The Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) reports bad outcomes from COVID 19 vaccinations from Dec 2020 to now and compares them to all other vaccines from 1990 to the present.  A sampling (rounded):

• Adverse reaction COVID 19:  779K; all others 724K
• Life threatening events: 18K; all others 10K
• Deaths: 16K; all others 5K
• Birth defects after vaccination: 528; all others 90

Serious adverse effects include lymphadenopathy, myocraditis/pericardtis, myocardial infarction, cholecystitis, facial swelling, Bell's palsy, rheumatoid arthritis, peripheral edema, automonic dystunction, thrombotic/embolic events (blood clotting), and others I am sure.

I oppose the government trying to mandate parents to impose these risks on their children.  We have no idea what the potential long term effects of receiving the vaccine will reveal.  That is a huge unknown at this time.

Because the Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccine all used either tissues or cell lines from elective abortions to develop their vaccines, there is a religious / conscience aspect of taking these vaccines, which is being brushed aside.  Parents and older students that have professed their faith have a God-fearing concern that it is incomprehensible to benefit from the taking of an innocent person's life (6th commandment, 'thou shalt not kill").  They believe that the Bible is the inerrant and infallible Word of God and as such have a Biblical and moral responsibility to obey their consciences in this matter.  From the Westminster Shorter Catechism: "Question 69: What is forbidden in the sixth commendment; Answer: The sixth commandment forbiddeth the taking away of our own life, or the life of our neighbor unjustly, or whatsoever tendeth thereunto." Further, "Man has the right to act on conscience and in freedom so as to personally make moral decisions.  He must not be forced to act contrary to his conscience.  Nor must he be prevented from acting according to his consciende, especially in religious matters." (2nd Vatican Council 1965). 

Such a decision to knowingly allow a substance into ones body, one that may cause harm to ones children, or others, is a decision that could indeed violate one's faith. 

• The Bible teaches that whatever a believer does should be done by faith (Hebrews 11: 1-40).
• Believer's are commanded to live and walk by faith in everything they do (Galatians 3:11).
• The moral fact for every believer is the truth that "whatever is not done of faith is sin (Romans 14:23).

I respectfully ask that the parents and student's religious/constitutional rights be upheld in this matter.  Supreme Court justice Clarence Thomas said "The guarantee of free exercise is not limited to the beliefts which are shared by all individuals of a religious sect." (Thomas, 450 U.S. 829<715-16).  To require a medical procedure/vaccine that stands in opposition to ones deeply held beliefs is unconstitutional.  Furthermore, the requirement of showing proof of receipt of such vaccine, that stands in oppossition to said beliefs, is also unconstitutional.

Respectfully,

David B. Groves