Punish Real Child Endangerment: Parents Refusing Life-Saving Vaccines

It is deeply troubling that some Republican lawmakers propose charging parents with abuse for supporting their transgender children. Yet, when parents recklessly endanger their children’s lives by refusing proven vaccinations, there is a deafening silence. This hypocrisy is glaring and unacceptable. In Gaines County, Texas, an unvaccinated 6-year-old girl tragically died from measles—the first such death in the U.S. in a decade. Despite this, her parents continue to reject vaccinations, influenced by anti-vaccine misinformation (The Texas Tribune, March 20, 2025). This outbreak has resulted in over 279 cases and 36 hospitalizations, primarily among unvaccinated children (Houston Chronicle, March 18, 2025). Measles is a highly contagious disease that can lead to severe complications, including pneumonia, encephalitis, and death. The MMR vaccine is 97% effective in preventing measles (Vox, March 18, 2025). Refusing to vaccinate not only endangers one’s own children but also threatens public health by undermining herd immunity. I demand immediate legislative action to hold parents accountable for endangering their children’s lives through willful ignorance and refusal to vaccinate. If supporting a transgender child can be misconstrued as abuse, then surely exposing a child to preventable deadly diseases qualifies as reckless endangerment. Our laws must reflect a commitment to protecting all children from harm, based on scientific evidence and public health expertise.