Vaccine Viewpoints—Day 12—Writing—Develop Claims
Todd Cotterman
Parents have a lot to be concerned about today. They carefully
supervise time spent in front of the television or at the computer and
shuttle children between school and extracurricular activities. One
thing parents should not be worried about is vaccinating their kids;
still, the debate rages on.
A growing number of parents are choosing not to vaccinate their
children. While there are legitimate reasons not to vaccinate,
including certain medical conditions that compromise immune
systems, many parents are objecting to vaccination shots for
philosophical reasons. The real culprit undermining the public’s
safety is a baseless claim that vaccinations lead to autism.
Autism is a complex developmental disease with no known cause or
cure. Symptoms usually present themselves before the age of three.
Proponents of the autism-vaccine link argue that the fact that many
autism diagnoses occur during the time many toddlers receive their first immunizations is more than just coincidence. The
Centers for Disease Control found that there is no link between vaccines and autism. The recent rise in autism is scary, but
blaming vaccines shifts the focus away from finding the true cause of this disease.
Parents put their children in serious danger by not immunizing. The diseases we immunize against are not gone and they are
still deadly. Even chicken pox, a seemingly innocent disease, can kill. Choosing not to immunize endangers sick children and
infants who cannot receive shots. It also undermines the community immunity. Unvaccinated individuals make it easier for
diseases to spread.
Vaccination should not be a choice, but more states are passing laws that allow parents to send their children to school without
their shots. Vaccines are not perfect; there is always some risk. But the risk is negligible when we consider the threat an
unvaccinated society presents to us all.
Question:
Using the passage, identify the type of claim for each statement A-D. For each, explain HOW you recognized the type of
claim (e.g.,value judgment, policy, factual).
A. Autism is not caused by vaccinations.
B. It is more important to consider the entire community when deciding whether or not to vaccinate an individual.
C. Children not immunized are in serious danger.
D. Vaccination should be mandatory in the United States.