Florida Catholics slap down state AG by rejecting religious vaccine exemptions

On Wednesday, Ars Technica reported that Florida's attorney general, James Uthmeier, threatened to block funding to Catholic schools unless they grant religious exemptions to vaccine requirements. The state's Catholic bishops responded with a rebuke, stating there is no religious reason for such exemptions, and their schools only accept medical exemptions verified by a healthcare provider. Uthmeier, himself a Catholic, argued that refusing exemptions is 'morally reprehensible,' but the bishops rejected his theological interpretation. The clash underscores the ongoing friction between state vaccine policies and religious institutions' own teachings.

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