Pierre, S.D. (October 21, 2022) – In response to the CDC adding COVID-19 treatments to the recommended children’s immunizations schedule, the South Dakota Freedom Caucus released the following statement:

The South Dakota Freedom Caucus passed a resolution in July of this year affirming parental medical rights and rejecting any forced child COVID-19 mandates, which work to erode the rights of parents to make informed medical decisions for their children. We join several of our state freedom caucuses around the country in rejecting such efforts by the CDC which have once again severely damaged the credibility of the medical community and have posed risks to our children’s health and wellbeing.

Today we reiterate our stand against such forced mandates, which current studies and information indicate may pose a serious medical risk to our youth with little known benefit due to the nearly negligible hospitalization and mortality rate from COVID-19 infections with minor children, as reported by the Center for Disease Control (CDC). (Hospitalization and Death by Age, COVID-19, Center for Disease Control)

“The current presidential administration, and the unconstitutional CDC, have made it clear that they intend to hinder our rights of making medical decisions for our children”, said Freedom Caucus Chair Aaron Aylward, “and we want to make it clear, that we will fight for the rights of South Dakota parents to keep their children safe.”

We are calling on our Governor, Secretary of Health, Secretary of Education, our fellow legislators and our local school boards to reject any effort to make such experimental medical treatment mandatory in order to receive a public education, which is guaranteed by our South Dakota Constitution Article 8 § 1.

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