People of all faiths attend these Catholic colleges. There are certain religions that are totally opposed to medical interventions (ironically Christian Scientists, maybe?? Sorry if I’m wrong about the CS’s, I may have the name wrong, but there are definitely religions–and Catholicism is not one–that do not approve of vaccines or certain
western medical interventions). So Notre Dame allowing for religious exemptions does not necessarily mean they will allow any Catholic to not get vaccinated, it might mean they will allow people who belong to other religions that are completely opposed to medications/vaccines to be exempt. And those religions I believe are not very populous, so would hopefully not lead to a large number of exemptions.
So the language from those Catholic schools you list does not imply they will allow a lot of exemptions. Their language is literally the same as all of the non-religion-affiliated schools. However, your information that you know a bunch of kids who asked for exemptions and they were granted is more alarming to me than the schools’ language. It will be interesting to see how many exemptions end up being granted…
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The problem is these schools are raking in high tuitions from these unvaccinated students. I’m sure the they are getting pushback from the anti vax side due to pending FDA approval. I know so many students from my local area who were granted exemption. Mostly at catholic colleges. A few others like BU and Northeastern.
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All Catholic schools likely allowed for religious exemptions. That doesn’t mean a Catholic school should or will grant it - it’s case by case. NB: not all attending Catholic schools are Catholic.
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BC says the same thing- they are offering medical and religious exemptions. Just because these schools are granting religious exemptions on a case by case basis, it does not mean they are granting religious exemptions to Catholics solely based on their Catholic faith. IMO BC’s tough stance has more to do with the surrounding community and its Northeast location than it does with it being a Jesuit institution.
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I literally know so many catholics who got exemptions from various schools including the above mentioned. Yes there are other religions, but I went to CS so that is what I am speaking on. Exemptions are very easy to obtain.
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catholics are getting it based on fetal tissue testing from aborted fetal lines.
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I hope colleges release their vaccination rates. Some already have. I know Bowdoin’s faculty/staff rate is 96% vaccinated so far. Maybe if the vax rates at these vaccine-mandated schools are really high then those exemptions won’t matter. Not sure of the point of mandating it if a college is going to give a large percent of kids an exemption.
Some schools do seem very serious about everyone being vaccinated and their mandate is the real deal - Kean University (a state school in NJ) will start unenrolling kids on Sunday who haven’t produced a vaccine card We’ve seen posts here on CC about Wake Forest being very serious about getting the vaccine. Check this out.
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There was an informal poll in a Tufts student chat group. Small sampling but over 200 were vaccinated and only 2 were exempt (not sure the reason). I think we will have high rate of vaccination. I also think schools will release percentages as it gets closer.
On a Tufts email a few weeks ago, you needed to communicate your vaccination proof and status or exemption or they would not grant enrollment.
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The Catholics I know are also anti-vaxxers because they are either libertarian leaning or believe conspiracy theories. They are faking the Catholic reason and not being honest in their exemption applications. I haven’t heard if they’ve been granted exemptions.
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I’m sure many are using it as an easy out. Most people who I know who are applying for exemption are literally petrified of the vaccine! This is why I think we need to change the messengers. We need more doctor’s out front and less government. The CDC announcement yesterday will lead to more hesitancy.
@cj9623 eye roll? You think the vaccinated should have to protect those who choose not to take the vaccine?
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My son’s school in the Midwest is mandating the vaccine for everyone - students, faculty, staff, all other employees - but allowing exemptions for religious and medical, and temporary exemptions due to EUA status and recent Covid infection. All are determined on a case by case basis and subject to verification. They aren’t handing out exemptions like candy. IMO, this is a perfectly reasonable good-faith effort to respect freedoms and medical need while still encouraging a high compliance with the vaccine (necessary in order to resume in-person teaching, learning and research) and consistency with state health department rules.
We might hear about all these other kids who got away with all these other exemptions but I doubt that’s the entire story. However, the more lenient is the school, the more likely they are going to be to require continued testing and masking for everyone, at least in the beginning till they have a chance to understand how Covid is behaving on their campus.
All these schools have a full academic year of prior surveillance data to help inform their policies. Let’s hope they are relying on that as well!
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Yes, there are many with legitimate concerns for freedoms etc. There are also many who are handing out like candy. It depends on the school. But we all have to go back to campus in the fall and live with these decisions. I would like a normal college experience. That should come with vaccines. The problem is the ever changing mixed messaging on masking and guidance. The CDC messaging will harm vaccine efforts.
FYI: that is not a “religious” exemption since the issue of aborted fetal lines in the production and/or testing of the vaccine was specifically addressed in the CDF and USCCB documents. That would be a “conscience” exemption. How the particular school addresses this issue is an individual matter, but it’s probably better to hear from someone who actually was granted such an exemption based on their Catholic religion than second-hand stories. You aren’t attempting to misrepresent, of course, but it’s possible you don’t have the entire story on this issue. Even in the press (BC vs. other Catholic schools, BYU-HI, etc), the news stories are one-sided. Not surprising as colleges and universities aren’t going to share confidential information, and students with an axe to grind are going to tell “their side” which might leave out a few crucial details. Best to get the complete picture, especially in a heated issue such as vaccine mandates and who got away with an exemption 
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Duke requiring everyone regardless of vaccine status to mask indoors starting Friday:
I dont believe this to be 100% true, though I am very much pro-vax. In countries where the majority took the vaccine, such as Israel, Iceland, Delta is breaking through vaccinated. Unless we were also able to vaccinate children, Delta was always going to cause issues. There are states that are at 80% of eligible 12 and over that have increased cases. Most colleges that have vaccine mandates, likely have at least 95% of the students vaccinated. GW stated 99%. We shall see what happens on those campuses.
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I know FIRST hand from close friends who received the exemption. It’s very common where I live and everyone is doing it. I’ve actually seen their letters…people post it! It is based on religion. The schools in question don’t offer “conscious” exemption.
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I’m not aware of any college that provides such an exemption. If such an exemption exists, the college might as well not mandate vaccination.
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It’s not conscious it’s religious. Colleges only allow for religious or medical. It’s happening more than you think too. Nova granted a lot!
Unfortunately I think it needs to come to measures like this to get all to comply.