LISTEN: Stuart’s conversation with Jay Thomas
VALLEY CITY, N.D. – A father said he was told by a North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services employee that his son, who’s not vaccinated for the measles, was exposed to the disease and needed to be taken home from a wrestling tournament.
On “The Jay Thomas Show” Stuart said he was called at 10:30 PM and told he had to take his son home from the hotel room he was staying at during the Class B East Region Individual Boys’ Wrestling Tournament last weekend in Valley City. He said the Health Department employee told him his son was exposed to the measles at the Northeast Sub-Region Wrestling Dual Tournament at North Border School in Walhalla, North Dakota the week before. Stuart said his son has a religious vaccine exemption in order to attend school.
Stuart said he called the employee the day after he was told to take his son home.
“She stepped back a little bit and said it was a recommendation. I’m like ‘That was not a recommendation. You never came across like it was a recommendation last night.’ She told us that he needed to be out of there. I said ‘Is it alright if he stays overnight?’ and she said no,” Stuart said.
In a statement, North Dakota Health and Human Services Communications Manager Mindy Michaels wrote reports that HHS staff removed students from hotel rooms or prohibited athletes from competing are not accurate.
“Per Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance, HHS notified parents of all exposed students and provided quarantine guidance,” Michaels said. “After confirming a measles case, HHS conducted routine contact tracing and followed the CDC’s established measles protocols. Because measles is highly contagious before symptoms appear, CDC-aligned guidance recommends temporary exclusion for unvaccinated individuals after exposure.”
The ND HHS website shows there was a person contagious with measles at the tournament in Walhalla on February 7.
“This person, we don’t even know how close the person was even… This person was at an event. Wrestlers and the coaches were not mingling with the crowd,” Stuart said.
Stuart said his son made it to the State Wrestling Tournament with his team and was ranked fifth in the state in his weight class as an individual. He added his son can’t go to school until sometime in March.
Michaels said families who claim immunization exemptions sign a state form acknowledging that, in the event of an exposure or outbreak, temporary exclusion from school or activities may be recommended to protect public health.
North Dakota High School Athletics and Activities Association Media Specialist Tom Mix told Flag Family News the NDHSAA wasn’t aware of the Department of Health’s calls to Stuart and the organization wasn’t contacted by him or HHS regarding the Valley City wrestling tournament.
You can read North Dakota Health and Human Services Communications Manager Mindy Michaels’ full statement below.
“North Dakota Health and Human Services (HHS) is aware of questions related to measles guidance following a recent North Dakota High School Activities Association regional wrestling tournament in Valley City.
Reports that HHS staff removed students from hotel rooms or prohibited athletes from competing are not accurate. HHS did not remove any child or issue legal orders.
Per Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance, HHS notified parents of all exposed students and provided quarantine guidance.
After confirming a measles case, HHS conducted routine contact tracing and followed the CDC’s established measles protocols. Contact tracing often includes multiple locations and events where exposure may have occurred, and outreach is part of standard public health practice. Because measles is highly contagious before symptoms appear, CDC-aligned guidance recommends temporary exclusion for unvaccinated individuals after exposure.
We understand how disappointing it can be for students and families when health precautions affect activities like wrestling and school events. These situations are difficult, and we approach them with empathy, care and public safety.
All immunization guidance is recommendation-based. Families retain medical decision-making authority, including lawful exemptions. Families who claim immunization exemptions sign a state form acknowledging that, in the event of an exposure or outbreak, temporary exclusion from school or activities may still be recommended to protect public health. Language in the state form aligns with language in letters that are sent from HHS alerting individuals of their exposure risk. Our focus is on providing clear, respectful communication and protecting the health of students and communities.”
