* Daily Herald…
Your children might be vaccinated against measles, but what about their classmates?
Only 9.8 percent of public and private schools across the suburbs have 100 percent of the student population vaccinated against measles, and some have immunization rates below 80 percent, according to data compiled by the Illinois State Board of Education. […]
A 93 percent to 95 percent measles vaccination rate is required to stop the spread of a contagious disease within a population, a concept health experts refer to as “herd immunity,” according to the World Health Organization. The chance of a measles outbreak rises if protection levels fall below that threshold, said Dr. Andy Bernstein of North Suburban Pediatrics in Buffalo Grove and Evanston.
“It can catch on like wildfire,” he said. “It’s a highly contagious disease, and as soon as immunization rates in a community drop with any significance, it spreads very easily.” […]
For measles, nearly 94 percent of schools in suburban Cook and the collar counties fall within or above the range for achieving herd immunity, state records show. Many institutions below that level have more students legally exempted because of religious objections to getting the shots. [Emphasis added.]
The Daily Herald used research from the Illinois State Board of Education to compile a list of all suburban schools. By my count, 13 schools had vaccination rates of 92-92.9 percent, 16 schools had vaccination rates of 91-91.9 percent and 11 had vaccination rates of between 90 and 90.9 percent.
Now, check out all these schools with even lower vaccination rates.
* Private schools in Cook County…
Jordan Baptist School - 54.5%
Tallgrass Sudbury School - 58.8%
Farm and Nature Discovery Presc - 75.0%
Kingsway Preparatory School - 75.0%
Valeo Academy - 75.2%
Mosaic Montessori Academy - 77.4%
New Life C C Academy - 79.5%
Guardian Angel Orthodox Day Sch - 80.0%
Plato Academy - 81.5%
Christian Hills Church School - 82.6%
St William School - 83.3%
North Shore Country Day School - 85.1%
Logos Christian Academy - 85.2%
Montessori Elem School Southwest - 86.1%
Midwest Montessori School - 88.5%
Northridge Preparatory School - 88.9%
Westchester Christian School - 88.9%
Koraes Elementary School - 89.1%
Landmark Christian Academy - 89.4%
Council Oak Montessori School - 89.6%
Southside Baptist School - 89.7%
* Public schools in Cook…
Rich Central Campus High School - 79.1%
Thornridge High School - 82.8%
Higgins Education Center - 88.0%
Tiny Town Lansing Nursery Sch Inc - 89.8%
* DuPage County…
Delphi Academy of Chicago - 38.5%
Prairie School of DuPage - 61.0%
Chesterton Acad of Holy Family - 63.8%
South School - 78.3%
Carriers of Light - 82.0%
Seton Academy - 82.4%
Kingswood Academy - 82.8%
Marquette Manor Baptist Academy - 83.5%
Concord Lutheran School - 84.7%
Nurturing Wisdom Academy - 86.0%
Clapham School - 87.2%
Naperville Christian Academy - 88.1%
Bethany Lutheran School - 88.2%
DuPage Montessori School - 88.8%
Holy Family Catholic School - 89.7%
Calvary Christian School - 89.9%
* Kane County…
Montessori Academy - 73.8%
Fox Valley Montessori - 76.9%
Resurrection Lutheran School - 82.5%
Bridges Montessori Academy - 86.5%
Geneva Christian School - 87.7%
Covenant Christian School - 88.4%
Mansio Mens Montessori - 88.9%
Immanuel Lutheran School - 89.3%
St Joseph School - 89.4%
* Lake County…
Da Vinci Waldorf School - 73.2%
Torah Academy - 77.8%
Old School Montessori - 83.9%
Lions Math & Science Christian - 84.3%
Our Saviors Ev Lutheran School - 86.2%
Grass Lake Elem School - 86.9%
Country Meadows Elem School - 87.5%
Steppingstone Montessori School - 87.5%
Hellenic American Academy - 89.0%
St Anastasia - 89.4%
* McHenry County…
Lord and Savior Lutheran - 76.7%
Montessori Pathways - 85.2%
Immanuel Lutheran School - 87.3%
Crystal Lake Montessori - 89.4%
* Will County…
Midwest Christian Montessori Acad - 73.9%
Little Explorers Montessor - 87.5%
Joliet Montessori - 88.7%
Noonan Elementary Academy - 89.9%
Those schools are disasters waiting to happen.
