(EXAMINER)   In a radio interview with Greg Szymanski on September 30, Cheryl Barnes founder of CPS Legal Watch, revealed that the State of Arkansas has given 36 children the swine flu vaccine against their parents’ wishes. The 36 children were taken into custody last fall by the Department of Human Services because the state said they were in jeopardy due to their parents’ involvement with the Tony Alamo Ministries Church.

The State of Arkansas does require that children get immunized if they are attending school. However, Arkansas does allow for religious and medical exemptions. The parents of the 36 children did not want their children vaccinated because it is against their religious beliefs.

According to Barnes, all 36 children have received at least one of the three series of H1N1 flu shots and some have received all three. 

The swine flu vaccine has come under fire from a number of people from a variety of backgrounds and beliefs who have alleged that it is not safe. Health care workers in New York State have been ordered by the New York State Department of Health to get immunized against the swine flu. Some health care workers have been fired for refusing to get immunized and health care workers have held protests in Albany.

Barnes also stated that the 36 children in Arkansas have been vaccinated against other illnesses against their parents’ religious beliefs, including the vaccination of all of the girls with Gardasil.

Attorneys for CPS Legal Watch filed a motion to stop the vaccinations of these children, but the judge sat on it for six weeks, after which in many cases it was moot, because the children had already been vaccinated and because Judge Griffin of Miller County had terminated the parental rights of some of the parents.

Even though all states allow for medical exemptions for vaccinations and all but two states allow for religious exemptions, parents have been charged with medical neglect for not immunizing their children according to www.mothering.com/cps.

http://www.examiner.com/x-14537-Albany-CPS-and-Family-Court-Examiner~y2009m10d3-Arkansas-DHS-vaccinates-36-children-with-swine-flu-vaccine-against-parents-objections