As a parent, I believe every family deserves the best chance to keep their children safe and healthy. But when it comes to vaccines, too many Texans in rural areas are making decisions based on fear, misinformation, or lack of access to trusted guidance.

Now a measles outbreak in Gaines County has sickened dozens of people, mostly children from a Mennonite community in Seminole, Texas.

According to NBC News, most of those infected were unvaccinated—not because they didn’t care, but because public health information hasn’t reached them in ways that feel respectful or relatable.

This didn’t have to happen.

That’s why I’m calling on the Texas Department of State Health Services and the state legislature to fund culturally sensitive vaccine education in rural and home-schooling communities.

This isn’t about mandates. It’s about outreach—using trusted local voices to explain how vaccines work, answer questions, and prevent future tragedies.

Many families in these areas are open to learning but aren’t being reached. When doctors don’t speak their language—literally or culturally—misunderstandings grow, and preventable diseases spread.

Texas can do better. Let’s invest in education, not misinformation. Let’s help families make informed choices before more children get sick.

Please sign if you believe every Texan deserves access to trustworthy vaccine information—no matter where they live.