600 Pupils Lacking Measles Vaccinations Are Sent Home

More than 600 South Bay students were sent home this week because they could not prove they had been immunized against measles.

Paul Mackey, administrator of special services for the Torrance Unified School District, said an audit by the county Department of Health Services found that 270 district students lacked proof of immunizations and they were sent home Monday and Tuesday from South High School and 11 other district schools. South High reported an outbreak of 46 measles cases that began in late November.

Most of the students who were sent home had shown proof of vaccination or been vaccinated by Tuesday and are due back in school today, he said.

County officials also audited the immunization records at the private Bishop Montgomery High School in Torrance because the school played a basketball tournament with South High in early December. On Monday, 369 Bishop Montgomery students were sent home until they could prove compliance with state measles immunization requirements. They also are expected back in school today.

Smaller numbers were sent home from Rolling Hills High and Ridgecrest Intermediate schools in the Palos Verdes Unified District.

Since January, 1968, state law has required that children enrolling in schools show proof of immunization against measles or prove that they have had measles. The only exemptions are for medical reasons or religious beliefs.