Should public health be prioritized above individual rights? Nowhere is this question more hotly debated than on the topic of requiring vaccinations.

Vaccinations have been a divisive topic for decades, and the conversation has been heightened even more in recent years. Parents argue over the legality of state government and public schools requiring them to get their children vaccinated, and the governments and schools argue over the possible health hazards of unvaccinated children entering public schools.

The federal government doesn’t require citizens to be vaccinated – it varies from state to state. Every state requires vaccinations for mumps, measles, rubella, polio, tetanus and diphtheria toxoids, pertussis, haemophilus influenza type B, and hepatitis B. The states are also in control over who gets exempted from that state’s required vaccinations. They can choose what circumstances allow a person to be exempted from a certain vaccination. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), some states, such as Maine and Louisiana, offer both religious and philosophical exemption from vaccinations. The majority of states provide religious exemption, but not philosophical or moral exemption. Then there are three states, California, Mississippi, and West Virginia that don’t allow children to be exempted from vaccines at all.

Supporters of required vaccination explain that keeping children vaccinated isn’t just beneficial for that individual, but it guarantees the safety of others in society. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, “most childhood vaccines are 90%-99% effective in preventing disease.” They also explain that millions of children around the world are saved from disease due to receiving vaccinations.
Major health organizations such as the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Food and Drug Association (FDA), and American Medical Association (AMA) guarantee vaccines are safe, and highly recommend parents get their children vaccinated.

Those who are opposed to required vaccinations for philosophical or moral reasons believe vaccines are dangerous, and that the government shouldn’t force people to get vaccinated or force their children to be vaccinated if the parents do not feel it necessary. The people who oppose required vaccines for religious reasons argue that the law would infringe on their first amendment right, which states “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” Many court cases over this argument have happened. In one specific court case, Phillips vs The City of New York, some people such as Nicole Phillips felt that being forced to commit an act against their religion is against the Constitution, even though it is for their safety. The outcome of this case was that students with religious exemption from vaccines can attend school, but can get sent home if there is thought to be an outbreak.

Looked at through a constitutional lens, the conflict over vaccination laws becomes a simple question of: “Is public health more important than the First Amendment?” Paint Branch NSL teacher Mr. Miller feels that it is an issue of conflicting rights. He believes public health is more important than the First Amendment because it is for the health of others.
Major health organizations such as the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Food and Drug Association (FDA), and American Medical Association (AMA) guarantee vaccines are safe, and highly recommend parents to get their children vaccinated.

This question then leads people to consider which vaccines should be required for everyone regardless of religion, and how do people prove that their religion exempts them from vaccines. Regardless of being a parent or not, the issue of required vaccinations affects all Americans.