Alabama AG Supports West Virginia Vaccine Case
The Supreme Court weighs a challenge to school mandates that lack religious exemptions.
Updated on Oct. 20, 2026 in Homeschooling
Live Poll
Should public schools be required to grant religious exemptions for student vaccination mandates?
Attorney General Steve Marshall has joined an amicus brief supporting an Upshur County family in a legal battle over West Virginia's vaccination law. The case challenges the state's requirement that students in public virtual schools be fully vaccinated.
Why it matters
The case highlights a national debate over whether public school vaccination mandates without religious exemptions violate the rights of families who hold sincere faith-based objections.
The Perry family student was enrolled in a public virtual academy for 16 months before being disenrolled. West Virginia remains one of the states that does not permit religious or philosophical exemptions for school vaccination mandates.
The players
Steve Marshall
He is the Attorney General of Alabama who joined the amicus brief in support of the Perry family.
Krystal and Anthony Perry
They are the parents from Upshur County, West Virginia, who challenged the state's school vaccination policy.
United States Supreme Court
This is the nation's highest judicial body, which is currently considering whether to hear the appeal.
The details
Krystal and Anthony Perry sought to keep their daughter in a virtual public academy while declining vaccines due to their Christian faith. After a district court issued a preliminary injunction to allow her enrollment, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the decision, leading the family to petition the Supreme Court.
Timeline
The student attended the virtual academy for 16 months before her disenrollment.
Culture Shift
This case reflects a broader national tension between public health mandates and the rising movement for religious exemptions in education. It signals a shift as families increasingly leverage the legal system to challenge institutional requirements that conflict with their personal beliefs.
Families in the state currently face mandatory vaccination policies for enrollment in public virtual programs. This case could determine whether religious objectors are granted new exemptions from these educational requirements.
The takeaway
The Supreme Court decision will clarify the extent to which states can enforce uniform vaccine mandates across virtual education platforms. For affected parents, this case remains the primary pathway to securing potential religious accommodations under state law.
Further reading
Find more context on local education regulations on the West Virginia Homeschooling page.
Live Poll
Should public schools be required to grant religious exemptions for student vaccination mandates?
