SB 277: What every parent needs to know to make an informed decision
Jennifer Schmid
A collaboration between Jennifer Schmid of Oasis Wellness and Christina Hildebrand from A Voice for Choice
When the California Senate began creating SB277, a draconian bill that would eliminate philosophical and religious exemptions for entry into public or private schools, I thought there was no way it could actually pass and be signed into law. Surely the legislators and governor would realize what a grievous affront the bill was against the right to informed consent and a child’s right to attend school, wouldn’t they?
Nope.
The law passed, the governor signed it, and it went into effect on July 1, 2016, putting California on par with West Virginia and Mississippi, ranked worst in the US for infant mortality rates, by taking away a parent’s right to choose what is best for their child. Despite tireless efforts by parents, including rallies, protests, all night vigils, and one-on-one meetings with state reps, Big Pharma won out yet again, buying off legislators (especially Richard Pan, the pediatrician mastermind behind the law) and putting profits before children.
Supermom to the rescue
One of the people instrumental in fighting SB 277 and raising awareness is Christina Hildebrand, a local mom and businesswoman. I met Christina years ago through the Weston A. Price Foundation and was immediately impressed by her drive to bring healing, nutrient-dense foods to busy people across the Bay Area at an affordable price via her co-op, Real Foods Bay Area.
As soon as word got out that SB 277 was being written and put on Senate committee agendas, Christina sprang into action and launched a non-profit called A Voice for Choice, aimed at educating parents and public officials about the risks of vaccination as well as other public health dangers such as water fluoridation.
Joining forces
Parents are scared about SB 277. So when people started calling and emailing me in a panic about what their options were, I knew that I needed to join forces with Christina — the expert on SB 277 — and teach a free class about it.
We started the class with a brief look at the risks of natural immunity vs. natural disease immunity and then got in-depth about SB 277: what it is, its mandates by grade level, exemptions, and current lawsuits. We had a lengthy Q & A (such thoughtful questions!) and then finished up with parent resources and important action steps.
We received so much positive feedback from the class. As one mom put it, "That meeting was my first REAL step in informing myself and i feel super empowered and ready to do more research."
Below please find the video replay of the class as well as an audio file that you can download and listen to.
Stay tuned for more joint efforts from us this fall. We will do everything we can to advocate for parents and children and help you become informed consumers so that you can make the best, most empowered decisions for yourself and your family.