Sacramento, California - State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson today issued the following statement in the wake of continued reports of measles outbreaks nationwide:

"I urge parents to get all the recommended vaccinations for their children. Vaccines help students avoid crippling, debilitating, and costly diseases such as measles, mumps, rubella, and chicken pox. They keep students healthy so they can attend school, learn, and succeed, and they eliminate school disruptions such as those caused by the recent outbreak of measles.

"As a science teacher, I have reviewed the science and can tell you the vaccines have been proven safe and effective for those students who are healthy enough to get the immunizations. They keep your child and your community protected."