S3 EP 36: Parental Rights, School Mandates & Informed Consent

Introduction and Guest Background 0:00

Hey everybody, welcome to the Eat, Pray, Faith podcast with Dr. Tracy. That's me. And today I have an incredible guest, Jessica, who is from PCIC, which is the Pennsylvania Coalition for Informed Consent. We are going to talk about everything from parental rights and going back to school. basically what every parent needs to know when it comes to the state of Pennsylvania and what rights do you have when your children attend school and we're going to talk everything public school, private school, everything and even maybe home school. We can touch on that. But Jessica, you are the legislative director of PCIC and a steering team leader. I have to ask I our audience wants to know a who you are and how you got involved with PCIC but also what is PCIC and how did that come to fruition and also welcome I'm so glad you're here. >> Thank you so much Dr. Tracy for having me on today. Um yeah let's start with um what PCI is. It was formed in uh 201 uh 15 after the measles outbreak in Disneyland um in California. Um there was a nationwide sweep to take away religious exemptions including um Pennsylvania and it was a grassroots movement that was started here in Harrisburg and formed into Pennsylvania coalition for informed consent. Um we are again it's a we are a grassroots organization all volunteer-based. anyone from grandparents, parents, um health care workers, um just boots on the ground and advocating for informed consent. Um a little bit about me, I'm a a mother of four. Um almost 17 years ago, I was pregnant with our first and went to my PCP just for a regular checkup and was offered the flu shot. I was told that um you know my baby could die if I got influenza that season. So I didn't know any better and I got the flu shot and I came home and told my husband and he basically said you did what and started we we both started down the road of um he started informing me of what vaccines actually can do. Um, and you know, the more I learned, the more concerned I became. Um, however, that didn't stop us from selectively vaccinating. And unfortunately, we played Russian roulette and we lost. Um, my son is on the autism spectrum, ADHD, uh, severe speech deficit even at the age of 16, and recently diagnosed with epilepsy at 15. Um, so you know, I again, we played Russian roulette and lost, but I can tell you that my other three are not vaccinated and we learned a really hard hard lesson. >> Yeah. Well, you know, God has a purpose for your son. He >> absolutely.

>> So, I I know moms are probably listening right now and and feeling the weight of the same story that you're talking about. And I want to position this too that PCIC the organization is not antivax. It is for informed consent that every parent has the right and agency over their children to make the decisions and we deserve to keep those rights as parents

PCIC Mission and Personal Vaccine Story 3:34

whether you choose to vaccinate your children or not. That is your constitutionally and God-given right. >> Absolutely. So that is really important. Whether or not I choose or Jessica chooses, that's not what we're here to discuss. We're actually here to discuss for all parents what their rights are. And I think it's important, and I want to also preface this that this is the Pennsylvania Coalition for Informed Consent. We're talking about in the state of Pennsylvania, the school districts within the state of Pennsylvania. There are other organizations, Jessica, I'm sure, and other states that parents can get involved in. Uh maybe you guys have a resource that we can post in the show notes. Um, in addition to that, whatever we talk about here, we're talking about Pennsylvania rights and um, you need to find out the rights within your state.

And I will post in the show notes a PDF um, you know, where you can find out more information on what are your rights when it comes to required vaccines, uh, if they are required, what does that look like within your school district, etc., etc. But for today,formational purposes only according to the state of Pennsylvania and we are here to discuss all parent rights. All of you, every one of you that has little children. So that's where I want to start that with. And uh Jessica, um your story is not uncommon. you know, as a clinician, right, in practice, I hear it all the time, the absolute same story of, you know, we thought we were doing the right thing.

>> Turns out that it didn't work out well for that child. Um, so this is not uncommon, which is why it leads us to this conversation of parents need to know their rights so that they have informed choice, and that's really what your organization does, which is very much appreciated. So, let's get into some questions unless you have anything you want to say in between that. >> No, but thank you. Yeah, I I mean I just want to say if there are any other mothers listening with the same story, you know, you are not alone. Um I live with that guilt every day and wish I would have, you know, made better decisions. Um but, you know, everyone lives and they learn and they do better.

that that's all you can ask to do is to do better. >> Yes. Absolutely. And um you know God is not a God of should have, would have, could have. He's an I am. So you know our our God has created us in his image according to his design and there are no mistakes in God's creations. There are hardships >> but you know we move forward in hope. So, I'm so glad you're part of PCIC and be able to share your story so that you know other parents feel safe coming to you and having conversations because it wasn't always a safe space, Jessica, to come in and say, "I think my son or my daughter was injured." It actually was a really unsafe space because you suddenly were an antivaxer. >> Absolutely.

