Rutgers University sued over student vaccine mandate

An anti-vaccine group is pressing ahead with a lawsuit against Rutgers University for mandating the COVID-19 vaccine and booster shots for students.

The non-profit Children's Health Defense is appealing the dismissal of an earlier suit challenging the university's legal authority to mandate what they call "an experimental vaccine that poses risk of serious harm."

A federal judge upheld Rutgers' vaccine mandate last year.

It was announced this week that students returning to Rutgers for the Spring semester would have to upload proof of vaccination and booster shots before returning to the schools New Jersey campuses.

Does a university have the legal authority to coerce a student to consent to a highly invasive injection of a yet-to-be fully investigated experimental vaccine that does not prevent the spread of disease and poses risk of serious harm. - Children's Health Defense, challenging Rutgers' vaccine mandate

Rutgers was among the first universities in the U.S. to require a COVID vaccine when they announced the policy prior to the start of the 2021 school year. They do offer medical and religious exemptions, but those students are still required to test weekly and show proof of the results.

The Children's Health Defense was founded by Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., and has become a leading opponent of vaccine mandates, particularly in children.

When the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted to include the COVID-19 vaccination in their list of recommended immunizations for children, the group called it "a declaration of war on our children."

They insist the push to mandate COVID vaccines is not about public health, but rather enriching and protecting "Big Pharma."

In the suit against Rutgers, The Children's Health Defense Fund asked the court, "Does a university have the legal authority to coerce a student to consent to a highly invasive injection of a yet-to-be fully investigated experimental vaccine?"

Rutgers defends its vaccine policy, saying they are committed to creating a "safe campus environment." A spokeswoman told NJ.com they believe the policy "is consistent with the legal authority supporting this (the vaccine) policy."

Eric Scott is the senior political director and anchor for New Jersey 101.5. You can reach him at eric.scott@townsquaremedia.com

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