Another claim of religious exemptions to school vaccinations is denied, this time in Kanawha
Kanawha Circuit Judge Richard Lindsay cut through a couple of layers of confusion to issue a verbal order denying a family’s religious exemptions claim to school vaccination requirements, with the judge concluding that the state has a compelling health interest in suppressing the spread of disease.
The first practical challenge in the courtroom was that a Charleston mother representing her family without a lawyer did not attend the hearing for a second time that it had been scheduled. Because the mother had a second chance and had submitted her position in writing, the judge went ahead today.
The second matter the Kanawha judge had to weigh was that a counterpart in Raleigh County, Judge Michael Froble, issued a written order on Thursday afternoon to certify a class action for families asserting their religious beliefs to decline mandatory school vaccinations.
Froble’s class action order did lay out a pathway for families who may have active cases in front of other judges: “Class members who are currently pursuing related actions in other courts may join this class upon voluntary withdrawal of their pending claims, with leave of the court in which those claims are pending.”
https://wvmetronews.com/2025/10/17/another-claim-of-religious-exemptions-to-school-vaccinations-is-denied-this-time-in-kanawha/