{"id":200751,"date":"2025-09-04T23:07:09","date_gmt":"2025-09-04T23:07:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/200751\/"},"modified":"2025-09-04T23:07:09","modified_gmt":"2025-09-04T23:07:09","slug":"thousands-of-duval-parents-leverage-vaccine-exemptions-these-5-schools-have-the-lowest-vax-rates-action-news-jax","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/200751\/","title":{"rendered":"Thousands of Duval parents leverage vaccine exemptions; these 5 schools have the lowest vax rates \u2013 Action News Jax"},"content":{"rendered":"

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. \u2014 As Florida moves to become the first state in the nation to fully eliminate vaccine requirements in schools, Action News Jax is learning more about vaccine rates in our local schools. <\/p>\n

Statistics in Duval County suggest parents are having no problem taking advantage of the current exemptions in state law.<\/p>\n

>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

More than 9,300 students are unvaccinated countywide, and more than half of those students are exempt on religious grounds.<\/p>\n

Local Pediatrician Dr. Randolph Thornton told Action News Jax that since COVID, he\u2019s noticed a significant increase in parents raising questions about vaccines.<\/p>\n

\u201cParents have become more questioning of the vaccines and looking for more exemptions. There is so much misinformation on the vaccines,\u201d said Thornton.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/b>Local public health experts voice opposition to Florida\u2019s plan to end vaccination requirements<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

Combing through vaccine stats for 185 Duval Schools with enrollment data readily available, Action News Jax found 42 schools in the county have vaccination rates below 90 percent, accounting for 22 percent of all the schools we analyzed.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf the parents are okay with not getting their kids vaccinated, welcome back to the mask,\u201d said Brandy, a parent of two children in Duval schools.<\/p>\n

Despite her concerns, she said she\u2019s not surprised to see such low rates.<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause a lot of parents, you know, they\u2019re scared,\u201d said Brandy.<\/p>\n

Some schools fared far worse.<\/p>\n

Oak Hill Academy<\/b><\/a> had the lowest vaccination rate, with 38.2 percent of students claiming an exemption.<\/p>\n

Arlington Heights Elementary, Cornerstone Classical Academy, Woodland Acres Elementary and Spring Park Elementary also topped the list with vaccination rates below 80 percent.<\/p>\n

Cornerstone stood out in particular, with 217 unvaccinated students claiming religious exemptions, which is by far the highest number in the district.<\/p>\n

We reached out to DCPS and asked if it was aware of how low the vaccination rates at some of its schools are, and what the district does to try to get those rates up.<\/p>\n

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\u201cOur role is to ensure parents have accurate information, reinforce the guidance provided by the Florida Department of Health, and comply with the law. Ultimately, the decision regarding opting out of vaccines rests with the parent or guardian, as permitted under Florida statute,\u201d a district spokesperson told Action News Jax in an emailed statement.<\/p>\n

Now, with the state doing away with the need to claim any exemption at all, Dr. Thornton said he fears we could start to see the return of diseases that have become virtually nonexistent if the vaccination rates continue to trend down.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe fact that more and more people are opting out puts everybody at risk, and that to me is the biggest public health nightmare,\u201d said Thornton.<\/p>\n

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Here are the current required vaccines for children, per the Florida Department of Health<\/b><\/a>:<\/p>\n

Childcare and\/or Family Daycare<\/b><\/p>\n