So, let's talk a little bit about parental rights in schools because I I want to get clarity on some things. And I'm just going to give an update to everybody just so we know how this all came to be. Recently, I wrote an article for a local paper. And if you want a copy of that, you can reach out. It's on my Facebook page. You can go search that. Uh, and I wrote it on um requirements according to the Pennsylvania state law and the PA school code of vaccinations of children going to school in the state of Pennsylvania.

And what I said and what is according to the actual law is that Pennsylvania is a non-mandatory state. It allows exemptions medically, strong philosophical belief and also religious. those that exemption can be signed by the parent. They do not need a clergyman or a priest or a pastor. They don't need a medical professional. They don't need, I don't know, somebody that would be philosophically astute. I don't know. They don't need anybody else to sign it except their own parental signature. And I just want confirmation, Jessica, that that is correct.

>> That's absolutely correct. Yes. Um, in Pennsylvania, we have three types of exemp exemptions. Um, you do not have to provide your child's immunization record. Um, even if you don't want to, if you if your belief is, I don't want the school having my child's medical records, you can still hand in a philosophical exemption to your school. Um, or as I like to do, I like to do religious and philosophical beliefs >> and hand it in that way. Um, or you can do a medical exemption, which would have to be signed by a uh doctor. >> And some kids do need a medical exemption and not not because of vaccine injury. Some, you know, chronic diseases, they know that by getting vaccinations may repress the immune system, may challenge it in certain ways. So there are medical exemptions that do exempt children from vaccinations because it is safer. And then there is the fact that as we have discussed on on past podcasts I have you know I have personally again my personal opinion not speaking for PCIC this is Dr. Tracy's personal opinion that there are no safety tests on vaccines and there are no safety tests of the ingredients within vaccines. I think there are too many. I think there are diseases that we don't need to be vaccinating against and due to my strong philosophical belief based on massive research and also I don't want fetal cell lines injected into my children due to my religious beliefs I have chosen no for my children and that is my right in this state so um you said we we have religious medical and strong philosophical so Please explain to me and the audience why the verbiage on the materials that come home to parents say vaccine requirements on those documentations and a parent reads that and it says your child is required to have the following vaccinations to

Pennsylvania Vaccine Exemptions and School Requirements 10:11

attend school. Why are they allowed to do that? Isn't that coercion? >> I I agree with you. I believe it's coercion. Um, we do have, um, a representative who has a bill, um, that would like the law to change and require school districts to state that they can turn in records or they can turn in a medical, philosophical, or religious exemption. I mean, he's been very specific in that bill language that it must be in the same size text. Um, you know, it can't be in this tiny little text that parents aren't going to read under a picture. It has to be within that same, you know, paragraph. Um, yeah, I I absolutely agree with you that it should not say that, but unfortunately, school districts get away with it. And, you know, I think that's what a lot of people want. They want your kids vaccinated in order to attend school. And they're not being quite truthful. >> Yeah. And it's interesting because, you know, when I wrote the article and it published in the paper, I can't tell you how many people thought I was lying that like I was making it up. And I actually quoted the school code, the the 28 uh PA code 23.84.

Like I I quoted it. I took it from the law. I put in the paper and everybody was like, "That's not true." I'm like, "But but it's the law." So, it is a law and Pennsylvania school policy because during all of the COVID stuff, I actually went and took law classes. Um, I had to basically be an attorney. I had to go in and, you know, fight for vaccine or excuse me, mask exemptions, which shouldn't have been an exemption because it's not a medical device, but that's a whole different topic. um you know I went in and and you know basically was like this is wrong and so I just don't understand why everybody follows the law but when it comes to school districts they get to just scare parents into you know vaccinating their kids when that's not true they don't have they're not required >> right >> so um just so everyone's aware you can find the Pennsylvania school code uh vaccine exemption uh on your local government site. You can go to pa.go and you can look up this law yourself for medical, religious or philosophical. It is under 28 Pennsylvania code 23.484.

So that is an actual law that you can go look up and you do have that protection. Now, there are there is some people that'll text me and say, you know, Tracy, my son can't go to specific schools or even like, you know, subset schools of these schools like trade schools and things like that. They're not allowing them to attend class because they don't have certain vaccinations. I'm particularly talking about in my area, in my county, in my state. Is that legal? >> No. I mean they would have to turn in again an exemption now. So I believe what the law does state is and it recently within I want to say within the past 10 years changed that you only have like the school nurse has seven days of the beginning of the school year and then can say you can no longer come to school. But again, you do not have to turn in your child's records. You can turn in a religious, philosophical or medical exemption. Um I children cannot be turned away if you are turning in an exemption. >> Right?

