Making not vaccinating your kids into a ideological/theological issue is just plain wrong. Perhaps some people buy into the anti-vaccine hogwash, but in Brooklyn at least, religion does not come into play as far as I know. Others may be “farshlept” but call a spade a spade, and don’t blame “shunning science on principle” either. Yes, we have large close knit families and communities that may speed transmission, but don’t turn this into another reason to “blame the zealots”. This is not productive at all, and is reminiscent of Rabbi Tendler’s article on this subject. We don’t have lower vaccination rates according to the DOH.
Also, to the OP, I was always under the impression that a PARENT can object to vaccinating his/her kids, and if given such a statement in writing the school must legally accept it. Am I wrong?