Jason Hatfield
Entertainment Editor
It’s often seen that
in times of confusion, people stick with what they know.
But when a thoughtful, cautious view turns to pure ignorance, it becomes very problematic.
When everything around is so unknown, it’s easier for many to call the world’s bluffs and to declare foul play. This obsession manifests itself to extreme paranoia and delusion, leading to outlandish claims all backed (very poorly) by shoddy interpretations of the bill of rights.
While I struggle to share this common thought process in most cases (blame it on my young age if you will), I still find it painfully difficult to rationalize the vaccination resistance. Vaccination is not new, nor should it be seen as especially dangerous.
But denial is a tricky thing, a place far out of logic’s typical reach.
Due to its indifference to previous required vaccinations and its effectiveness in keeping people safe and healthy, vaccinations are crucial for students to attend school.
There’s a common argument that most of us have heard many times, the argument that vaccination should be a choice as it is our own liberty. You’ve probably heard a friend make a backhanded comment or uncle spout at the thanksgiving table with the same conviction that vaccination mandates overstep our freedom.
Now sure, it may sound patriotic and all, pointing to the constitution with pure defiance and showing that the government has it all wrong. But the mandatory vaccination to attend school is certainly not overstepping anyone’s freedoms for a number of reasons.
In 2021, the amount of options for independent study has skyrocketed and seems to only be improving. This has, and most likely always will, be an option for students which gives them the liberty they declare they don’t have.
No one has ever refused an education to students for their decision to refuse the vaccine, only these students have made a different decision and have subsequently received different accommodations.bes
Another factor in showing that common liberty is not being overstepped is the fact that unvaccinated people do in fact pose a larger threat to the general population.
Unvaccinated people are more likely to contract covid and subsequently spread covid to anyone. In fact, those who are vaccinated are less likely to get covid, and if they do, usually have it for a shorter period of time, making them less contagious than those who are unvaccinated.
As well, it has been shown that large amounts of unvaccinated people have led to more variants of covid. And with these new variations, Relying on natural immunity doesn’t work against them.
Because unvaccinated people serve as a threat to everyone, these limitations are only fair.
Another thing is that vaccination requirements are not at all a new standard. Students take vaccinations for measles, mumps, and rubella.
These are standard practices in education today and have been for some time, so it’s all the more confusing that people are so firmly against covid vaccinations.
Lastly, the decision against vaccination has been deeply rooted in politics, unfortunately. In fact, the relationship between conservatism and opposition to vaccination isn’t new, as the gap between counties that are conservative vs liberal and their vaccination rate continues to grow (KFF.org).
It is not the school’s responsibility to align with political views and it is a personal decision to deny vaccination as much as it is a personal decision to distance oneself around those who are more likely to spread and create new covid variants.
No, the first amendment has not been shot down by liberal politicians vying for totalitarian control. In reality, the state of California has only established a necessary ruling to help keep students safe at school, a ruling that is completely and totally valid.
