Welcome to the second edition of Bridging the Divide, a monthly point/counterpoint column featuring the chairs of the Hardy County Republican and Democratic Executive Committees.
Each month, we take up a topic that sparks debate, with the goal of giving readers a chance to hear directly from both sides. This month, we turn to a question that touches on health, freedom, and faith: whether West Virginia should allow religious and philosophical exemptions to school vaccine requirements. As with many issues we face together, this debate comes down to the balance between individual rights and community responsibility. Below, Sherri Hoff (Republican Chair) and John Rosato (Democratic Chair) share how each party views this important question – and what it means for West Virginia families.
Republican Perspective:
At the opening of the 2025 West Virginia legislative session, Governor Morrisey issued a series of executive orders. One of the more controversial orders, Executive Order 7-25, would allow parents to request exemption from currently required vaccines for their children based on religious or philosophical beliefs. The Equal Protection for Religion Act of 2023, ensured that our state government’s actions must be the least restrictive without inflicting burden upon our citizens. We believe the right to choose between their religious beliefs and compulsory immunizations for their children, is protected by that Act.
After much deliberation, the legislature did not change the laws. Part of the debate in the legislature was who would be responsible for developing guidelines and a process to implement vaccine exemptions. Would this be the Legislature, State Department of Education, or local School Boards? Developing sound bills often takes several legislative sessions to write, propose, revise, and return in future sessions for discussion. This process illustrates important features of both the legislative process and political parties.
For clarification, medical exemptions from vaccines are already allowed, including a process requiring a physician’s certification. There are a number of students in Hardy County schools who have medical exemptions from vaccinations. Do these students create any less risk than students who due to their beliefs are not vaccinated?
Regarding vaccines, religious and philosophical beliefs, we can safely say there are many positions. Republicans recognize its members’ opinions expand a broad range of conservativism, with all contributions being valuable and important. What Republicans value is honoring the judgement of parents to make those personal decisions based on their religious or philosophical beliefs. We acknowledge with personal freedom comes responsibility. Should a parent believe that certain vaccines are undesirable, we expect that parent to be attentive to their child’s health and ready to act, consisting of proper notification to school officials, should their child display any illness symptoms.
To compare West Virginia’s current vaccine requirement on the national level, West Virginia is one of only five states that allows exemptions for medical reasons only, but not for religious and/or philosophical reasons. Forty-five other states allow school age children to be exempt from vaccines for medical, religious and/or philosophical beliefs. The states with the best track records for allowing parental exemptions and reducing risk of outbreaks have processes in place.
Looking at those state’s exemption processes based on religious or philosophical choices will be beneficial to future discussions.
Republicans will continue to stress the importance of individual rights in decision making. We engage in rigorous conversations with the expectation of creating processes that provide for the public good and personal freedom. Overall, our objective is to hold individuals accountable for themselves, their families and to make wise private decisions, without government impositions.
Democratic Perspective:
West Virginia is defined by its love of community. Our faith, family, and shared responsibility bind us together, guiding how we care for one another in daily life. With that in mind, it’s no surprise that our state has one of the strictest vaccine requirements for school attendance in the country – allowing exemptions only for medical reasons. These rules have kept our schools, families, and broader communities safe from preventable diseases for decades. Vaccination is not just a personal choice – it is a communal responsibility that protects infants, medically fragile children, the elderly, and all residents whenever we gather, whether in classrooms, community centers, or houses of worship.
Governor Morrisey’s recent executive order seeks to create religious and philosophical exemptions to these vaccine mandates, attempting to circumvent the law of the land through executive fiat. By acting unilaterally, the Governor bypasses the democratic process and undermines the judgment of lawmakers who debated this very question during the last legislative session. After careful deliberation, the legislature chose to leave the law unchanged – a decision that should be respected, not undermined.
Supporters of the Governor’s order point to the Equal Protection for Religion Act of 2023, claiming that current vaccine requirements burden religious freedom. But in truth, West Virginia’s current vaccine requirements do not single out or discriminate against people of faith.
It applies equally to all, regardless of religion or belief. Far from undermining faith, vaccine laws reflect its deepest principles. Nearly every religious tradition emphasizes the duty to care for others – especially the vulnerable. Vaccines are a practical and literal expression of “love thy neighbor,” shielding those who cannot be vaccinated and allowing communities to gather safely in worship, in schools, and in everyday life. Invoking religion to dismantle protections that keep everyone safe twists faith’s true meaning.
Proponents also argue that vaccine mandates infringe on parental rights. True liberty, however, carries responsibility. Parents are free to guide their family’s choices, but those choices should never jeopardize the wellbeing of their children’s classmates, their neighbors, or their fellow congregants. Herd immunity is a shared protection, and West Virginians have long valued working together to safeguard one another. Further to the point, States with broader vaccine exemptions have seen outbreaks, including measles and other preventable illnesses, with tragic consequences. By maintaining strong vaccination laws, the legislature ensured that individual rights coexist with community well-being. Governor Morrisey’s executive order undermines that balance, which is why it is rightly facing several court challenges.
West Virginia Democrats will keep fighting for policies that honor faith, respect the will of the people, and protect the greater good. Our vaccine laws are proof that freedom and responsibility can stand together – they keep our children safe, our communities strong, and our values alive.
Governor Morrisey’s executive order threatens to undo decades of progress, but we will not stand by while our families are put at risk. To keep West Virginia wild, wonderful, and well, we must reject this overreach, trust the democratic process, and defend the health of the friends, family, and neighbors we love.
