If the compliance rate for vaccinations among school children is so high in most U.S. communities, why should parents and local school systems be so concerned over the fact that more children aren’t vaccinated? Or should they be concerned at all?  Could anything really bad happen if 5-10% of children 0-6 years of age aren’t vaccinated?

Flash Point #2 

The Problem:  Since our founding as a nation in 1776, the medical community in the United States has repeatedly documented the value of immunization for various kinds of preventable diseases.

Yet even with the high rate of compliance of vaccination for children, there are a significant number of young children in the U.S. who have not been fully vaccinated with the most critical of vaccines. Our text attributes lack of proper immunization to: cost, lack of access to vaccines, uneducated parents and confusion over the CDC- recommended vaccine schedule.

Added to these four items, there are a persistent number of parents who continue to refuse to immunize their children due to religious objections and/or fears that vaccines will cause mental disorders (such as autism) in their children.

Directions:  Your Analysis and Discussion

1. Go to https://vaccines.procon.org/  (copy and paste into your computer’s browser).
2. Read all information associated with this website, including all “Pro” versus “Con” arguments and information (background and quotes) on the vaccines controversy for K-12 children/adolescents.

3. Answer the following questions listed below. Answer each of the following questions with at least a 50-word response for each set of questions.  It doesn’t matter which stand you take, except that you choose either “pro” or “con”, and provide a reason for your answer, backed up by your reading (cite at least two items from this ProCon). (In addition, you may include other researched articles to your two citations from “ProCon” for this issue, if you wish).  But you must include Pro Con as a primary (first) source of information.  Cite your ProCon/other sources using APA.  -1 points each question if you forget. Less than 50 words for each of 3 answers = points off, Instructor discretion!

4. You can’t choose both “Pro” and “Con”. Automatic 5 points off FlashPoint #2!  Take a stand!
5. Post your original answers to the questions in the FlashPoint Forum by Friday March 4 at 11:59 pm.
6. Remember to number your answers to match the questions.
7. Do not repeat the question when you write out your answers.
8. As before, select two of your fellow students’ posts and respond to what they have written.

Questions to be Answered: 

1. If the compliance rate for vaccinations among school children is so high in most U.S. communities, why should parents and local school systems be so concerned over the fact that more children aren’t vaccinated? Or should they be concerned at all?  Could anything really bad happen if 5-10% of children 0-6 years of age aren’t vaccinated?
2. If a parent maintains that their child(ren) should acquire immunization “naturally” by getting any disease once as “immunization”, should any kind of Authority—the public or private schools, community school requirements, or even other concerned parents– be able to force parents to comply with what the community school system requires?  Why should/shouldn’t local authorities have this right?
3. If parents are objecting to children being vaccinated on the basis of religion, should parents be forced to comply with the law anyway? Would forcing parents/their children to comply violate any of the First 10 Amendments to our Constitution (our Bill of Rights) such as Freedom of Religion or Due Process? Explain.