>> So basically just so parents are clear there are no what we're talking about is updated vaccination records and an exemption is an updated vac. >> Absolutely. Now, let's just talk about medical records to schools anyway. I mean, h how did we get here that a school has access to my child's private medical information? I mean, what if there's something on there that might create discriminatory actions against my child? Not that that would ever happen in a school every day, but I mean, what if there was something private that I didn't want some I mean, here's the thing, Jessica. Regardless, I mean, wasn't HIPPA developed so that we didn't do this? So, can you tell me how schools have are allowed to have access to my child's private medical information?

>> Yeah. What I will say is about about HIPPA's, you know, and I vaguely remember its creation back in the '9s. Um, but I remember the big push was for privacy. It's for privacy. It's for privacy. Unfortunately, that that was a lie. And I'm I'm just gonna say it was a lie. Um, usually HIPPA applies when you are um now in when you are taking your records from a medical office to like um you're filing with the insurance company, you know, um there's a transition of records um and different things like that. Now, schools don't fall under HIPPA, they fall under FURPA. Um, >> so explain that to us.

So that is again that and I'm not an expert by any means in fura but schools don't the the only provider they have is a school nurse and yes she would and and some like PT speech therapist um occupational therapists if the only time HIPPA applies to them is if they are billing out to a Medicaid plan. Um, and there is a a transition. That's the only time in my knowledge that HIPPA would apply for a school, but because a school entity is not a healthcare entity, HIPPA does not apply. Um now there are safeguards again in furpa but um not it's it's very different from HIPPA is is my um >> so just so people are aware of what furpa is and it's fer pa it basically is the family educational rights and privacy act so actually it was developed right to keep privacy of student records within school districts >> correct >> so all schools that receive federal federal funding and they have to receive federal funding fall under this application under the Department of Education and it's supposed to protect parents and students um you know on any type of educational records um they can request amendments to incorrect or misleading records, consent to disclosures, things like that. So there is certain information that can be disclosed without consent. Um such as like your directory information. So when you get your packet from school and it says I allow my kid to have their photo taken or their name to be put in the paper, you know, if they did really good on on like a semester, parents can opt out of those things. Health related records however uh those are part of the student education record according to the Pennsylvania school code and fall under furpa. So therefore they fall under these privacy protections. Okay. So that being said, furpa furpa furpa, the people that handle my children's medical private medical information and records, are they furpa certified? Like how do I know that they're not going to go talk about my kid to Sally down the street and say, "Oh, that little uh Tracy's son, he's unvaccinated little measles disease carrier." Like, is there a furpa, you know? oath that they have to take like how do I know I'm being protected? >> That that's a great question. I mean I I can tell you from even personal experience that you know schools aren't always you know following these things. >> Um yeah it's a great question that I don't have a good answer for but they I can tell you again from personal experience that they just they don't know. Uh I'm sure there's probably some kind of CEU requirements especially for like administrators and different things. Um but yeah, it's you you just don't know.

>> So we've gone through the So what can we do when and this this happened, right? The the paper came home. I took a picture of it. I deleted all the names and everything cuz you know I don't want to cause any issues more than I cause already. and I posted it and said, "Just so parents know, an updated vaccine exemption is an updated record that you can turn into your class." And somebody from your organization reached out privately, asked me what the school district was. I sent them the the PDF with the school district name, and I said this, and they said they need to provide language on there that tells a parent they can turn in an exemption. and they contacted the school. So, I really appreciated that, you know, you guys were advocates for my parental rights. Um, is this something that you guys do in general across Pennsylvania?

>> Yeah, we have in the past. Um, we have reached out to school school districts and said, you know, you really should be providing the entire truth. Um it's not just uh immunization records that are required or that are accepted. It's an exemption as well and that should be part of the communication going home to parents or guardians. >> Okay. Awesome. So talk to me a little bit now so that we're switching gears from vaccine exemptions, which we do now

Medical Records, FERPA, and School Privacy 20:38

know that you can send in a vaccine exemption signed by you, the parent, and you're good to go. What's about what about the requirements for dental exams and physicals? So, here's my thing, Jessica. There is no law that says I have to have a pediatrician for my kid. >> Right. >> Pediatricians weren't specialized till the 1930s, late 30s. And really, um, you're not required to take your kid to a pediatrician. I mean, why am I taking my kid to a pediatrician for a well visit? If he's not sick, what am I going in for? We know what you're going in for. So, let's hypothetically say a parent doesn't have a pediatrician.

