Hundreds Held Out Of School In Gary
GARY (STMW) -- The Gary Community School Corp. had to exclude between 700 to 750 students as of Tuesday morning for not having their correct immunizations.
The majority of those students are in the secondary grades, according to Gary Community Schools spokeswoman Sarita Stevens. The school district will hold final immunization clinics Wednesday and Thursday at West Side Leadership Academy. The clinics are free through a partnership with the Gary Health Department.
Gary Community Schools Superintendent Myrtle Campbell said on Monday the highest numbers of students without immunizations is at West Side.
Campbell said parents have come en mass to provide documentation to ensure their students can attend school.
Gary's endeavor to get students up to date comes as the state is requiring new immunizations for grades 6-12. The three new immunizations are: varicella (or chicken pox), Tdap and MCV4 for meningitis.
School district officials had warned parents their students needed to have the shots before attending school on Monday. The district also held free clinics earlier in November.
(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2010. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
