The discovery of vaccines prevented the spread of infectious diseases throughout the world. Vaccines control the spread of diseases such as measles, tuberculosis, smallpox and influenza. Furthermore, vaccines improve the overall health of not only individuals, but populations. While these benefits are proven to be effective on a global scale, requiring children to be vaccinated to enter the public school system remains a current public health concern. Some argue that vaccines are dangerous for children and can lead to adverse effects. Others argue that requiring children to be vaccinated before entering school protects the health of those who attend school. These opinions create a challenge among parents who must decide whether or not to vaccinate their children without taking into account the benefits that vaccinations bring. The absence of federal regulation compounds the issue as many claim that states are violating constitutional law. States require children to be vaccinated before they are enrolled in the public school system. The Tenth Amendment of the Bill of Rights gives states the authority to enforce public health recommendations. It is through this power that states are able to mandate vaccinations, such as vaccinating children so they can be enrolled in public schools. According to Alexandria Stewart, some have opposed this view by arguing that states have no right to implement such policies (Stewart 2008, 801-803). Opponents adhere to the rights granted to them by the First and Fourteenth Amendments. Stewart points out that courts have held that policies adopted by states to vaccinate children do not constitute a violation of the First and Fourteenth Amendments because states reserve the right to protect...vaccinated before entering the public school system. Some argue that the government should not interfere in people's health decisions, while others argue that getting vaccinated helps protect overall health. However, vaccinations have helped reduce preventable deaths in the United States, and a mandatory federal law should be enacted so that all children can be vaccinated. Works Cited Alan, Hinman R., Orenstein A. Walter, Williamson E. Don, and Darrington Denton. Childhood vaccination: laws that work. Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics 2002: 30, (3): 122-27. Khalili, Donya and Arthur Caplan. "Off the Grid: Vaccinations among home-schooled children. The Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics 2007: 35(3): 471-77. Stewart, Alexandra. Childhood vaccine laws and school entry: the case of the HPV vaccine. Public Health Reports November - December 2008:123 (6): 801-803.