[standardUser]

Various vaccines have been mandatory for schoolchildren in the US for 100 years.

So if this is "grim", it's been grim since before you were born. Guess that slippery slope takes a while?

[giantg2]

It's not totally mandatory. They allow for exceptions and there's the option of home schooling.

[ghaff]

Some states have significantly cut back on exemptions that aren't for valid medical reasons and home schooling isn't really a viable option for many people.

In addition, although I don't know if the case would stand up today, the Supreme Court has held that states can require vaccinations generally. (A 1905 case involving Massachusetts and smallpox vaccination.)

[dang]

Please omit swipes from your comments here. Your comment would be fine without the last bit.

https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html

[standardUser]

Fair enough, but "slippery slope" is a particularly well-known logical fallacy and it seems worth pointing out when someone invokes it as the crux of their argument. Next time I'll use better words.