Sen. Kruse has introduced SB 195 concerning student immunization. Because it’s Senator Kruse and because the HPV virus has been something of a flashpoint among social conservatives, that was the provision that most caught my eye. Currently, IC 20-34-4-3(b) provides:
A school that enrolls grade 6 female students shall provide each parent of a female student who is entering grade 6 with information prescribed by the state department of health under subsection (c) concerning the link between cervical cancer and the human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and that an immunization against the human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is available.
Advance Indiana had a good blog post about the debate in 2007 when that provision was being debated. One of the accusations being thrown around at the time was that advocacy for HPV immunization was all about enriching pharmaceutical companies. The fact is that some parents and students might want a relatively low risk, low cost way of reducing the risk of cervical cancer. On the other hand, various social conservatives have tried to make the case that HPV immunization will encourage promiscuity. (HPV being a sexually transmitted infection.) The logic would seem to be that cancer is an appropriate penalty for sinful behavior.
This new bill, SB 195 would eliminate the requirement that a school provide the female students with that information.
Additionally, the bill would generally disassociate schools from the enforcement of immunization requirements and has the immunization provider reporting to a state registry.
Nothing like evidence-free fears to complicate issues. Always start an argument with “What if…” and add some sex-based fear and you have a cause. And so, what if a kid decides to do the dirty deed? Seems to me that not getting cervical cancer is not such a bad thing. Maybe they could also be told that the HPV shot will not protect one from other STDs or pregnancy, and that might serve as (horrors!) some helpful sex education. But you don’t want kids to know too much, because what if they know a lot about sex education? They might start having sex, sort of like they do now.
Jobs!
The second part is actually a good idea–fact-free parents who are willing to kill, permanently maim, or sicken “their” children because of their religion or willingness to fall for anti-gay lies can no longer use home school as a way to evade vaccination requirements and put “their” children as well as the rest of society at risk.
Read “anti-gay” as “anti-vax” and chalk it up to autocorrect on my Kindle.