Vaccination In Children

We the people deserve the right to be free. We the people deserve the right of religion. We the people deserve the right to refuse to force children to get medical vaccinations before attending a public school. For decades, the altercation between whether children should be vaccinated or not has been debated between many parents, teachers, and even federal level officials. Should the United States put public safety before civil rights? Practicing religious beliefs is an essential freedom provided in the country and has a major impact on the foundation of the United States. The enforcement of vaccinations in children is not constitutional; therefore, parents and children have the right to refuse vaccinations for it is against some religious

Some parents seek to opt out of these requirements do to “religious, medical or philosophical reasons”(O 'Neil). Each parent can refuse the pressure put on from society for their child to get vaccinated. Schools should have the right to encourage the act of getting an immunization but do not have the right to discourage and refuse children who do not believe in medicine. In the first amendment of the Constitution it allows any citizens to practice the “free exercise of religion”(Cornell University), so forcing a child to take part in the medical standards that are against their or their parents belief system strips the family from their constitutional rights. The foundation of America is built on having freedom. Not allowing for the practice of religion or certain beliefs limits American’s ability to remain free from government control. Each parent or child who refuses has the “constitutional right to do so” (Karst) and this refusal is validated because adults with children have “parental rights”(Field). When a set religion or belief system establishes that they are against medical vaccinations, they have the right to argue. No established religion is set in the United States so informing a family that a child must be vaccinated pressures against their belief system; consequently, the performance of this action is purely unconstitutional. Schools requiring immunizations

The argument that this will increase the susceptibility of sickness in other children attending schools. Although, this isn’t necessarily incorrect, if other students are vaccinated they will be immune to the virus already. Viruses are less of a threat to the children who are vaccinated but pose more of a threat to the children who have not been vaccinated and those parents who choose not to vaccinate are “aware of the health risks”(Dubbo Daily Liberal) that it poses. This act is a choice built on their belief system which is protected by the Constitution. The only issue raised from the lack of immunization is considered to be public safety. In the case of Jacobson v. Massachusetts the argument began whether public safety or civil rights were more important. The case dealt with “equating invasions of the body with the general run of restrictions on liberty”(Karst). It dragged for years because of its importance for civil liberties have the right to trump public safety in some situations, this being one of them. Families have the right to stand up with their beliefs that contradict with getting vaccinated. This case proved that civil rights are important, not only privately, but also in a public setting. Moreover, civil rights in terms of vaccination can outweigh public