By The Honorable Kathie Hess Crouse
The loudest voices in West Virginia are at it again, this time suing our Governor over his executive order granting families the right to religious and philosophical vaccine exemptions for school-aged children. The ACLU, along with several county school boards and bureaucratic backers, are fighting tooth and nail to crush a parent’s right to decide what is best for their child.
And this week we’ve seen something even more alarming: the West Virginia Board of Education has formally instructed the State Superintendent to outright disobey the executive order and direct all county school boards to refuse any exemptions, regardless of what the Governor or law allows. This isn’t just about health policy anymore; this is about an attempted power grab and defiance of constitutional authority.
Their argument? Allowing exemptions somehow threatens public safety. If they truly believe that, then let’s go all in. If they’re going to deny exemptions and demand strict, universal vaccine compliance, then let’s be consistent.
If every single student must be vaccinated without exception, then it’s time every adult in the public school system abides by that same standard. Here’s what I’m now calling on the public school system to implement:
- Full compliance from all school personnel: Every teacher, administrator, nurse, board member, county office employee, bus driver, custodian — anyone employed by the public school system — must be fully vaccinated according to the pediatric schedule. That includes: 5 doses of DTaP/Tdap, 3 doses of Hepatitis B, 4 doses of HiB, 3 doses of Polio, 2 doses of MMR, 1 dose of Varicella, 4 doses of Prevnar (Pneumococcal), 2 doses of Hepatitis A, 2 doses of MCV4 (Meningococcal), and, because adults are responsible for public safety: the full HPV series, annual flu shots and COVID-19 vaccines. No titers. No “I had chickenpox.” No religious or philosophical exemptions — unless they’re honored for students, too.
- No out-of-state sports competition: Any school sports programs that play against teams from states allowing exemptions other than medical should be canceled immediately. Only California, Mississippi, Maine, Connecticut and New York, states that align with West Virginia’s historical no-exemption stance, should be permitted to send teams to compete here.
- Strict limits on school travel: Any travel organized by the schools should only be permitted to California, Mississippi, Maine, Connecticut or New York. If safety is truly the concern, our “fully vaccinated” students and staff should not be exposed to those from states allowing exemptions.
- Quarantine for out-of-state travel: Any student, teacher, administrator or staff member who travels to a state that allows vaccine exemptions will be required to stay out of school for 21 days upon return. This includes conferences, vacations and athletic tournaments.
Students may complete coursework remotely. Employees must use personal or vacation leave. This quarantine window will ensure no disease exposure enters our fully vaccinated schools.
- Proof of vaccination for all visitors: Parents, guest speakers, maintenance contractors — anyone who enters the building — must be fully vaccinated according to the pediatric schedule. No exemptions unless they match the student exemption process. Proof required at the door.
The hypocrisy here is staggering. Bureaucrats scream that unvaccinated children pose a public health risk, yet many of them have fewer immunizations than a kindergartener.
If they believe full compliance is necessary for safety, then let’s enforce it on everyone with no double standards and no selective enforcement. If mandates are to exist, then they must apply equally to all personnel, visitors and operations within the school system. I’d be happy to introduce legislation next year to codify these requirements into law.
This fight is no longer just about vaccines. It’s about government overreach, unchecked power and a brazen refusal to follow lawful executive authority. The Governor’s executive order still stands, and he is well within his constitutional right to issue it. But now, unelected education officials are undermining that authority and dragging local school boards along with them.
West Virginia families have had enough of coercion, double standards and mandates masked as public safety. It’s time to restore parental rights, defend medical freedom and hold these institutions accountable. If the education establishment wants to fight this battle, then they should be prepared to live under their own rules.
Delegate Kathie Hess Crouse, R-Putnam, has served in the West Virginia House of Delegates since November 2021. She serves as Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Educational Choice.
