Section 15. No child shall, except as hereinafter provided, be admitted to school except upon presentation of a physician's certificate that the child has been successfully immunized against diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, measles and poliomyelitis and such other communicable diseases as may be specified from time to time by the department of public health.
A child shall be admitted to school upon certification by a physician that he has personally examined such child and that in his opinion the physical condition of the child is such that his health would be endangered by such vaccination or by any of such immunizations. Such certification shall be submitted at the beginning of each school year to the physician in charge of the school health program. If the physician in charge of the school health program does not agree with the opinion of the child's physician, the matter shall be referred to the department of public health, whose decision will be final.
In the absence of an emergency or epidemic of disease declared by the department of public health, no child whose parent or guardian states in writing that vaccination or immunization conflicts with his sincere religious beliefs shall be required to present said physician's certificate in order to be admitted to school.
Structure Massachusetts General Laws
Part I - Administration of the Government
Chapter 76 - School Attendance
Section 1 - Requirements and Exceptions
Section 1a - Pupil Absence Notification Programs
Section 1b - Pupil Absence Notification Program
Section 2 - Duties of Parents; Penalty
Section 2a - Attendance of Deaf Children; Penalty
Section 3 - Attendance of Illiterate Minors; Penalties
Section 4 - Inducing Absences; Penalty
Section 5 - Place of Attendance; Violations; Discrimination
Section 6 - Payment of Tuition for Non-Resident Children
Section 9 - High School Tuition of Children Under Control of Department of Public Welfare, Etc.
Section 10 - Settlements of Accounts Between Towns and Department of Public Welfare, Etc.
Section 11 - Tuition of Children in Institutions
Section 12 - Attendance Outside Place of Residence
Section 12c - School Choice Tuition Trust Fund
Section 14 - Island Children; Transportation
Section 15 - Vaccination and Immunization
Section 15a - Sickle Cell Anemia; Blood Tests
Section 15c - Immunization of College Health Science Students
Section 15d - Meningococcal Disease; College Students Immunization
Section 16 - Children Excluded From School; Remedies
Section 17 - Hearing Prerequisite to Exclusion
Section 19 - Supervisors of Attendance; Employment