Hollywood’s Vaccine Wars: 20 Most Notable L.A. Schools at Risk of Disease

Hollywood's Vaccine Wars: 20 Most Notable L.. Schools Risk of Disease — Disease baby illo - H 2014
Illustration by: John Gall

Which schools in elite L.A. enclaves like Pacific Palisades and Malibu could put your kids at the highest risk for contracting key diseases?

The Hollywood Reporter crunched the numbers and found that the Westside Waldorf School and Children’s Creative Workshop are at a serious risk for whooping cough, an illness currently classified as an epidemic in California. Numerous educational facilities in Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, Venice and other affluent Westside communities also are registering an elevated danger potential for whooping cough, as well as for diphtheria, measles, mumps and rubella.

The risk is due to the high percentage of parents in these areas who have opted to fill out a Personal Belief Exemption academic form rather than complete the standard immunization requirements for their children.

At the above schools, as well as the Waldorf Early Childhood Center in Santa Monica, the City of Beverly Hills Coldwater Park Preschool and First Years Preschool in Venice, more than 36 percent of parents have submitted these exemption documents, with a whopping 75 percent of parents at Pacific Palisades’ Westside Waldorf School taking the filing exemption.

THR reached out for comment to dozens of Westside educational facilities whose PBE levels ranked among the area’s highest. Only a minority responded, with officials at just four schools revealing that they’re worried.

Creative Children’s Workshop director Shari Latta was one of those who expressed unease, saying, “I have been concerned. I’d prefer that children be immunized. We’ve been fortunate to avoid any outbreaks.”

Read The Hollywood Reporter‘s special report on the Hollywood vaccine wars here and below:

Hollywood’s Vaccine Wars: L.A.’s “Entitled” Westsiders Behind City’s Epidemic

Hollywood’s Biggest Anti-Vaccine Proponents

Hollywood Vaccination Fail: Why L.A. Schoolkids Are Getting Sick