The American Academy of Pediatrics Wants to Eliminate Religious Exemptions—Here’s Why They Can’t

Don't be fooled. Let's dig beneath the (misleading) headlines so you know your rights and how to fight back legally and confidently.

Did you hear the news? Vaccine exemptions are under attack by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

The AAP wants to eliminate¹ all non-medical vaccine exemptions for children in schools and child care. That includes religious, personal, and philosophical exemptions. They want only tightly controlled medical exemptions.

Friends, this organization has no authority. It has no authority to eliminate exemptions. It has no authority to grant exemptions. It has no authority to require vaccines. This substack is going to be a lengthy one so buckle up.

Who is the AAP and Why Their Statement Doesn't Matter

The AAP is just a professional association that doctors pay to belong to. It's not an official United States government department. It just has the name "American Academy of Pediatrics." So, don't be swayed by this name. It's kind of like a bait and switch. People are going to see the headline. They're going to see the word "American" and they're going to think, "Oh, the United States government is getting rid of these religious exemptions."

The truth is that the AAP has no legal authority to do anything of the sort.

The American Academy of Pediatrics is nothing more than a private, membership-based professional organization. That means doctors pay to belong to it. There are about 67,000 pediatricians in the U.S., and the AAP group acts as a lobbying arm for them. According to OpenSecrets, they spend nearly a million dollars per year lobbying for their members.

AAP’s corporate sponsors are Moderna, Merck, Sanofi, Abbott Laboratories, GSK, CSL Seqirus—all vaccine manufacturers. So of course they want more shots in arms. They have a vested interest.

This is nothing but hot air designed to sway public perception and scare people into compliance because we’re seeing other headlines—like the one I covered yesterday—about potentially moving toward removing the vaccine liability shield from Big Pharma. And sadly, it might work on a lot of parents who don’t know their rights.

Here’s the policy statement they put out:

I’ll leave the full rant here for you to read.

And you and I know that many of these doctors who belong to the AAP are bankrolled by Big Pharma.

Think about all the parents who are sitting on the fence and now they see the headlines and think, “Well, the American Academy of Pediatrics said...”

That’s what we want to guard against, friends.

It’s a nothing burger. They have no authority. Zero.

Why Religious Freedom is SO Important

Before I break down your rights and explain why religious exemptions matter—let’s start with something even more important: understanding why we must protect our freedoms, especially freedom of religion.

And this isn’t just about belief in God. It applies whether you believe in one God, many gods, or no god at all.

Because religious freedom is the foundation of all other freedoms.

If you can’t think for yourself, speak your convictions, or live according to your conscience—then you’re not truly free. Period.

That’s why the very first amendment to the United States Constitution protects this right:

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof...”

Friends, in this country we have the right to believe—which means to think what we want. And guess what? Beliefs are not facts.

You can believe in something. You can believe in nothing. You can follow a traditional religion, or you can follow the convictions of your heart and God-given conscience alone.

I don’t even like to use the word religion sometimes, because people think it has to come from a church, a priest, a pastor, a doctrine, or a book. No. The law protects your beliefs—religious, spiritual, ethical, or moral.

So those employers and schools demanding a letter from a Pastor or church to support your beliefs? Totally out of bounds. Beyond the scope of the law. That’s just it—it’s YOUR beliefs. And yours alone. No one knows what is between you and God and in your soul. No man, no employer has the right to judge that. Period.

So these protections follow you into your home, your school, your workplace, and your daily life. Your right to speak, think, and believe the way you want is protected by the supreme law of the land: The Constitution.

But apparently, that wasn't enough.

Because in 1964, Congress passed the Civil Rights Act—and that’s when these protections were spelled out even more clearly. Why? Because black students weren’t being allowed into white schools. Because people were being refused jobs or housing or equal access to society based on race, color, and religion.

So the Civil Rights Act laid it all out. It said:

• You have the right to vote without discrimination.

• The right to work, or even apply for a job, without discrimination.

• The right to go to school—any school, including training programs—without discrimination.

• And the right to operate in society without being punished because of your age, religion, race, or ethnicity.

Let me say it loud and clear:

If a parent is told that their child can’t attend school because they object to a shot on religious grounds—that is illegal.
It violates the First Amendment.
It violates Title IV of the Civil Rights Act.²
It violates the most basic principles of ethics and freedom.

