Dear Dr. Edward A. Salina and the Plainedge School Board,

As the faithful parents or legal guardians of children attending Plainedge Public Schools, we urge you to contact Governor Cuomo and the NYS Legislator to implore them to support parental rights and vote against compulsory HPV and flu vaccinations. 

We believe that representatives in Albany do not know, understand, and respect the individual needs of our children.  We believe that their decision to sponsor and support bills mandating the inoculation of the HPV and flu vaccines is an overreach by the government.  Furthermore, the decision by our elected officials to compel participation in such vaccination programs through the threat of denying a public or private education is a violation of basic human rights.

The HPV vaccine targets a disease that is overwhelmingly spread through intimate, sexual contact.  When examined closely, its efficacy is questionable and because we don't have a public health crisis to address it should not be mandatory to be administered.  Furthermore, there is increasing evidence to support that the administration of this vaccine has caused irreparable damage to the health of those that received it. 

The flu vaccine does target an easily communicable disease; however, the poor efficacy of the vaccine is well-documented, as are its potential side-effects.  According to the CDC's own published statistics, we have seen many years where the flu vaccine's effectiveness has been been below 50% and it declines further for school-aged children. (https://www.cdc.gov/flu/vaccines-work/past-seasons-estimates.html)

Accordingly, we respectfully and strongly implore you to write a letter in support of parental rights with regards to this issue to our state government representatives.  Please let our politicians in Albany know that the Plainedge Public School Administration and Board of Education (similar to other school districts in NYS) stands firmly with its parents and students for the right to choose what gets injected in their bodies.