Outrage after Texas pastor brags online about his school having the state’s lowest measles vaccination rate: ‘We celebrate it’

Instagram users have some harsh words for a Texas pastor who is celebrating his Christian church’s private school having the state’s lowest vaccination rate for measles amid a deadly outbreak of the highly contagious virus.

Mercy Culture Church Lead Pastor Landon Schott posted a video to the platform on Wednesday to commend the K-12 preparatory school.

“I just want to congratulate all the family members of MC Prep that embrace freedom of health, and they’re not allowing government or science projects to affect how you live and lead your life,” Schott told his more than 47,000 Instagram followers.

“I know the entire world was shut down with insanity and people were fired from their jobs,” he said, “for forced vaccinations.”

Schott’s remarks, which have been shared by multiple news outlets, have resulted in criticism from other social media users.

“Absolutely nutty that you brag about this, you are the uneducated that the administration loves to hurt so much,” user @sheeeshmayne said on Instagram.

“That’s not something to be proud of. Wouldn’t God want you to take every precaution to keep your kids healthy? Just no, this isn’t the flex y’all think it is!” exclaimed @helenheard.

“An UNVACCINATED child died in Texas February 26, 2025!” said @amberdwhitfieldaw. “Maybe go visit the west Texas hospital where the unvaccinated measles children are being treated. Mostly because they can’t breathe on their own. You are truly a nut job.”

However, others, including the school, wrote comments of support.

“We love it! 👏 #1,” the school said.

“I absolutely LOVE that we’re celebrating this,” Instagram user @deidrameckel wrote.

Only 14.3 percent of kindergarteners at the 300-student Fort Worth school were vaccinated for measles for the 2023 to 2024 school years, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram said. It is one of six facilities in North Texas that have less than 50 percent of its kindergarten population vaccinated, according to The Dallas Morning News.

Schott claimed that the news had been trying to spin the school’s low vaccination rate like it was “some awful thing.”

He did not bring up the measles outbreak that’s currently ripping through West Texas. The viral disease has sickened more than 150 people and killed an unvaccinated child. The outbreak has been tied to Gaines County’s “close-knit, undervaccinated” Mennonite community.

Since the initial outbreak, more cases have been reported in neighboring New Mexico and other states around the country.

Medical experts are urging residents to get vaccinated, and have opened mobile clinics.

“The only effective way to prevent measles is the MMR vaccine,” said American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Infectious Diseases Chair Dr. Sean O’Leary.