90 unvaccinated students told to stay home amid chickenpox outbreak in Agoura Hills

AGOURA HILLS, Calif. (KABC) -- Nearly 100 students at Mariposa Elementary School in Agoura Hills were told to stay home as the school district deals with an outbreak of the chickenpox.

"A lot of my friends' kids are home because they're not vaccinated. My kids are vaccinated," parent Emily Baron said.

Ninety of the 400 students on campus are not vaccinated, which is nearly 25 percent of the school. The unvaccinated students have been told to stay home for three weeks to prevent the spread of the disease.

"When the third case popped in a window span that covered three grades, the health department said we need to start excluding students who are unvaccinated," said Dan Stepenosky, superintendent of Las Virgenes Unified School District.

Vaccinations are a hot topic, and some parents said they have strong opinions on the matter.

"I feel that parents have their rights to do whatever they want. But I feel that they shouldn't put other children in jeopardy," grandparent Maria Bartush said.

New law SB277 requires any kindergartener or seventh grader be vaccinated. Parent Azar Karami Ghobadi believes forcing students to be immunized is a violation of her civil rights as a parent.

"The families have their own values and maybe religious values or scientific beliefs that they don't want a vaccination," she said.