Dozens Of Students Sent Home For Missing Vaccine Deadline

ELK GROVE (CBS13) – Dozens of students were sent home from school Wednesday and dozens more didn't even show up after the new deadline for vaccination against whooping cough passed.

Almost 90 students at Valley High School alone were identified as being non-compliant with the new law that requires all students from seventh to twelfth grades to show proof of immunization against pertussis, a highly contagious disease. At least 700 students across the Elk Grove Unified School District have not yet received the vaccine.

Affected students were pulled out of class by school officials Wednesday and told to call their parents.

"I told her that they were kicking me out of school because I didn't have my shot," said Valley student Saveya Barrow.

About half of the students who hadn't shown proof of receiving the vaccine didn't bother showing up for class at Valley High at all, according to the school principal.

Other school districts will soon reach their own deadlines, and officials are warning parents not to wait to have their children vaccinated.

Deadlines:

- Rocklin Unified School District: September 16
- Grass Valley School District: September 17
- San Juan Unified School District: September 23
- Washington Unified School District: September 23
- Sacramento City Unified School District: Oct. 6