Where am I getting a physical and why do I need to provide that to the school? Can you tell me about that law? What are their exemptions available? Give me the breakdown there. >> Yeah. So um actually if you go to our website, we have a um download and it has the law that you talked about for immunizations and the law regarding objections to examination on religious grounds. Um, so you can, um, object to turning in physicals or even dental exams. And that's actually, like I said, right on the printable exemption that we have on our website. Um but yes, it it specifically says that um exemptions from medical or dental examinations or I'm sorry, school children or school employees may be excused from regular or special medical or dental examinations on presentation of written evidence to the school administration an administrator that the examinations are contrary to the re religious beliefs of the parent or guardian of the child or of the employee. So that is um subsection 23.45 um right there. Once again in school code you may absolutely object to physical turning in physical or turning in dental exams. >> Pretty amazing. So these are all the things that were not made aware. Why do you think that schools don't provide this information? What what are they getting? Is there a kickback for schools for amount of vaccinated kids? Is there just mass fear because people don't understand the immune system? Like >> I would lean towards mass fear in my opinion. Um I'm not aware of like it's not like a pediatrician's office where if you don't have x amount of children vaccinated you're getting a kickback or you're not getting a kickback. Um yeah, it it's a great question and I think there's a lot of a lot of things involved in that. Um and I I mean people are in my opinion uneducated. Um these common childhood ill well they were once known as a common childhood illness, right? They're now fearful that they're getting this disease. Well, it's an illness, you know, that my parents survived, our grandparents survived, and yeah, it's I think I think it's more fear than anything.

>> Well, I think our grandparents had like two vaccines and if all these diseases were so deadly, they would have died from them in their 40s and 50s, right? >> When the second tier came around where their kids and their grandkids were getting vaccinated for all these, but still alive. You know, they probably just died of ripe old age. You know, if they're like my grandparents, my grandmother had one vaccination and she lived to 99 years old. Perfect. Was only ever on one medication for her stomach and she didn't get put on that medication until she was in her late 80s. So, big difference of what we're seeing today with chronic disease rising, uh, all of the things. So with PCIC, tell me what the benefit is for local parents to get involved with your organization and um like what what is it a membership based like how how does your organization work? Give just fill me in on how it works and how parents get involved.

>> We are not membership based. Um, the best way to get involved, um, if you want to connect with like local parents is to really reach out at to us at informed consent 2015gmail.com. Um, you know, before COVID, we were actually putting together uh local chapter groups and we had very active chapter groups across the state. Unfortunately, now that CO's over, um, not as many people are as interested. Um, and I I I know it's not just our grassroots organization. It's it's across all grassroots organizations, right? CO's over. We don't have the time. We're too busy. Um, but we still have a lot of active um, advocates across the state that we are able to put you in contact with um, and, you know, join with like-minded moms and dads um, across the state. So that that's probably the best way. Um the other way, you know, that you can get involved with us is uh we have advocacy days at the capital or lobby days we call them. Um usually about once a month. I'm actually in charge of setting those up and we go around to legislative offices. We have meetings with legislators and staff members just talking about whatever um usually whatever bill is hot at the moment or whatever we're trying to um draw attention to. Um and it can be anything from, you know, right now with the Maha um movement, it can be anything from data privacy to clean air, clean water, clean soil, um what we're serving our

Parent Advocacy and Getting Involved with PCIC 26:38

children at schools. um you know so it's it's a lot of different things um that we are advocating for or against um you know in the past I would say the past four years we have seen more good bills regarding informed consent than we have seen bad um which has I mean that's huge we you know when we formed we were seeing more bad bills versus good bills >> now getting them to the finish line is a different story because of how our political landscape is in Pennsylvania, but it is definitely very reassuring.

>> Well, I just want parents to realize that, you know, preservation of parental rights doesn't start from the top down. It's grassroots up. >> That's right. >> If we don't step in now before it becomes a problem, that's a like we're such a reactive world. >> We are. >> We wait to get sick, right, before we do anything about our health. It's like it's it's just with everything. And you know, with the most recent tragedy that we've seen, um, you know, and I'm talking about Charlie Kirk, uh, I think now more than ever, you know, people need to be brave. They need to understand that there are things that you can do. You can talk to your legislators. You can vote for the people that you want in. I mean, I can't tell you how many people don't vote for their local government. I mean, what are we >> and these are the people that are protecting your rights, so you better know who they are.

>> Yes. >> So, I I hope that um if you guys want, you can always reach out to me, PCIC, and let me know when your lobby days are happening. I will share them. I will make people informed because people are always asking me how to get more involved, what they can do. Um, but just so we can clarify the topics we talked about today, updated vaccine records include an exemption form signed by the parent. From what I understand now, we can opt out of physicals and dental. We do not have to provide those for the school and we can just submit a form. So that is great to know. Um, PCIC. So basically you are currently going and lobbying at the capital once a month. Is there any other things that you do where parents can meet and greet or are there things online? How do they participate with you in a more of a communitybased standard? >> Sure. We I mean there are definitely educational events um that we do participate in. Um, I don't think we have any like currently scheduled, but as things come up, we we try to have um our advocates out there. Um, just to hand out information. We literally print out our exemption forms and have them on our tables, you know, so parents can take one. Um, we have, as I mentioned, the lobby days.

