Washington Post (09.14.07) - Monday, September 17, 2007
About 3,300 students in the Prince George's County school
system have until Sept. 20 to show proof they have received
state-mandated immunizations for chickenpox and hepatitis B or
that they have an appointment to receive the immunizations
within 20 days. Otherwise they are barred from school, said
school system spokesperson John White. School officials say
they have done everything possible to inform parents about the
requirement. "The reaction is one of maybe frustration and .
maybe just not being able to understand how families can be
jeopardizing their students' ability to attend school," said
White. "It's real important to say that the vast majority of
parents have done the right thing and kept their immunizations
up to date." White said the district is trying to get parents
to sign consent forms authorizing school officials to take
students to in-school clinics to be immunized before the
deadline.