- Dan Johnson - Monday, Mar 11, 19 @ 10:00 am:
We should change state law to put an incentive and disincentive on the schools with a ridiculously low vaccination rate.
- Cheryl44 - Monday, Mar 11, 19 @ 10:03 am:
Why do these parents want their children to get very, very sick and possibly die?
- ArchPundit - Monday, Mar 11, 19 @ 10:05 am:
The number of Montessori on there….talk about hitting the stereotype on the nose. Also, quite a few Christian schools. It’s a weird bimodal conspiracy theory for the believers.
The change in the law is simple–no exemptions except health exemptions.
- NoGifts - Monday, Mar 11, 19 @ 10:09 am:
“Holy Cow” !! That is so sad.
- wordslinger - Monday, Mar 11, 19 @ 10:11 am:
–Delphi Academy of Chicago - 38.5%–
What the heck is going on there?
Isn’t it swell that the good people of Facebook now say they will no longer take paid advertising from anti-vax hoaxsters?
Isn’t it disgusting that the amoral greedheads of Facebook actually took paid advertising from anti-vax hoaxsters and contributed mightily to the spread of this new plague?
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2019/mar/07/facebook-anti-vaxx-vaccine-hoax-ads
- lakeside - Monday, Mar 11, 19 @ 10:12 am:
“I moved to the suburbs and sent young Barnaby to a private school because those Chicago public schools are just so bad, you know. I expect his diphtheria and croup to improve any day now.”
- Rich Miller - Monday, Mar 11, 19 @ 10:14 am:
===What the heck is going on there?===
Scientology http://exscientologykids.com/scientology-schools/
- Ron Burgundy - Monday, Mar 11, 19 @ 10:19 am:
Interesting that one of the schools starts with “Carriers of…”. They’re carrying something, all right.
- Jocko - Monday, Mar 11, 19 @ 10:20 am:
I was under the impression that public school students would be excluded if their immunizations weren’t up to date.
If parochial schools (and parents/students) don’t want to be seen as anti-science, here’s a great place to start.
- FormerParatrooper - Monday, Mar 11, 19 @ 10:20 am:
1 in 1 million can experience a issue with the vaccine. Blindness, coma and death happen in 1 out 10 thousand cases of those who contract measels.
This is a no brainer even for those who use Facebook for their medical resource.
- Demoralized - Monday, Mar 11, 19 @ 10:22 am:
I was reading a story the other day about a kid in Oregon who got tetanus and spent weeks in the hospital suffering in pain? Why? Because his parents refused to vaccinate him. And even after their son suffered horribly from the disease they still refuse to vaccinate him. Why in the world we put up with that is beyond me. As far as I’m concerned those parents should be found guilty of child abuse.
We have many diseases that are preventable if you get a vaccination. We need to force these parents to vaccinate their kids and if they refuse to we need to hold them criminally liable as child abusers.
Unless you have a child who has a compromised immune system and cannot be vaccinated then you should be forced to vaccinate your kid. No exemptions. A religious exemption doesn’t cut it and those should be eliminated from the law.
Enough of this nonsense already.
- Robert the Bruce - Monday, Mar 11, 19 @ 10:25 am:
I fear this will become more of a partisan issue, with a larger percentage of folks becoming anti-vax.
- NoGifts - Monday, Mar 11, 19 @ 10:33 am:
And to remind adults who got the first measles vaccinations, they should get a booster because the initial formulation wasn’t as effective as later ones. And if your kids aren’t vaccinated you should especially get your booster. LOL Visit the CDC booster schedule. https://tinyurl.com/y2dc78dq
- Anonymous - Monday, Mar 11, 19 @ 10:37 am:
A new insidious plague: “Pernicious AntiVax Stupido”
- Chris Widger - Monday, Mar 11, 19 @ 10:41 am:
It’s irresponsible to run these kinds of stories on this blog. Obviously everyone should vaccinate and people who don’t are absurd. But the media pushing the (true, correct) narrative that vaccinations are a good idea is going to cause people to militate more strongly against it. There’s a reason that when the Roy Moore allegations came out during his Senate race, support for him went up and not down. We have to be more clever about this.