Um, we also host um one of the other steering team members. Um, we host an advocacy 101 training. Um, and we actually do have one coming up uh later this month. And let me just double check. I believe it is September 28th. Um, and that's going to be at 700 p.m. And that's just on Zoom. Um, so we we do do things like that because we know we know from experience how intimidating it can be showing up at the Capitol and walking around with legislators um talking to them. What do you say? What do you wear? Um what don't you say? You know, so we know how intimidating that is and that's why we put that training together um to help others and encourage them that this isn't hard. It really isn't. Um the hardest part is showing up, you know, getting the time off of work if you're a working parent.

Um and making that sacrifice is is the hardest part of this. Um but >> well, I can tell you when I went up to the cap and actually it was during the COVID masking time and um I had the opportunity, this is this is a whole big story. Um there's two stories. So I'll first start with the mask, right? I was on a podcast with Robert Scott Bell >> and he has the Robert Scott Bell show. Talking to him about the fact that I was going to talk to the local sheriff about, you know, the whole masking thing going on in the schools. It was January. Nobody else was required to mask. Blah blah blah. And Robert was like, "Oh, you should have Sheriff Mack show up." And I was like, "Why don't" Now, Sheriff Mack was the one that um you know brought all the other sheriffs together. And I can't remember what state. I think it was Arizona when the Clintons were trying to take away gun laws. And basically what people don't know is your sheriff has more authority than the federal government so they can stop federal law. And I was like, "Oh." I was like, "Well, I don't know Sheriff Mack, but" and Robert's like, "Well, I'll give you a cell number." So I ended up in the sheriff's office on a Zoom with every sheriff in Pennsylvania and Sheriff Mack on this Zoom. So that's like this is how things happen to me, right? So, that was one thing. And then, um, I wanted to bring a bunch of the legislators together on a Zoom and talk about the 1986 act. And I actually had Dr. Andy Wakefield on the phone with me. And I got on this Zoom with them. And I what I will tell you, Jess, is what I was really really disappointed and surprised at the same time is how many of those people had no idea what the vaccine safety act was and what it entailed and what were the three caveats and requirements to keep it enacted and they were representing me and I was I was sitting there explaining it to them. So for people listening about advocacy, I will guarantee you're probably better researched because they do so many things and we're focused on one thing like >> That's right.

>> Right. And so going up and getting a chair in front of them and talking about this specific topic is really really important because they have a bunch of other things they're thinking about. They may not be looking at a bill that was just passed. So guys, step in. So, how do parents get involved with you? How do they become PCIC members or advocates or you're a you said you're a team leader here. You're steering team leader. What What team what team are you steering? >> Yeah. So, I mean honestly just by showing up I mean again coming to our capital we have um usually monthly um advocacy calls as well with uh originally it was designed for our chapter leaders but it's now open to all volunteers anybody who is you know willing to put in um any kind of time with us whether it might be our social media team um our you know graphics design team anybody that is writing blog posts for us. Um, you know, so there's several ways of getting involved, not just, you know, locally or, you know, at Harrisburg, um, on our lobby days. Um, any and we're we're open to ideas. We would love to hear from others. Um, you know, if if we aren't doing something, you know, that they would love us to to be doing. Um, unfortunately I will say with the maja movement I have realized that I am not an expert in all these things like clean air, clean water, clean soil. Do I want it? Absolutely. Do I want to be informed? Absolutely. But we need people to help step up and you know um get involved and help us >> action. That's a good CTA. I think every school orientation day there should be a table out front of every school >> sitting there passing out the exemption forms reminding them that updated vaccine record. >> Right. No, that's a great idea. I wish I had the the volunteers to do that. >> I'll I'll do my district a pile of papers. I'll stand outside and be like, "Know your rights. Know your rights. Let them coerc you." I'll probably get thrown off school property. That won't be my first time. I'm okay with an escort. I'll be like, "This is a lovely car. Just take me home."