And it’s happening anyway. That’s why we must stand firm.

So, only California, Connecticut, Maine, New York, and West Virginia don’t “allow” these religious exemptions specifically in K-12 schools. But that’s such a big deception. They do. It’s required by law.

Now, they may hem and haw. They may refuse. You may have to sue them. They have laws that are illegal.

Let’s make one thing very clear: you have the right to a religious exemption. You already are exempt. You’re not asking for permission. The process is all about negotiating a reasonable accommodation with your employer or school.

In simple terms, you’re the one who informs your employer or school and they are legally obligated to work with you to find a solution (an accommodation) that doesn’t conflict with, compromise, or cause you to abandon your beliefs. This applies to anyone regardless of whether you belong to a traditional religion, or whether or not your beliefs match what your priest, pastor, or rabbi believes.

It’s your individual right to believe and hold those beliefs and objections, and it does not have to be approved by anyone.

No one knows what is between you and God and in your soul. No man, no employer has the right to judge that. Period.

I’m not interpreting this out of thin air, friends. I’ve extensively studied these laws. For employees, the EEOC has an entire compliance manual on religious discrimination that is available for you to learn from.³

There are still educational institutions to this day that are telling students, “Oh, you know what? No, no, I’m sorry. You can have an exemption for all of the vaccines except for meningitis. That one you have to have.”

This is an actual case I’m working on right now. Uh, excuse me? That’s like an employer telling the employee, ‘You have to sleep with me.’

And the employee says, “No, I’m not going to sleep with you.” That’s illegal. That’s sexual harassment.

“Well, then you just have to take your top off.”

That is basically what the schools are saying, okay?

I want you to understand me—that’s not a reasonable accommodation.

That’s like telling a Jewish person, “Well, I guess you don’t have to eat the ham sandwich, but you do have to eat the bacon bits.”

That’s what they’re telling this student: “You don’t have to be vaccinated with everything else—except for meningitis. Now, your religious exemption covers all those other shots—but not this one.”

Well, I worship God through prayer and by keeping my body pure. And through prayer, God told me not to participate in government-inflicted vaccines.

So now you’re going to come between me and God?

Yeah, I don’t think so.

So this is why it’s so important, friends. These laws are holding on by a hair—a shred.

And I want to come in with my sewing needle and stitch them up. And I need you to help me as well—by understanding and sharing this message, and supporting others who are standing up for their rights.

Whether or not you are a person of faith—certainly, you don’t want to live in a country where you don’t have the right to think and believe in what you want to think about and believe in, do you?

That would be bizarre. That’s the actual antithesis of our constitutional republic—(remember, the USA is not a democracy).

A democracy doesn’t have the guardrails of a Constitution. And that’s why I speak out about this again and again and again.

And I’m glad to see that my message is getting out. Bob, for one, has toned down his rhetoric about “saving democracy.”

Then they came up with “restore the republic,” because I—among others—pointed out that we know that “democracy” is like a code word for socialism. We don’t want that in this country.

We want freedom.

So restoring freedom, fighting for freedom, defending freedom—that’s what I stand for.

Your Legal Rights: Religious Exemptions & the Law

Some people say, “Peggy, I don’t need no stinking exemption. The government has no right to tell me what to do with my body, period.”

You're absolutely right. I agree with you. And you’re not wrong.

But here's the thing—do you want to do it the hard way or the legal way?

Because there’s an escape hatch, which is called the First Amendment to the Constitution, and also in the case of your employer, Title VII of the U.S. Civil Rights Act, and Title IV for students.

And many of your states mimic the federal civil rights act with their own state civil rights laws.

There is nothing in any of those laws that says:

“Except for states that don’t allow it.” “Except for employers who don’t believe you.” “Except for woke school boards with no legal training.”

Nope. It was written for times like this.

So it’s time to invoke your rights.

You have an opportunity to educate your employer. You have a chance to educate your school.

The law is on your side. Heck, even when the law is on your side, employees and students are still being fired, expelled, harassed, and denied their rights. That’s why there are multiple lawsuits happening right now—many of them being won.

We’re talking millions of dollars in damages.

How to Invoke Your Exemption

Step 1: Make a simple statement.

"I am exempt from this policy based on my sincerely held religious belief, observance, and practice."

Step 2: Add clarity if needed. For example:

"I worship God through prayer and by keeping my body pure. Through prayer, God has told me not to participate in this."

