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Should parents be forced to vaccinate children before they can attend school?

Posted by richrobinson 9 years ago to The Gulch: General
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I saw an excellent presentation last night on the risks of vaccination and health problems including autism. Most States currently require vaccinations in order to attend public schools. The argument being if parents don't vaccinate their kids then other kids are at risk. The problem appears to be the number of vaccines being given at the same time and at a very young age. The speaker made it clear that she was not anti-vaccine but wanted all parents to be able to make informed decisions. I don't have kids so I was never faced with this decision. It would seem logical to allow parents to opt out of many of these vaccines if they wanted. It is possible to get exemptions but it seems the State is making it harder and harder to do that.

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  • Posted by CircuitGuy 9 years ago in reply to this comment.
    "Don't confuse real objective science with testing biased to get FDA and AMA approvals."
    If you get funding, do the testing, and find a breakthrough, that's what's science is all about.

    If we ignore it unless there are no biases due to patronage issues, we just give up on science. The answer to every objective question becomes "consider both sides of the controversy because we don't really know anything because our values and biases color everything."
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  • Posted by $ blarman 9 years ago
    I think private institutions should have the right to determine their enrollment criteria, which may include vaccinations. Because the majority of the laws force public education, however, I don't think they have a similar right. One can not say that participation is mandatory and then lay down a list of other things someone must do. That's coercion.

    The problem is that they let the government get away with it in the Obamacare rulings. :S
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  • Posted by richrobinson 9 years ago in reply to this comment.
    The Henry Ford assembly line health care system. Based more on volume than health care. Good info Carl. Thank you.
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  • Posted by richrobinson 9 years ago in reply to this comment.
    That was another point made that advancements in hygiene and nutrition have reduced the need for some of these vaccines. I just wish better information was readily available.
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  • Posted by Herb7734 9 years ago
    First, as an Objectivist, I am against the government forcing any action on its citizens unless it falls under actionable criminality. It is incumbent upon each individual parent to decide about vaccinations. First, find out what they are comprised of. Then check out their side effects both singly and in combination. Then make your decision accordingly. I know you're busy. I know it is a bother. But that's what you signed up for when you opted for parenthood.
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  • Posted by freedomforall 9 years ago in reply to this comment.
    "Medical science" hasn't done proper testing and the industry of "medical science" irrationally believes it has a vested interest in never doing such testing.
    Don't confuse real objective science with testing biased to get FDA and AMA approvals.
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  • Posted by richrobinson 9 years ago in reply to this comment.
    Pennsylvania wants the requirement to include all Public, Private and Home Schooled children. I would like to see a breakdown on how important all these vaccines really are. If they are so necessary then why would we so willingly accept thousands of refugees who probably haven't had 10% of these vaccines if any at all?
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  • Posted by TheOldMan 9 years ago in reply to this comment.
    "...55 total injections..." ?!?!? Where do you live? In Calif, my three children have never had 55 total injections and they are now in their late teens.
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  • Posted by richrobinson 9 years ago in reply to this comment.
    In the 1960's we received a total of 3 injections. In the 1980's it increased to 11. Today there a total of 55 injections. Why not allow parents to choose the 3, 11 or current 55 injections. It seems impossible to get a straight answer on the necessity of all these injections.
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  • Posted by freedomforall 9 years ago in reply to this comment.
    The public school environment is more dangerous to young people due to statist, anti-reason propaganda bias than any alleged danger of contracting childhood diseases.
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  • Posted by TheOldMan 9 years ago in reply to this comment.
    "By the time a baby reaches two years old the quantity is around 36 vaccinations." ?!?! I've had three children in the past 20 years. None of them had 36 vaccinations in the first two years.
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  • Posted by richrobinson 9 years ago in reply to this comment.
    A bill currently being considered in Pennsylvania would require vaccinations for all school age children regardless of Public, Private or home schooling. Certain vaccines do seem necessary for safety but it seems impossible to question weather or not they are all necessary. This is a real hot button issue.
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  • Posted by $ Olduglycarl 9 years ago in reply to this comment.
    Today's vaccines are not your granddaddy's vaccines and they only got a few...also remember, they weren't sheltered from dirt and germs when they were kids either...being exposed to your environment helps the body, your immune system to adapt. Children today no longer have that option.
    Also note, some bloodtypes are more vulnerable to allopathic intrusions than others...no one considers all possibilities.
    I am among the most vulnerable to allopathic idiocies...my body, left alone, does light years better on it's own. Bloodtype B seems to handle most of what allopathic intrusions dish out where as an O, non secreator does not.
    We are all so very different...but they try to treat us the same out of laziness and ignorance.
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  • Posted by Temlakos 9 years ago
    No. The argument assumes (a) perfect safety of vaccines, and (b) certain risk of transmission without vaccines, not to mention certain, irremediable vulnerability on the part of others. My reply: not necessarily. The school would better serve its pupils with a lunch and nutrition-advice program designed to boost a child's natural immunity so that it would be "up to the challenge." And it is up to school administrators to know that alternatives to treating people as if they were cattle (with all this loose talk in the medical profession about "herd immunity" as applied to human beings) do exist.
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  • Posted by Temlakos 9 years ago in reply to this comment.
    I beg to differ. At least one combination vaccine, the MMR, does have a significant correlation with increased incidence of infantile autism and childhood-onset pervasive developmental disorder. I suggest looking at the combinations. Sometimes drugs have little side effect individually but a significant and dangerous side effect in combination. Vaccines should be no different.
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  • Posted by MinorLiberator 9 years ago in reply to this comment.
    I agree. This is an issue of free choice. The only thing that muddies the waters, as it does with many, many otherwise clear issues, is public schools. To that, there is only a political, therefore non-principled, solution. Eliminate public schools, "public" buildings etc and this issue goes away. As would the idiotic bathroom controversy and so on...
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  • Posted by $ Olduglycarl 9 years ago
    Today's vaccines are ineffectual...Harvard students that were vaccinated for mumps came down with mumps...not to mention the mercury.

    If a parent wanted to take the chance then the best protocol would be to space these poison vaccines out over a long period of time; (so the immune system is not compromised to badly). Make this known before you give birth, get something signed in blood and sworn to on video. There are more stupid sheeple in this world than you can imagine. I see in my daily work life; nurses and doctors are the dumbest among them...they have no clue and no inclination to check facts or ask questions.
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  • Posted by jrbirdman 9 years ago
    Should the question be, "Should parents be forced to vaccinate their children before attending school or should parents be forced in sending their children into a school with unvaccinated children?" Does your right to not vaccinate your kids supercede my right to send my kids to school in what I consider to be a safe environment? One's rights only goes as far as it may or may not infringe on the rights and safety of others. Maybe the real decision here is public, private, or home-schooled?
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  • Posted by CircuitGuy 9 years ago in reply to this comment.
    "You DO have the freedom to require your child to live in a restored iron lung for the rest of their days."
    I agree with all the facts in your statement. Vaccines are victim of their own success. They've stopped horrible diseases and now people don't think stopping diseases is that important. You mention the 1918 flu pandemic. It's beyond living memory.

    I think we should err on the side of being nice to anyone in favor of liberty, even if what they're doing seems like a mistake, and even if it incurs costs on others, e.g. decreased herd immunity.
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  • Posted by richrobinson 9 years ago in reply to this comment.
    The hand out I received said 3 billion and that most claims are denied. I think it also said most if not all decisions are sealed. Sounds like the money is just paid with little or no explanation.
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  • Posted by richrobinson 9 years ago in reply to this comment.
    That's incredible. As in any decision information is the key. If information is being withheld or covered up there is a reason.
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