>> Well, I certainly appreciate everything that you guys do and thank you so much for coming here today. Uh, I'm going to let you leave the parents that are listening with the last word of wisdom on what you feel is the most important thing that they need to understand. >> I think what you need to understand is you need to know your rights. um when red flags are popping up um or something doesn't sit right well with you, it's it's time to ask the hard questions. It's time to look into um you know what your rights are or what

Homeschooling and Catholic School Vaccine Policies 35:48

you know the information you need to arm yourself with. Um that that's that's what parents really need to know. um they need to be in tune with what is going on >> and read read your Pennsylvania Constitution, even if it's just the sections that pertain to you and read your school code because what we're talking about applies to public and private schools, Catholic schools, Christian schools, if they are under the Department of Education and they are receiving federal funding, they are required to follow the Pennsylvania Education system that is passed down. And what that means is there'll be certain things that they pass on to you as the parent and it's not always presented as it should legally be. So you need to know what your rights are. And if co taught me anything, it was be proactive, not reactive. And I will tell you if you need help, reach out to me because I'll get you in touch with someone from PCIC.

If you need an exemption form, please go to their website, go help them out, go volunteer, go donate your time. But most importantly, don't get intimidated by a school district. Um, a big question for homeschoolers, you know, obviously they're homeschooling, but for them to participate in certain activities, sometimes there's requirements. I do believe homeschoolers have to turn in exemptions as well. Is that correct? So, yeah, I'm glad you asked about that because that is something I wanted to touch on and I'd love to come back to Catholic schools if you have the time.

>> Um, so homeschoolers, there is actually two places, two different places within school code and homeschool law that actually contradict each other. Um, one says that you can turn basically turn in um an one requires the uh records or exemption. The other is an affidavit requirement. Um, so they actually kind of contradict each other because in an affidavit you're swearing to um having these records but not necessarily having to turn them in. You can turn in the affidavit instead. Um recently HSLDA um put out a notification that they are um and this this doesn't necessar necessarily pertain to medical freedom but it does pertain to parental rights um they are asking a certain school district I believe within Lancaster County is asking um parents to pro provide their uh high school diploma and that is actually they do not have to and they're actually showing up to um those houses and asking for the information. Um don't answer the door is my advice.

>> I tell I'd tell them to call the police and you know report them for trespassing. Let's one up it. >> Let's just up it. Yeah. You ask them to leave once. If they don't, they're trespassing. Just so you guys know, you can call the police. Do that. Fight fire with fire. I'm sick of being nice to these people. I I know. So, Catholic schools, >> Catholic schools within Pennsylvania, we are seeing this has been an ongoing issue. Um, and it's mostly within the arch dascese of Philadelphia. I'm actually working look working with a woman um within AOP who um is trying to fight um their policy and uh get them to rewrite their policy because they are not accepting anything but a medical exemption and even those they are um being very um hard on and not they will deny them not tell parents why specifically they are denying them. Um, certain uh parish schools actually list that you may not be seen by a certain doctor because that doctor provides them too many medical exemptions is basically what is happening. Um, and they don't want to deal with that doctor. Um, there are some really crazy things that are going on within the arch dascese of Philadelphia. Um, we do not experience that across the state. Um again it's just within AOP. Um now we also know that there are some parish schools who do not follow the arch dascese policy and my understanding that is because the parish priest is the one saying no you're going to accept this or no you're not. Um the parish priest my again my understanding does not fall within the jurisdiction of the superintendent of the arch dascese of Philadelphia. He falls under the bishop. So if the arch dascese superintendent is saying one thing the parish priest can say nope we're not doing that we're not following that. Um which is really interesting. Um we PCIC has been um contacting several of our contacts including attorneys because we are very concerned >> regarding this. Unfortunately, there's no case law. Well, there is a case law in Florida. Um and unfortunately, they kind of messed things up in Florida about I I think it's between like five and 10 years ago. just made things worse.

>> Um, so it is something that we are cautious about, but we are, you know, working. Um, >> well, let me ask you this question because this was just cleared up real quick and I think anybody ounce of common sense would be able to be like, oh, do Catholic schools receive federal funding? >> Yeah. And they also >> it's not under the Pennsylvania law and that's the end of it. That's the way it should be. So, if we're going to allow religion to trickle in, which was the point, the point of the separation of church and state was actually to protect the church at first. Now, we're starting to see that it is to protect state law.

So, here's the thing. If it's an attorney and they can't see that, they should probably go back to law school. Um, and second, you know, if a judge would actually roll on the point of the arch dascese, that's silly. If you're taking the easiest thing is to cut federal funding off of those schools. If you're not going to allow parental rights, cut federal funding because they need it. >> Yeah, I don't disagree with you. What we're getting push back from attorneys is because they are a religious institution. They can do these things despite I know despite accepting the federal funding, the state funding. We know that they are accepting state funding in certain um Catholic schools because they are teaching um the department of ed curriculum um such as uh evolution for example within a can you imagine teaching evolution within a Catholic school. Why are you teaching evolution within a Catholic school?