That’s it. Less is more.

As I mentioned previously, you are not required to belong to any organized, traditional religion.

If they deny your exemption and accommodation request multiple times, you’re no longer asking. You’re putting them on notice.

You begin sending notices of discrimination. Because every woke school and wokeplace has a statement on file that says:

“We have zero tolerance for discrimination.”

Oh—except for people of faith?

So you call them on it.

What to Demand in Writing

If they say there’s a “vaccine exemption committee” or something of that nature here’s what you say:

“I want the names of everyone on this committee. I want to know who appointed them, what their roles and titles are, and what training they have in Title VII or Title IV non-discrimination law.”

Then the big one:

“I want a religious statement from each member of this committee.”

Why? Because you need to make sure you’re not being discriminated against.

Maybe you’re a Christian and the whole board is atheist. Or you’re Jewish and the committee is made up of people who don’t respect your belief system. That matters. Wouldn’t that be important to you?

I would want to know. Not that there’s anything wrong with any of those faiths—I’m just using an example of how discrimination could creep in. Hopefully not.

But you need to turn the tables on the discriminators and say:
"You’re asking me to tell you my deepest, most intimate soul connection with God—my faith. I can barely describe it because it’s indescribable. And you’re going to rule on whether or not that’s valid? Well, I want to see your descriptions of faith."

I think that’s just brilliant.

And guess what? Every time I’ve recommended people ask these questions—those committees fold. They don’t respond. They just grant the accommodation.

Because the truth is you’re already exempt. And your employer or educational institution is legally obligated to accommodate your beliefs.

Discrimination in Schools: Medical & 'Non-Medical' Exemptions

There are lawsuits in California right now challenging the absolute illegality—yes, I’m going to say it—the “ridiculosity” of letting kids attend school with medical exemptions, but not with religious ones.

Oh, because the so-called cooties—or virus—only knows if you’re exempt for medical reasons?

People have lost jobs, income, careers, and even lives over this hogwash.

And yes, I’ve helped thousands of people keep their jobs, their health, and their dignity by not capitulating.

You could be fired at any time. Your job is far less important than your life—and your soul!

If I were an attorney, here’s what I’d say in court:

“Your Honor, these 12 students in fifth grade all have medical exemptions and are allowed to attend. But my client—whose exemption is based on a sincerely held religious belief—isn’t? That’s discrimination. It violates state and federal law.”

Now, the silver lining is that parents have taken their children out of school—to the tune of about a million fewer students in California public schools, which I think is a step in the right direction.

However, I’m not going to ignore the fact that this discrimination is taking place.

Let’s use logic, shall we?

“Um…Your Honor, if the vaccinated children are protected, then why are you worried about my unvaccinated client? You’re telling me that the unvaccinated, medically exempt students don’t pose a threat, but my unvaccinated client does because of the reason behind his unvaccinated status?

“Do the vaccines work or don’t they? What’s the purpose of a vaccine?”

Oh, to protect from illness? I see. Uh-huh.

Q. And do they work?
A. Well—they work. They don’t… They...
Q. Well, do they work or don’t they work?

Because if vaccines “work”—and I know this is really hard logic to follow—if they work, then the other students and teachers are protected.

Or did I miss something?

Oh—let me get this straight. You’re telling me they don’t always work?

So you want my clients to be injected with a product that doesn’t work in order to protect the other children who were injected with a product that also doesn’t work.

Makes sense.

This has been my life since 2020, friends.

First starting with the suffocation devices—the same exact scenario. And then when it came to the nasal “test” assaults—same scenario.

Apply the same logic. I mean, none of it makes sense.

So anyway, friends, on that little humorous note, I just wanted to let you know: don’t worry about the headlines from the AAP.

These things are put out there as a last-ditch effort, because more and more people are waking up to these harms.

And I know I’m kind of skating on thin ice here, but I feel emboldened to really speak out about this because I don’t want anyone to miss out on understanding not only the harms but your legally protected right of no consent.

You simply have a right to keep your body pure. You have a right to observe and practice and believe without interference from the government, your employer, or your child’s school. Period.

And that is worth fighting for.

1. Medical vs Nonmedical Immunization Exemptions for Child Care and School Attendance: Policy Statement

2. Title IV of the US Civil Rights Act

3. EEOC Section 12: Compliance Manual on Religious Discrimination