- Rich Miller - Monday, Mar 11, 19 @ 10:45 am:
===But the media pushing the (true, correct) narrative that vaccinations are a good idea is going to cause people to militate more strongly against it===
What a crock. The media should remain silent while a small group of people becomes larger and threatens our very existence.
Go soak your head.
- Groucho - Monday, Mar 11, 19 @ 10:48 am:
My daughters go to Catholic school and at their school you cannot attend if your immunizations are not up to date. Not sure if this policy applies just our school or is a diocese policy. Curious if these kids without immunizations are attending school.
- JoanP - Monday, Mar 11, 19 @ 10:49 am:
=I was under the impression that public school students would be excluded if their immunizations weren’t up to date. =
Illinois allows exemptions for religious reasons, as well as medical.
- anon - Monday, Mar 11, 19 @ 10:52 am:
I’d love to understand the exemptions used at the denominational christian schools. I recognize not all students at a Lutheran school are Lutheran (typically not), but there is no Lutheran religious tenet that would oppose vaccination.
- Soccermom - Monday, Mar 11, 19 @ 10:56 am:
Rich, what are other states doing? Are there any legislative solutions that seem to work?
- Father Ted - Monday, Mar 11, 19 @ 10:57 am:
“Why do these parents want their children to get very, very sick and possibly die?”
Because they read something online.
- intern - Monday, Mar 11, 19 @ 11:00 am:
Public Service Announcement to everyone bemoaning the decline in vaccinations in Illinois:
Naturopaths (quacky snake oil sellers) are trying to get licensure and recognition with HB 2338.
Naturopaths generally oppose vaccination.
https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/naturopathy-vs-science-vaccination-edition/
- wordslinger - Monday, Mar 11, 19 @ 11:02 am:
–But the media pushing the (true, correct) narrative that vaccinations are a good idea is going to cause people to militate more strongly against it. –
Fight deadly lunacy and lies with silence — silence, aka, assent?
Please give some examples of that brilliant, winning strategery.
Your bizarre Roy Moore example — you know, he got beat by a Democrat, right? Check out Shelby and Sessions electoral history in Senate elections in Alabama to understand what a big deal that was.
- jdcolombo - Monday, Mar 11, 19 @ 11:03 am:
1. Eliminate all but certified health reasons as grounds for vaccination exemptions.
2. Allow insurance companies to deny coverage for any illness that could have been prevented by vaccination. I wonder if the folks in Oregon would have continued to be anti-vax after having to pay a $100,000 hospital bill for their child’s tetanus recovery.
3. Publish lists such as Rich published regarding vaccination rates at all schools. People sending their children to school have a right to know vaccination rates. Make it mandatory that those rates be published and a felony for any administrator to not publish them or conspire not to publish them.
4. Require that any state-funded activity for children be open only to vaccinated students. Want to home-school and not vaccinate? Fine, but your child does not get to participate in IHSA sports, organized art/music events, etc.
I suspect these 4 changes would greatly improve vaccination rates.
- Amalia - Monday, Mar 11, 19 @ 11:24 am:
use every angle to stop this. requirements for school, for insurance, and more. and socially, come on moms and dads, start talking the talk and supporting vaccines even in an environment which does not have many/any anti vaccine ridiculous people. put it on your Facebook page, talk about it at your social events. the real virus that has to spread is the truth that vaccines work, are safe, and are needed. be like Rich…..
- walker - Monday, Mar 11, 19 @ 11:26 am:
Some “anti-vaxers” and “pro-life” extremists have joined forces, and are spreading the meme that vaccines are produced with human embryonic tissues from abortions.
