Mississippi Today
Mississippi has the highest childhood vaccination rate in the country. That may be about to change.
Mississippi has the highest childhood vaccination rate in the country. That may be about to change.
Mississippi parents can opt out of vaccinating their children for school on account of religious beliefs, a federal judge has ruled.
U.S. District Judge Halil Sul Ozerden on Monday issued a preliminary injunction in a lawsuit, filed last year by parents who said they’ve decided not to vaccinate their children because of religious beliefs, as first reported by Magnolia Tribune.
The plaintiffs filed the lawsuit against State Health Officer Dr. Dan Edney, Attorney General Lynn Fitch and various school officials. They claim that mandatory vaccinations violate the Constitution.
Mississippi led the nation in childhood vaccinations as one of six states without a religious exemption for vaccines. The others are California, Connecticut, Maine, New York and West Virginia, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
Kaye Bender, the executive director of the Mississippi Public Health Association, said when a child isn’t vaccinated, the effects extend beyond that child’s personal health.
“Unvaccinated children don’t put just themselves at risk. They endanger all children they come into contact with as well as some adults and perhaps their entire community. So from a public health prevention perspective, MPHA strongly urges that childhood vaccinations be preserved.”
While the organization does not take a position on the pending litigation or any potential appeals, it has long advocated for full immunizations of all children and adults, Bender said.
“Childhood immunizations have proved themselves over the years as safe and effective disease preventatives,” Bender said. “They protect children from illness now, from possible complications in the future, and may even save the child’s life.”
The plaintiffs argued that Mississippi already allows for medical exemptions in the case of five vaccinations required for kids to attend school: diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis; polio; hepatitis; measles, mumps and rubella; and chickenpox.
Attorney General Lynn Fitch agreed that the law must allow the same right for families with religious beliefs that prevent them from vaccinating their children, according to documents.
The ruling will likely conclude the lawsuit, filed by parents Amanda Bosarge, Jaquelyn Butler, Kimberly Harrell, William Morgan, Paul Perkins, Brandi Renfroe, and Jeana Stanley, unless the attorney general’s office appeals the injunction or Ozerden does not enter a written order consistent with his ruling from the bench – both of which are unlikely.
“We appreciate the judge’s thoughtful ruling from the bench and will give full consideration to his written order when provided,” said Debbee Hancock, communications director for the Attorney General’s office, in an emailed statement. “General Fitch has always been of the belief that there is a religious liberty exemption, as stated in our filings in this case, and we look forward to working with the Department of Health to ensure faithful execution of the judge’s order.”
Ozerden is giving the Mississippi State Department of Health until July 15 to come up with a process to allow people to request religious exemptions.
Liz Sharlot, communications director of the department of health, said it was the agency’s long-standing policy to avoid commenting on pending litigation, but added that “the Mississippi State Department of Health continues to support strong immunization laws that protect our children.”
In a recent state board of health meeting, state officials touted Mississippi’s high childhood vaccination rate, saying the state led the nation with 98.9% of children entering kindergarten with complete vaccinations for the 2020-21 school year.
Jean Cook, chief of communications at the Mississippi Department of Education, said that the education department requires that schools have documentation on file regarding vaccines, but the department of health sets the policy regarding vaccine requirements.
Vaccine requirement opponents have been unsuccessfully lobbying the Legislature for a religious exemption provision for years. Mississippi hasn’t had a religious exemption for child vaccinations since 1979.
Nationally, the rate of childhood vaccinations has fallen since the COVID-19 pandemic. Mississippi does not require the COVID-19 vaccine for school entry.
This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
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Physicians prepare for oral, head and neck cancer screenings during a free screening event at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025. -
Resident physician Brooks Lampkin, center, screens Diane Carter for oral cancer as medical students Mason Nodurft, left, and Eva Kiparizoska observe during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025. -
Educational giveaways advocating against smoking are available during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025. -
Sharon Terry, senior tobacco treatment specialist, waits for patients during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025. -
Skylar Robinson, medical office assistant, left, and Kiandria Bruce, registered nurse, review materials at the patient sign-in table during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025. -
Head and neck cancer literature is available during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025. -
Dr. Alex Brooks and registered nurse Angela Noble talk during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025. -
Nina Brown, clinical manager, helps Ned Bostic with paperwork during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025. -
Resident physician Brooks Lampkin performs an oral cancer screening on Ned Bostic at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025. -
Ned Bostic receives a neck cancer screening during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025. -
Resident physician Brooks Lampkin, center, and medical student Hanna Watson examine Ned Bostic during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
The University of Mississippi Medical Center’s Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery hosted a free oral, head, and neck cancer screening Wednesday at the Jackson Medical Mall as part of Oral, Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Week.
The event featured quick, noninvasive screenings aimed at catching cancer early — when treatment is most effective. Onyx Care provided free HPV vaccinations, while the ACT Center for Tobacco Treatment, Education, and Research offered resources on smoking cessation and free services.
“These screenings take about 10 minutes and can save lives,” said Dr. Gina Jefferson, head and neck surgical oncologist at UMMC. “The earlier a cancer is diagnosed, the better chance we have of curing it.”
Tobacco and alcohol use remain major risk factors for these cancers. However, physicians say an increasing number of cases are linked to HPV, especially among younger adults with no history of smoking or drinking. Dentists are often the first to spot early signs, which can include persistent sores, lumps in the neck, or difficulty swallowing.
Oral, head and neck cancers are among the most common globally. When found early, survival rates can exceed 80 percent.
This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
The post UMMC holds free cancer screenings appeared first on mississippitoday.org
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Centrist
This article presents factual information about a free cancer screening event without showing a clear ideological stance. It primarily focuses on the health benefits of early cancer detection and the availability of free resources, such as HPV vaccinations and smoking cessation support. The language used is neutral and the content is centered around public health education rather than promoting a political viewpoint. The inclusion of factual statistics, such as survival rates and risk factors, adds to its informative and objective tone. There are no signs of bias or advocacy for a particular political agenda, making this a centrist piece.
Mississippi State didn’t even wait until the end of the season to fire Chris Lemonis, who brought the national championship to Starkville not quite four years ago. Where do the Bulldogs go from here. Robbie Faulk who covers the Bulldogs more closely than anyone else joins the podcast to discuss the situation.
Stream all episodes here.
This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
The post Podcast: What next for Mississippi State baseball? appeared first on mississippitoday.org
Mississippi Today is looking to speak with current and former mobile sports betting users. We’d like to speak with people who spend considerable amounts of time and money betting on sports through online gambling sites.
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This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
The post Mobile sports betting users: We want to hear from you appeared first on mississippitoday.org
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Centrist
This article from Mississippi Today appears to present a neutral stance, focusing on gathering input from various groups of mobile sports betting users, including those who may have experienced addiction issues. The content does not advocate for or against the legalization of mobile sports betting but instead seeks to gather diverse perspectives, including those of individuals who may support or oppose it. The language used is objective and does not suggest a particular ideological perspective, allowing for a balanced exploration of the issue at hand.
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