>> I mean Christian schools receive federal funding and they're because they're a religious institution. Yeah. I mean, I think sometimes people get upset about taking on the Vatican, but anyway. >> Yeah. >> I really think if your child's going to a Catholic school, you know, there has to be a precedent set in the law that they compare it to. And if Florida messed it up, I mean, that's going to be over soon anyway because Dantis is trying to take away like no vaccines for anybody, you know? So, that'll be null and void. So, shouldn't you? The problem they're saying, what the attorneys are saying is the rel religious institution can set what whatever they want to set.

I I don't disagree. >> What happened to that policy during co >> Right. >> Right. So yeah, it's it's you know, they're talking out of two sides of their mouth. It's just crazy. It's kind of like whatever they want to do, not religion, but whatever the government says. Like that's really what it comes down to. Well, here's the thing. Take your kid out of Catholic school. There's a lot of other schools out there and you can still go to church on Sunday. the end. So, um, if they make I mean, Catholic schools are dying anyway. They should want more students, not be pushing them away. I mean, Catholic schools are closing all over the place.

>> Well, Dr. Tracy, they don't require these any vaccine requirements for any of the server or alter boys or girls. Um, they don't require it for anybody that plays in their sports. So, a member of the parish that plays in their sports. um they don't rem require it for any of the students attending their religious education classes outside of you know the school. I I mean it's just it's so hypocritical and I think you know if they would actually sit down and think about this and say oh yeah >> it's discriminatory is what it is because >> absolutely requiring it of one brand I mean that's what discrimination is when the same laws don't apply to everybody.

So, so what do we do? Who do we call? So, what I always tell people is to call the capitol and talk to um you know the department of health up there and know your rights and ask them what the vaccine requirements are. And if a school is unwavering, I tell them to report them. And I've done that in the past and they actually do get a phone call, you know, from an attorney up at the capital. But I don't know if that's still the same pathway. I don't want to be >> I think it's important that um people do call their legislators too and let them know what's going on and what they're fighting. Whether they're red or blue, it doesn't matter. Call them. Let them know you feel like you're being discriminated against. You are being discriminated against. >> Um and yeah, I think reporting them is definitely a good angle. I think um contacting an attorney. I think sometimes if parents would just contact an attorney and get an attorney to write them a letter and say this is what state law says, you are accepting federal and state funding.

You should be following this law. I think that's enough to scare sometimes some of these um private institutions, these private schools. >> Yeah. Um, so that's that's another option for parents >> in public school, right? >> With public school. Absolutely. Yes. >> Yeah. >> And you know, I mean, so you can file a complaint, just so you guys are aware, with the Pennsylvania Department of Education. You can do that right on their site. Lots of people did that during >> CO. >> And um, call the Pennsylvania Department of Health, division of the school that oversees all school health programs and compliance.

and obviously the FURPA office, which is your child's education and health record. So, if they're going to put in an organization to protect my child and my rights, they better be damned straight that I'm going to give them a call if something happens. So, um the legal recourse if the district actually refuses to honor the exemptions or violates Furpa, you can get what's called an education attorney or a group that specializes like PCIC involved. Um, like you said, sometimes just sending a letter is enough. And, uh, you know, make sure you document everything, get it in writing. You know, if something happens, a verbal exchange is not enough. If your child is being discriminated against and told they need certain vaccines to attend Pennsylvania schools, you need to send an email requesting in writing that they will not accept an exemption. And if they say no, that's when you escalate it up. um whether you could call the Department of Education or Furpa or whatever that looks like, call your capital, let your legislators know and make sure you document it. So, I'm not trying to go after schools in any way, shape, or

School-Based Health Centers and Hidden Consent Risks 47:48

form. I appreciate all that they do, but we need to be respectful of parents that schools need to stay in their lane and anytime you reach your hand into my living room with my children, you're going to get a call from me. So, um, we all need to be a little bit braver now and stand a little bit stronger because we've stepped back way too long, Jessica, and we're in the issues and situations that we're in because we've done nothing. We've been reactive rather than proactive. So, for proactive parents, get involved. Know your rights.

>> Dr. Tracy, the other thing I just want to sneak in here, school-based health centers, have are you have you heard of them? Are you aware of them? >> Oh, no. Go for it. Schoolbased health centers. There are over 30 school-based health centers across the Commonwealth. Um something I just want to put parents on alert um regarding because they are trying to sneak them in wherever they can. um these school-based health centers unfortunately in Pennsylvania and most states don't have any guardrails um for these school-based health centers and they are an ex they want to basically replace your PCP or your pediatrician and you would be getting services at school um now would they have to inform the parent most likely but if they're doing anything regarding uh mental health care your child can consent at the age of 14 to any kind of mental health care. Um, and that's within our minor consent act in Pennsylvania. Um, so there there are alarming things going on at schools that you do need to pay close attention to. pay close attention to the beginning of the year forms um if if your child does have a school-based health center because what they will do is they will sneak that consent right in um to any kind of health or school nurse consent um and parents don't read it and don't realize what they are signing.

