Florida Catholic Bishops Reject Attorney General's Call for Vaccine Exemptions

<p>Florida's attorney general received a response from the state's Catholic bishops regarding his recent letter about vaccine exemptions for schools. On July 31, Attorney General James Uthmeier sent a letter to the bishops concerning exemptions to school vaccination requirements. Florida law mandates that public and private schools allow vaccination exemptions based on religious grounds. However, Catholic schools in Florida do not accept religious exemptions; the dioceses support vaccination and do not recognize any theological argument against it. They only accept exemptions based on verified medical conditions.</p><p>Uthmeier, who is also a Catholic, stated in his letter that he believed there was "no legitimate religious reason to refuse granting religious exemptions." He referenced specific theological positions regarding the use of "abortion-derived vaccines" and suggested to the bishops that it was "morally reprehensible" for them not to grant religious exemptions.</p>