Here
in the USA, this deadly disease was supposedly eradicated years, if not decades
ago - but today it's making a comeback.
Why? Because of moronic,
illiterate, gullible parents who think the measles vaccine is unsafe or causes
autism.
Here are the cold hard facts: the vaccine is perfectly safe. The disease, measles, is much worse. I should know; my younger sister died from
it.
It's one thing to choose one's own medical
treatment, or lack thereof. But these
"anti-vaxxers", as they are known, are potentially endangering all of
us, because if their kid contracts the disease, then he/ she will become a
walking talking virus spreader every time they cough, sneeze, or touch
something.
Aggravating the problem is the
fact that the symptoms may not appear until weeks later, and by then, it's too
late. And schools, with all those kids
in such close proximity, could become measles factories.
Seventeen states, including Texas, allow parents
to sign vaccination waivers for "philosophical" (i.e. non-medical) reasons. The Texas State legislature will be
reconsidering that policy this year, and may join California as a state that previously allowed non-medical waivers,
but changed their mind after a serious measles outbreak.
Any public facility or institution where
people congregate must weigh the pros and cons of enacting policies to protect their
clientele. The owners or managers must
consider factors such as: how likely is
the threat; how much harm would occur if the threat materializes; and how
onerous or invasive would the preventive procedures be to our clients or
potential clients. Thus, those in charge
of operating the schools must decide if vaccinations (or a medical waiver) must
be required for all who enter their doors.
But when the institution in question is run
by the GOVERNMENT, then things get a bit murky.
One may, of course, hold that measles is indeed a deadly serious threat to
our children and staff, and the institution will
take measure to protect them, and if you don't like it, that's too bad.
On
the other hand, one may say that choosing medical treatment is a very personal
decision and we, the parents, surely don't want to put our kid at risk of getting
autism; and besides we pay TAXES so my kid can get an education via the public
school system. (Stupid, yes, but hey,
people have a right to be stupid.)
The issue here is not the pros and cons
of the medical treatment in question; rather, it's all about government-provided,
tax-supported services, and who has a "right" to use them.
But there is a simple and logical
solution to this dilemma: Instead of
entrusting politicians and bureaucrats with the all-so-important task of
educating our children, let's get government out of the education business. The whole vaccination issue just highlights how
unworkable a one-size-fits-all education policy really is.
If schools were run by the free market,
then you could have one school company whose policy would be: Come one, come all! Everyone is welcome to come to our school for
an education, and we will not dictate your medical treatment. Then another school company could say: Nobody walks into this building without a
medical form certifying that you have been vaccinated (or have a medical waiver).
Let the market figure out which business
model works best. (I made the same
argument regarding airport security: let the
airlines figure out the best balance between safety versus customer
satisfaction.)
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