Even as national surveys show Americans drawing away from religion, more American children are using religion to waive recommended school vaccinations. Even before some California school districts ordered students in certain age groups to get immunized against COVID-19, research showed the percentage of kindergarteners whose parents claim vaccines conflict with their religious beliefs was on the rise. A December 2019 analysis published in Pediatrics finds an estimated 1.7% of kindergarteners nationwide received religious exemptions to vaccination during the 2017-18 academic year. Four years earlier, 1.1% of kindergarteners did. Schools, employers and higher education institutions with vaccination mandates typically permit exemptions based on religion or medical reasons. In many states, public and private schools serving kids in kindergarten through 12th grade also allow exemptions based on personal beliefs or philosophies, which generally, allow parents to opt out of vaccines simply because they oppose them. The American Academy of Pediatrics supports the …