I hear ya, sister. (I also hear you.)

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This week on Mom.me, I wrote about the passing of the California vaccine bill, which has been a huge source of controversy in my home state. 

For those unfamiliar, Governor Brown signed a bill earlier this week that would prevent unvaccinated children from attending school. 


According to the website, Vaccinate California"The current rate of vaccination in too many of California's schools is below the level needed for 'herd immunity' -- the critical percentage needed to prevent small outbreaks from spreading and become epidemics."

...Via the L.A. Times: 


I think we can all agree that this is a problem. I would hope we would all agree.  Because it isn't JUST about YOUR children or MY children, it's about OUR community of children. Of course every parent wants what's best for their child, but it would do us all a service of good to want what's best for our neighbor's child as well. It takes a village to keep a community safe, healthy and alive and this bill, in my opinion, protects the community, which I appreciate. It puts community health before individual concerns and here in California, someone's got to...


...Still. I have to admit, this whole Vaccine Bill scares me a little. It scares me to see my governor play parent to our state's parents. (Even if I wholeheartedly disagree with them.) I have always erred on the side of Question Everything and I get a bit twitchy thinking of ANYONE being stripped of their right to choose what is right for their children. That said, I do not feel twitchy when someone is stripped of a right to choose what infringes on someone else's child's rights. And that is kind of where I am today. I have friends who do not vaccinate and they will always be my friends, and I understand if/why they feel slighted and pissed off because of Brown's ruling...

...And so, while I understand the anti-vaxxer frustration, I also recognize the importance of this bill. And if I had to pick a side, it would be Team Brown. Reluctantly, sure, but there you have it. I am frustrated that it had to get to this point, but here we are--instating bills in order to maintain herd immunity and protect our children and communities. 



GGC

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