Have we figured out how to approach issues concerning parental rights, children, and the public good?

Sometimes it seems that people talk as though we have a pretty good idea of how to balance parental rights, child welfare, and the public good. But do we really?

Sometimes there is an issue (vaccinations) that exposes a point of friction between parental rights vs. the health of the child vs. the public good. Often, however, this friction is characterized as something unique to the vaccination issue, simply ignored, or presented in such a way that gives the impression that we act rationally and consistently when it comes to any other issues that are the result of these competing interests.

We can say that we care about the health of all children, and that parents do not have the right to risk the health of their children. But what does this even mean? Do we legislate nutrition and how we feed our children? Is breastfeeding legally mandated? Are we prosecuting parents who feed their kids McDonald’s or other garbage? Do we demand that parents not expose their kids to air pollution in inner city apartments, or wood smoke from fire pits? Are we considering prosecuting parents who are not making sure their kids get enough physical activity?

And what about educational considerations? Certainly parents may expose their kids to all kinds of unscientific woo or religion. Then there are simply environments lacking in sufficient intellectual stimulation. What about kids who watch tv all day?

Then there are the public good considerations. These brains will be entering the public as voting adults in the future. What should we consider when balancing the right of the public to not have to take on the costs that will likely result in allowing parental rights to trump individual health of the children? These kids will grow up less healthy and will put a strain on healthcare. The lack of education and exposure to decidedly unscientific dogma will put them in a position to vote in a way that will likely harm society.

Note: I am just running with a thought here. I haven’t even begun to cover all of the variables involved. But my point is – don’t we have a ton of work to do here to determine how we make decisions like these? It seems that the “how” has simply been pushed under the rug by many people who feel that it’s already been figured out. Has it?