'You are all opening a Pandora's box': Confusion reigns over new Brevard schools vaccine policy

Nancy McBride, a retired teacher, recalls growing up during the spread of polio, which took the lives of more than 3,000 Americans and disabled many others during the worst recorded U.S. outbreak in 1952. A vaccine was licensed in 1955, and by 1961, only 161 cases were counted in the country.

At a Tuesday Brevard school board meeting centered on numerous policy changes, including ones addressing vaccinations, McBride implored board members to not relax their immunization requirements for students.

"You have no earthly idea," she said. "I'm 74 years old. I've seen it all. You open up those loopholes where people don't have to be vaccinated, good luck with that."

During the meeting, 124 policies were revised, created or rescinded. Nearly all changes addressed the inclusion of language from federal and state law, or Neola, an organization that helps school districts create policies that align with statutes.

Confusion and frustration reigned throughout the two-and-a-half hour long meeting.

Over the course of the meeting, both the audience and the board went back and forth over what changes the policies laid out. Members of the public objected mostly to perceived changes regarding immunizations, as well as language around parental objections to instructional materials in schools.

Audience members disrupted numerous times with displeased comments toward the board, and board members responded with muted but discernible remarks among themselves during public comment.

Wearing a black KN95 mask, one speaker begged them not to loosen their policies on vaccines. The registered nurse of more than 40 years spoke of almost dying of a measles infection as an infant, before she had received a vaccine.

"You are all opening a Pandora's box," she said, adding that she still suffers from complications from the infection.

Public accuses board of 'advertising' exemptions

Board member Katye Campbell sought to clarify these issues prior to the board voting, though audience members continued murmuring and shouting objections throughout the meeting.

Regarding immunizations, she read straight from the new policy, clarifying that the only changes to the policy address who will keep a record of children's immunizations and that children will not be required to be screened for scoliosis.

She also said that one new policy doesn't allow parents to file an objection and have a textbook removed — rather, it puts into policy that the superintendent must certify to the commissioner of education that all core courses are aligned to state academic standards and submit a list of books that have been through the review process.

"Those are not textbooks," she said.

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Still, members of the public weren't satisfied, saying it was actually a different policy related to parental involvement that they were concerned about.

This policy states that the superintendent will provide parents with a way to "object to instructional materials and other materials used in the classroom" — objections that may be based on religious, moral or other beliefs. It also says the superintendent must provide parents with procedures for exempting their children from immunizations.

"Immunization exemptions have always existed," audience member Gregory Ross said. "What this board is doing now is advertising it. They're advertising religious exemptions, which are well-known to be used dishonestly and not checked properly. That's what this is."

Board member Jennifer Jenkins told members of the public she agreed with some of their concerns, but that these specific changes were coming from higher up.

"Try to guide people to address it where it really matters, to hold the people accountable who are writing these laws," she said.

Change comes amid uptick in US measles cases

Before the meeting had even ended, Brevard's chapter of Moms for America — a conservative parents group — posted to their Facebook page with information on how to exempt children from regularly scheduled vaccines.

The policy changes come as much of the country is seeing a rise in measles cases, with Florida leading the nation. As of March 7, there were 45 measles cases reported by 17 states, according to the Centers for Disease Control, with 10 of those in Florida — the most the state has seen since 2018. In all of 2023, there were only 58 cases nationwide.

All policies discussed Tuesday passed unanimously but one, which addresses religion in curriculum. The policy allows teachers to provide "reasonable periods of time for programs of meditation upon a moral, philosophical or patriotic theme," adding that students can't be required to participate in these programs if they are contrary to their religious beliefs. Jenkins was the only dissenting vote on the policy.

Finch Walker is the education reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Walker at 321-290-4744 or fwalker@floridatoday.com. X: @_finchwalker.

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: 'You have no earthly idea': Anger over Brevard Schools vaccine policy