Dallas, Texas (SMU) As enforcement questions swirl around new vaccination rules for federal workers and the military, SMU medical ethics expert Tom Mayo is intrigued by the possible influence the mandates may have on the general public.
Public attitudes seem to be shifting quickly as the risks associated with the Delta variant of the COVID-19 virus become better known, and a federal employee vaccination requirement may contribute to that shift, Mayo said.
An analogy might be Harry Trumans 1948 order to desegregate the military, Mayo said. Jackie Robinson joined the Dodgers as the first African American to play in Major League Baseball the year before. Its a toss-up as to which event accelerated the desegregation of American institutions.
The Supreme Court ordered public schools to be integrated with all deliberate speed in 1954, while baseball wasnt fully integrated until 1959.
CAN MILITARY SERVICE MEMBERS USE A RELIGIOUS EXEMPTION TO AVOID GETTING THE COVID-19 VACCINE?
It remains to be seen how this will be applied to COVID-19, Mayo said. A court case isnt likely to be a winning strategy; the Supreme Court has been highly deferential to the militarys regulations when challenged on religious grounds. A COVID-related challenge on religious grounds may put the conservative members of the Court in a serious bind. In civilian settings, the Court has routinely struck down COVID-related regulations that impact religious institutions.
Tom Mayo, professor of law, Altshuler Distinguished Teaching Professor, SMU