic bishops disagreed with Attorney General James Uthmeier after he threatened to cut funding to Catholic schools for not allowing religious vaccine exemptions. The bishops said the decision on vaccine policies is a religious matter and that their schools only allow medical exemptions, supporting vaccination even if some vaccines involve cell lines from decades-old fetal tissue.Key Facts
- Florida law requires schools to allow religious exemptions for vaccines, but Catholic schools in Florida do not accept these exemptions.
- Catholic schools only allow vaccine exemptions for medical reasons confirmed by a doctor.
- Attorney General Uthmeier, a Catholic himself, wrote to the bishops that he saw no legitimate religious reason to deny religious vaccine exemptions.
- Uthmeier threatened to withhold state scholarships and vouchers from Catholic schools if they continued rejecting religious exemptions.
- The Catholic bishops responded with a public letter, rejecting Uthmeier’s arguments and explaining that only church authorities can interpret Catholic teachings.
- The bishops cited the First Amendment, state laws, and court rulings to support their right to set vaccine policies.
- They said the government cannot force the Church to explain or change its religious beliefs as a condition for funding.
- The bishops explained that vaccines involving cell lines from old fetal tissue do not conflict with Church teaching because no new fetal cells or abortions are involved.
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