Oregon State Can Immunize Children In Care
The Department of Human Services can order children in its custody to be immunized, even if the child is in temporary custody and even if the parents object to the immunizations on principle, according to an Oregon Supreme Court ruling issued Thursday reports the Statesman Journal.
The state took custody of the eight children in January 2012.
The state alleged the parents had failed to provide their children with adequate shelter, necessities, education, hygiene or healthcare and also alleged the father had been violent toward the mother
A juvenile court judge granted permission in April 2012 for the state to immunize the children, and the parents objected. Their mother cited religious objections, specifically to the use of stem cells in some immunizations.
The Supreme Court agreed with the lower courts that the state had the authority to force the immunizations for several reasons explains the State Oregon laws allow a legal guardian make decisions for its ward that include surgery and the state’s decision to immunize the children did not violate their or the parent’s constitutional rights.
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Flickr photo credit: USACE Europe District
