Constitutional Amendment Proposal

One of the things that not all parents agree on is whether or not there should be a law making vaccinations mandatory. The public school system requires all students to be immunized. There have been so many published reports, articles, television programs, public service announcements, and other public attention being paid to all sides of this issue.

Mandatory vaccinations have been hotly debated in the United States for over two centuries, making the argument almost as old as the country itself. As early as 1809, Massachusetts became the first state to mandate the world’s premiere vaccine. Authorities recognized the life-saving benefits of the smallpox vaccine. They chose to require inoculation to protect the community from further outbreaks. Public outrage ensued as some community members feared the new vaccine and believed they should be able to choose if they wished to receive it. The most vocal protestors formed anti-compulsory vaccination groups and were successful in getting laws overturned in many states. However, even the United States Supreme Court has upheld states’ rights to require immunization. (A) Vaccinations should be

To Vaccinate or not to vaccinate, has been a question many parents in America have been asking themselves for years. Some parents believe that it is their right to decide if their children will be vaccinated; while some states believe that all children should be vaccinated. There are logical and illogical reasons for this argument. There should be a federal law that requires parents to vaccinate their children because it will lower the number of deaths, benefit those children who have lower immune systems, and it can get rid of some diseases all together in the future.

In America, people have the right to practice any religion. Sometimes there are religious beliefs that interfere with what the government wants people to do. If parents do not want their children to have shots because it is against their religion or philosophical reason, there are many states in the U.S. that excuse them from having to get their children vaccinated. “All 50 states issue medical exemptions, 48 states

Vaccines change over time as science makes advancements and diseases processes evolve and emerge. Around 400 BC, Hippocrates recognized the now preventable diseases, such as diphtheria and mumps (Immunization Act Coalition, 2015). The first effort to immunize dates back to the 1100’s when children were inoculated with scabs from individuals who recently had small pox, with a technique coined as variolation. Then in 1796, Edward Jenner successfully created the first small pox vaccine (Immunization Act Coalition, 2015).

The power of the school district is intended to protect the students in the school. However, this does not mean mere physical protection. The school district has a responsibility to protect the rights of students also. They should avoid requiring parents that object to having their children vaccinated to have them vaccinated. Nevertheless, though I disagree, the current precedent is that the schools do have the authority to require students to receive vaccination (Essex, 2012).

The constitutional amendment prohibiting alcohol failed for many reasons, but mostly because it was a change at the national level that did not have national support. One of the defining differences of the United States is that are overall area contributes to vastly different regional societies with unique morals and principles. The idea of a constitutional ban on all alcohol, marijuana, nicotine, or even caffeine could be welcomed by the majority in certain areas of the country but seen as an abject misuse of power by the government in other more liberal areas. For example, many states have already taken the steps to legalize marijuana sale and possession as a result of overwhelming support from a majority of their constituents. A constitutional amendment to ban marijuana would see the rise of much political unrest in these states and the return of drug cartel based distribution and organized criminal activity.

I believe that all children in the United States should be vaccinated against disease. There is a large argument in today society involving childhood vaccinations. The argument is whether children should be forced to have mandatory vaccines, or if parents should be allowed to refuse these vaccines. One of the main reasons that parents are skeptical of vaccines, is because there have been more recorded cases of children experiencing serious side effects after receiving the vaccines. Now with more and more cases of vaccinated diseases popping up all over the country, the issue is becoming serious. According to the CDC, more than 20 percent of children in America are not vaccinated against disease. This poses a serious issue for the

In the United States, the law states that vaccinations are required for children entering school unless they have a valid reason that prevents them from receiving the vaccinations. Starting when children are born, they begin the regimen of vaccinations that continue throughout their adolescent years and adulthood. Each year children receive a variation of shots to protect them from the illnesses they will encounter in the world, especially once they attend school. The most common reasons parents forego getting their children vaccinated are religious beliefs, medical exemptions, and personal beliefs. Due to the rising number of parents declining to get their children vaccinated, the number of outbreaks of preventable diseases has increased. The question is now should parents/guardians be forced to vaccinate their children?

In the first draft of the Constitution, suprisingly few basic rights were included. Thomas Jefferson wrote James Madison, another politician that he was concerned about “the lack of a bill of rights providing clearly for freedom of religion, freedom of the press, and protection against threatening armies." Aware of the need of these basic rights, George Washington pushed Congress to propose amendments that offered rights of citizens and the welfare of the public. Motivated by these important Americans, Congress finally proposed Amendments to the Constitution providing for necessary basic human rights. These Amendments were officially proposed on September 25 in 1789. Of the original twelve proposed Amendments, numbers 3-12 were ratified. Later,

Historically, people have been required to receive vaccinations on a mandatory basis specifically for attending school. The Constitution states that people have the right to refuse medical treatment. However, under the 10th Amendment, each state has a right to mandate protocols such as immunization for public safety (Rosenbaum, 2010).

The question is, should the government mandate vaccines? Those in favor of child vaccinations, believe that they are the greatest health developments of the 20th century. While those against them believe that a child’s immune system permits either a natural or acquired resistance to diseases than putting questionable toxic ingredients into a child’s body. In the US, 50 states require vaccinations for children entering public schools, though no mandatory federal vaccination laws exist. 50 states issue medical exemptions only (1), 48 states (excluding Mississippi and West Virginia) permit religious exemptions, and 31 states exclude Philosophical exemptions. (2)

To amend the constitution, various steps and procedures must be taken. When either Congress (which takes a two-thirds majority vote in both the Senate and the House of Representatives), or a constitutional convention (which takes two-thirds of the State legislatures) want to propose an amendment, they give it to the National Archives and Records Administration. The Congress proposes the amendment as a joint resolution to the National Archives and Records Administrations Office of the Federal Register for the publication process. The Office of the Federal Register adds legislative notes to the joint resolution and publishes it in slip law format. The Office of the Federal Register also puts together an information package for the States

"In the United States, the childhood immunization schedule recommends that children receive approximately 15 vaccinations by 19 months of age, and it specifies ages for administration of each vaccination dose" (Luman, Barker, McCauley, & Drews-Botsch, 2005, p. 1367). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a vaccine is "a product that produces immunity therefore protecting the body from the disease" (Vaccines and Immunizations, 2015). Currently, there are many individuals advocating for and opposing the effects of the administration of vaccinations and immunizations in the United States. There are both legal and ethical issues surrounding the controversy, which include both deliberate and exogenous reasons not to vaccinate, and the mandatory nature that is required by many schooling districts and places of employment. Within this paper, I will discuss some legal implications surrounding vaccination, ethical debates that are current in the topic, as well as my point of view regarding immunizations and vaccinations.

Likewise, some people should not receive vaccinations. These individuals should not receive vaccinations due to their age, health conditions, among other factors. These other conditions are independent depending on the type of vaccination received. “They can range from an individual who cannot swallow, to a pregnant woman, to a person with a life-threatening allergy, to a component in the vaccination” (Hales 543). A small percentage of individuals do not respond to a particular vaccine. ”All states provide medical exemptions, and some state laws also offer exemptions for religious and philosophical reasons” (State Vaccination Requirements). “Some religions even prevent certain parents from vaccinating their children because of their belief that the disease is a naturally occurring thing and humans have no right interfering with it” (Hales 544). However, most state laws establish vaccination requirements for school children. These laws apply to public schools, private schools, and day care centers. “State laws also establish mechanisms for enforcement of school vaccination requirements” (State Vaccination Requirement). “Vaccines save