Topic Strings

Purpose: This paragraph is intended to prove that the division between two groups created by the Vaccine Debate (anti-vaccine and pro-vaccine), is creating a problem for schools and the transmission of diseases amongst students.

     A strong divide remains to this day between those in support of vaccinations and those in opposition to vaccinations. While this feud continues, more people choose not to vaccinate their children. Just two years ago, a few Los Angeles schools had “up to 60 to 70 percent of parents” refusing to vaccinate their children using a personal belief exemption (Khazan). To the dismay of the remaining 30 to 40 percent of parents who did have their children vaccinated, “A community can only be protected when 92 percent or more of a population is immunized” (Khazan). Therefore, as the anti-vaccination movement continues to grow, protection from infectious diseases through vaccination becomes less and less effective. Consequently, the outcome of this debate will have a profound outcome on the spread of communicable diseases and the health of American citizens.

Characters that should be the focus of the paragraph:

·      Divide/debate/feud.

·      Those in support/opposition

·      Personal belief exemptions

·      Spread of communicable diseases

Rewrite:

     The divide between pro-vaccine and anti-vaccine movements has created conflict amongst parents of school-aged children. This conflict is fueled by mandatory vaccination laws, which imply explicit government support of vaccinations. In the past, personal belief exemptions provided loopholes for parents who did not vaccinate their children. In fact, “up to 60 to 70 percent of parents” in the Los Angeles area alone used these exemptions to avoid immunizations for various personal reasons. Although many of these exemptions are valid reasons to avoid vaccines, they defeat the purpose of vaccines when used in abundance. To be truly successful, vaccines need to be used by “92 percent or more of a population” (Khazan). By requiring the vaccination of the majority of school-aged children, mandatory vaccination laws reduce the spread of communicable diseases.

Topic Position	Stress Position
The divide between pro-vaccine and anti-vaccine movements	has created conflict amongst parents of school-aged children.
This conflict	is fueled by mandatory vaccination laws, which imply explicit government support of vaccinations.
In the past, personal belief exemptions	provided loopholes for parents who did not vaccinate their children. In fact, “up to 60 to 70 percent of parents” in the Los Angeles area alone used these exemptions to avoid immunizations for various personal reasons.
Although many of these exemptions are valid reasons to avoid vaccines	, they defeat the purpose of vaccines when used in abundance.
To be truly successful, vaccines	need to be used by “92 percent or more of a population” (Khazan).
By requiring the vaccination of the majority of school-aged children,	mandatory vaccination laws reduce the spread of communicable diseases.

Topic sentence:

The divide between pro-vaccine and anti-vaccine individuals in the United States has infiltrated the school system, creating issues for parents on both sides of divide.