- Amalia - Monday, Mar 11, 19 @ 11:27 am:
look at that list of schools. if yours is on it, call to protest. see that North Shore Country Day school is on it. that is in Wilmette, for crying out loud. dangerous.
- ArchPundit - Monday, Mar 11, 19 @ 11:29 am:
===But the media pushing the (true, correct) narrative that vaccinations are a good idea is going to cause people to militate more strongly against it.
That’s why the government should make them mandatory then instead of arguing with nonsense.
- ChrisB - Monday, Mar 11, 19 @ 11:34 am:
Based only on the fact that Rich Central and Thornridge are on there, I’m wondering if it’s an access issue in some areas. There aren’t that many Jehovah’s Witnesses to explain it all with a religious exemption.
- Nick Name - Monday, Mar 11, 19 @ 11:35 am:
===Allow insurance companies to deny coverage for any illness that could have been prevented by vaccination.===
Disagree. You can’t punish kids for their parents’ stupidity.
- Shevek - Monday, Mar 11, 19 @ 11:43 am:
@intern - Naturopaths have been attempting to get licensure every session for years without success. Hopefully that streak will continue. But I agree with your sentiment.
- Chunga - Monday, Mar 11, 19 @ 11:46 am:
The old Bill Murray quote about how it’s hard to win an argument with an intelligent person but it’s impossible to win one when you’re arguing with an idiot. Enough is enough pass a law
- A 400lb. Guy on a bed - Monday, Mar 11, 19 @ 12:00 pm:
Are you seeing a connection with “Christian” schools? Scary.
- Cheryl44 - Monday, Mar 11, 19 @ 12:19 pm:
jdcolombo, it was an $800,000 hospital stay for the kid in Oregon. Because he cut his forehead on something and it got infected.
- Just Observing - Monday, Mar 11, 19 @ 12:22 pm:
=== 3. Publish lists such as Rich published regarding vaccination rates at all schools. People sending their children to school have a right to know vaccination rates. Make it mandatory that those rates be published and a felony for any administrator to not publish them or conspire not to publish them. ===
Okay, calm down.
- Truthteller - Monday, Mar 11, 19 @ 2:33 pm:
When will school boards/admin decide to protect the community instead of being fearful of extremists??? Do we need more millions in lawsuit and more infected kids, some who may die? Just asking.
- Nick Name - Monday, Mar 11, 19 @ 2:56 pm:
Northridge Prep (only 88.9% of kids vaccinated) is the Opus Dei prep school. But that’s still better than Chesterton Academy of the Holy Family, with 63.8% of kids vaccinated.
Unbelievable.
- JoanP - Monday, Mar 11, 19 @ 3:37 pm:
=When will school boards/admin decide to protect the community instead of being fearful of extremists???=
The exemption is state law, not a decision made by local school boards. (The law also provides that in the event of a vaccine-preventable disease outbreak, unvaccinated children maybe excluded from school.)
- theCardinal - Monday, Mar 11, 19 @ 4:06 pm:
Tribune article had a kid almost die from tetnus? That’s alomost un heard of today. Come on people use your head, one of the leading no immunization slugs Jenny McCarthy was a stripper not a doctor.
- Cosgrove - Monday, Mar 11, 19 @ 6:37 pm:
These anti-vaccine nuts are nearly the same crazy right-wingers that want to outlaw birth control and abortion. They don’t care much about children post-birth, only fertilized eggs. https://www.verywellhealth.com/do-vaccines-contain-aborted-fetal-tissue-260337
- Suburban Mom - Monday, Mar 11, 19 @ 9:39 pm:
“there is no Lutheran religious tenet that would oppose vaccination.”
There was literally a case about this in Florida, a Catholic parent at a Catholic school refused to vaccinate his son on religious grounds and the Catholic school said, “No, that is not a religious objection, you can’t enroll him until he’s vaccinated” and the parent sued.
(The court said it wasn’t competent to decide on the theological issue, but that the private school could refuse to enroll the unvaccinated child at its discretion, IIRC, as long as there wasn’t a medical exemption.)