>> Um so that is something I want to caution every parent um in Pennsylvania. Um, we saw it sneak in with, if you've ever heard of >> CUTH. >> Okay, so Cuth was um, it's actually a company, a mental health uh, platform that came across the pond from the United Kingdom and was piloted here in Pennsylvania. Um, I believe it was from I want to say I should know this by heart because I was boots on the ground um regarding this program but I want to say around 2022 um till about 2024 but it it basically was being recommended by teachers guidance counselors in about um 20 to 25 of our school districts in Pennsylvania behind parents' backs. Um, parents did not know about this platform. Um, and it was basically an anonymous platform that kids could sign up and talk to other peers. Um, supposedly it was being monitored. We don't know if it was being we there were some suspicions that it was being monitored more by AI. You know, what was the qualifications if it was being, you know, managed by a real person. Um but it was a very alarming pilot program that we had in Pennsylvania and that was one of the things that um PCIC stood along um citizens advisory of Pennsylvania um especially with um representative Jamie Walsh um at the time he was not a representative but he ran his platform on parental rights in CUTH um to get it out of our our schools and you know eventually we were successful I believe it was October of 2024 um that our state ended the grant money for the program early. Um and they said basically you have four weeks and you're done in our schools. Um but that was that was all a grassroots initiative.

>> Yeah. >> We were a part of and educating our legislators and were successful at getting out of our our Pennsylvania schools. But now they are sneaking up in other states. So the danger of this whole thing was the fact that it was unmonitored. You didn't know who was behind it. Was it coercion of some sort? Was it >> So what I will say, Dr. Tracy, is I was able to sign up for an account >> and I was able to access those peer message boards that they had going on. You could talk to um you could schedule appointments with a provider. Um but literally it was not a Zoom call. It was literally texting back and forth. So, or typing back and forth, I should say, whether it was on your phone, on your computer. Um, there was no face to face in this platform. Um, so how can you really tell if somebody's suicidal >> if you can't see them? If you can't hear their voice, how can you tell that somebody, you know, should be monitored?

And from our understanding, you know, if a kid was flagged as suicidal, the school was called. It wasn't the parent that was called. It was the school that was called and then the school followed their procedure and possibly called, you know, the ambulance, possibly called parents. Um, there was it wasn't parents involved. Um, that was our biggest problem with this platform. Um, and anybody could again sign up for it. You know, they weren't checking, oh, is this an actual person in this school district? Like, come on.

>> Predator. Is this a predator? try to get talk to somebody. So >> that's exactly right. >> Honestly, >> yeah. So these are things, you know, going on in Pennsylvania that >> um you know, I just want to put on parents radars. You know, when your child is going to school and they have an app on their their iPad or their computer and they're getting mental health check-ins daily, um you should be

Final Advice: Know Your Rights and Stay Proactive 53:58

alarmed by this. So, >> well, all good things that you're doing. I hope you guys, you know, like I said, I'll support you any way I can. They don't they don't let me go up to Harrisburg. No, I'm just kidding. We're going. I'm like, oh, I'm coming. Take the advocacy class, Tracy. I'm like, >> well, we would love to have you, Dr. Tracy. >> I'll be there. You let me know. So, thanks guys for listening. Uh, remember parents, you need to know your rights. Get your school codes. Read the documents that come home. Don't just sign things to get it done. That's the other thing I noticed. The kids will bring home things and they'll say, "This has to be back tomorrow or I get I I won't get my bonus five points." And I'm like, "Well, you can tell your teacher that this document doesn't have to be returned till se September 7th and you'll still get your five points or I'll be calling her cuz I'm not going to be rushed to sign a document without reading it. I don't put my signature on things I don't read. That's another little trickery. Yeah, that's got to stop, too. And trust me, my kids always get their points. So, guys, you got to be strong. You you can't be intimidated by these these government agencies that are trying to take away and use fear tactics to to manipulate you to do things that violate your own parental rights. You know, we got to be brave and you got to be you got to be loud. There's no more silent majority. that that's over. So, thank you, Jessica, for being here. God bless everything you're doing in PCIC. We certainly do appreciate your efforts. And guys, if this was helpful to you, remember it will be helpful to a fellow parent or friend. Please send this recording along. Make sure you subscribe to the channel. And I'll see you guys again next time.